REV. WALTER W. SKEAT, M.A. Elrington and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon in the University of Cambridge, Editor of 'Piers the Plowman,' 'Havelok the Dane, The Romans of Partenay,' THIRD EDITION, REVISED Oxford AT THE CLARENDON PRESS M DCCC LXXXIII [All rights reserved] INTRODUCTION. FOR an account of Chaucer's life, I must beg leave to refer the reader to the edition of Chaucer's Prologue, Knightes Tale, &c., by Dr. Morris, in the Clarendon Press Series; a volume to which I have frequently had occasion to refer in the Notes and Glossary. But it is worth while to remark that Mr. Furnivall, by diligent searching amongst old records, has lately succeeded in finding out some new facts concerning Chaucer, which have been published from time to time in The Athenæum, and since collected and published in his 'Originals and Analogues of some of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales,' published for the Chaucer Society, and dated (in advance) 1875. We hence learn that the poet was the son of John Chaucer, Vintner, of Thames Street, London, and Agnes, his wife. Also, that John Chaucer had a half-brother, named Thomas Heroun or Heyroun, both being born of the same mother, named Maria, who must have been married to one of the Heroun family first, and subsequently to John Chaucer's father. The will of Thomas Heyroun is dated April 7th, 1349, his executor being his half-brother John Chaucer, the poet's father. We also find that John Chaucer was the son of Richard Chaucer, Vintner, who in his will, dated Easter-day (April 12th) 1349, names Maria his wife, and Thomas Heyroun her son. Richard Chaucer and Thomas Heyroun must have died nearly at the same time, carried off probably by the memorable plague of 1349. Chaucer's mother, Agnes, had an uncle |