LIFE

OF

GEOFFREY CHAUCER,

THE EARLY ENGLISH POET:

INCLUDING

MEMOIRS OF HIS NEAR FRIEND AND KINSMAN,

JOHN OF GAUNT, DUKE OF LANCASTER:

WITH SKETCHES OF THE

MANNERS, OPINIONS, ARTS AND LITERATURE

OF ENGLAND

IN

THE FOURTEENTH CENTURY.

BY WILLIAM GODWIN.

Come like shadows; so depart!

SHAKESPEAR.

IN FOUR VOLUMES.

VOL. II.

SECOND EDITION.

LONDON:

PRINTED BY T. DAVISON, WHITE-FRIARS ;
FOR RICHARD PHILLIPS, No. 71, ST. PAUL'S CHURCH-YARD.

1804.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER XVII.

Page

MEMOIRS of Strode and Gower, the con-

fidential friends of Chaucer

CHAP. XVIII.

Question whether Chaucer studied at Paris,

and in the Inner Temple, considered

Truce between England and France.

Law and lawyers of the fourteenth cen-

tury.--Statute of treasons. Palamon

And Arcite. Translation of Boethius.

De Consolatione Philosophiæ

- 40

CHAP. XIX.

Chaucer enters into the service of Edward

III.-Motives of his preferment.-Re-

sides near the palace at Woodstock.-

Character of the English court in the year

1358.--Battle of Poitiers

87