ccessor, that upon his ascending the throne, he confirmed to
him by the title of Dilectus Armiger Noster, the grant made by the
late king of twenty marks per annum, and at the same time confirmed
the other grant of the late King for a pitcher of wine to be delivered
him daily in the port of London. In less than two years after this, we
find our poet so reduced in his cirumstances, (but by what means is
unknown) that the King in order to screen him from his creditors, took
him under his protection, and allowed him still to enjoy his former
grants. The duke of Lancaster, whose restless ambition ever excited
him to disturb the state, engaged now with, all the interest of
which he was master to promote himself to the crown; the opinions of
Wickliff gained ground, and so great a commotion now prevailed amongst
the clergy, that the king perceiving the state in danger, and being
willing to support the clerical interest, suffered the archbishop of
Canterbury to summon Wickliff to appear before him, whose interest
after this arraignment very much decayed.[2] The king who was devoted
to his pleasures, resigned himself, to some young courtiers who hated
the duke of Lancaster, and caused a fryar to accuse him of an attempt
to kill the king; but before he had an opportunity of making out the
charge against him, the fryar was murdered in a cruel and barbarous
manner by lord John Holland, to whose care he had been committed. This
lord John Holland, called lord Huntingdon, and duke of Exeter, was
half brother to the King, and had married Elizabeth, daughter of
the duke of Lancaster. He was a great patron of Chaucer, and much
respected by him. With the duke of Lancaster's interest Chaucer's
also sunk. His patron being unable to support him, he could no longer
struggle against opposite parties, or maintain his posts of honour.
The duke passing over sea, his friends felt all the malice of an
enraged court; which induced them to call in a number of the populace
to assist them, of which our poet was a zealous promoter. One John
of Northampton, a late lord mayor of London was at the head of these
disturbances; which did not long continue; for upon beheading one of
the rioters, and Northampton's being taken into custody, the commotion
subsided. Strict search was made after Chaucer, who escaped into
Hainault; afterwards he went to France, and finding the king resolute
to get him into his hands, he fled from thence to Zealand. Several
accomplice