d abandoned, but he lost the
favour of the duke of Lancaster, as the influence of his wife's sister
with that prince was now much lessened. The duke being dejected with
the troubles in which he was involved, began to reflect on his
vicious course of life, and particularly his keeping that lady as
his concubine; which produced a resolution of putting her out of his
house, and he made a vow to that purpose. Chaucer, thus reduced, and
weary of the perpetual turmoils at court, retired to Woodstock, to
enjoy a studious quiet; where he wrote his excellent treatise of the
Astrolabe; but notwithstanding the severe treatment of the government,
he still retained his loyalty, and strictly enjoined his son to pray
for the king. As the pious resolutions of some people are often the
consequence of a present evil, so at the return of prosperity they are
soon dissipated. This proved the case with the duke of Lancaster: his
party again gathered strength, his interest began to rise; upon which
he took again his mistress to his bosom, and not content with heaping
favours, honours, and titles upon her, he made her his wife, procured
an act of parliament to legitimate her children, which gave great
offence to the duchess of Gloucester, the countess of Derby, and
Arundel, as she then was entitled to take place of them. With her
interest, Chaucer's also returned, and after a long and bitter storm,
the sun began to shine upon him with an evening ray; for at the
sixty-fifth year of his age, the king granted to him, by the title of
Delectus Armiger Noster, an annuity of twenty marks per annum
during his life, as a compensation for the former pension his needy
circumstances obliged him to part with; but however sufficient that
might be for present support, yet as he was encumbered with debts,
he durst not appear publickly till his majesty again granted him his
royal protection to screen him from the persecution of his creditors;
he also restored to him his grant of a pitcher of wine daily, and a
pipe annually, to be delivered to him by his son Thomas, who that year
possessed the office of chief butler to the king.

Now that I have mentioned his son, it will not be improper, to take
a view of our author's domestical affairs, at least as far as we are
enabled, by materials that have descended to our times.

Thomas his eldest son, was married to one of the greatest fortunes in
England, Maud, daughter and heir of Sir John Burgheershe, knight of
the