Geoffrey Chaucer

Family
G. Chaucer was born some time between 1340 and 1345. We do not know the
exact date. His family belonged to the emerging middle class and his father was a
wealthy wine merchant in London. He received a good education and while still a
boy he became a page to Princess Elizabeth, daughter-in-law of the king, Edward
III.

The army Chaucer joined the army and fought in France during the Hundred
Years' War. He was captured and held prisoner until the king ransomed him. He
took part in the peace negotiations with France in 1360 and clearly served the king
well, since he was defined as a well-beloved personal attendant and granted a life
pension.

Travels In 1366 he married Philippa de Roet, a noblewoman and sister-in-law of a

powerful man, John of Gaunt, who became Geoffrey's patron. From 1368 onwards
Geoffrey travelled in Europe on diplomatic missions. He visited Genoa and
Florence where he became acquainted with Italian Literature and in particular with
the works of Dante, Petrarch and Boccaccio.

Career In 1374 he was appointed Controller of Customs of Wools, Skins and

Hides, a post he held for twelve years. In 1386 he started a political career and
represented the county of Kent in Parliament. At that time he was also a Justice of
the Peace. He was appointed Clerk for the King's Works (the person who oversees
building work in progress) first at Westminster, then at Windsor and the Tower. For
the last ten years of his life Chaucer retired. Throughout his life he had a
comfortable standard of living and he collected over sixty books. This was an
impressive library before the invention of printing, when books were rare and
expensive. He took a lease on a house in the garden
Of Westminster Abbey, where he worked on his masterpiece, The Canterbury
Tales.
He died on 25th October 1400 and was buried in a chapel of the Abbey which has
since become known as 'Poets' Corner'.

"SINCE I FROM LOVE"   BY G. CHAUCER

SINCE I from Love escaped am so fat, 

I ne'er think to be in his prison ta'en; 
Since I am free, I count him not a bean. 
He may answer, and saye this and that; 
I *do no force,* I speak right as I mean;                *care not* 
Since I from Love escaped am so fat. 

Love hath my name struck out of his slat,*             *slate, list 

And he is struck out of my bookes clean, 
For ever more; there is none other mean; 
Since I from Love escaped am so fat. 

BALLAD SENT TO KING RICHARD BY G. CHAUCER

SOMETIME this world was so steadfast and stable, 

That man's word was held obligation; 
And now it is so false and deceivable,*                  *deceitful 
That word and work, as in conclusion, 
Be nothing one; for turned up so down 
Is all this world, through meed* and wilfulness,           *bribery 
That all is lost for lack of steadfastness. 

What makes this world to be so variable, 

But lust* that folk have in dissension?                   *pleasure 
For now-a-days a man is held unable*               *fit for nothing 
*But if* he can, by some collusion,**        *unless* *fraud, trick 
Do his neighbour wrong or oppression. 
What causeth this but wilful wretchedness, 
That all is lost for lack of steadfastness? 

Truth is put down, reason is holden fable; 

Virtue hath now no domination; 
Pity exil'd, no wight is merciable; 
Through covetise is blent* discretion;                     *blinded 
The worlde hath made permutation 
From right to wrong, from truth to fickleness, 
That all is lost for lack of steadfastness. 

L'Envoy. 
O Prince! desire to be honourable; 
Cherish thy folk, and hate extortion; 
Suffer nothing that may be reprovable*       *a subject of reproach 
To thine estate, done in thy region;*                      *kingdom 
Show forth the sword of castigation; 
Dread God, do law, love thorough worthiness, 
And wed thy folk again to steadfastness! 
CONTROLLING THE TONGUE G. CHAUCER

My son, keep well thy tongue, and keep thy friend. 

A wicked tongue is worse than a fiend; 
My son, from a fiend men may them bless. 
My son, God of his endless goodness 
Walled a tongue with teeth and lips eke, 
For man should him avise what he speak. 
My son, full oft, for too much speech 
Hath many a man been spilt, as clerks teach; 
But for little speech avisely 
Is no man shent, to speak generally. 
My son, thy tongue shouldst thou restrain 
At all time, but when thou dost thy pain 
To speak of God, in honour and prayer. 
The first virtue, son, if thou wilt lere, 
Is to restrain and keep well thy tongue; 
Thus learn children when that they been young. 
My son, of muckle speaking evil-avised, 
Where less speaking had enough sufficed, 
Cometh muckle harm; thus was me told and taught. 
In muckle speech sin wanteth nought. 
Wost thou whereof a rakel tongue serveth? 
Right as a sword forcutteth and forcarveth 
An arm a-two, my dear son, right so 
A tongue cutteth friendship all a-two.