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Brief Lives, Vol. 1

Chapter 146: Geoffrey Chaucer (1328-1400).
By John Aubrey
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BiographiesHistory - Early Modern (c. 1450-1750)

About This Book

A collection of concise biographical sketches compiled from the author's manuscript notes, offering anecdotal portraits of a wide range of literary, scientific, political, and social figures across several generations. Entries blend remembered quotations, learned citation, personal recollection, and occasional gossip, producing uneven but vivid character sketches. Material is presented alphabetically and supplemented by antiquarian notes, a short theatrical piece, and facsimiles of manuscript drawings and plans. An introduction outlines editorial principles and reproduces the manuscript spellings and citations where appropriate, preserving the informality and immediacy of the original notes.

Geoffrey Chaucer (1328-1400).

[641]Sir Geffrey Chaucer: memorandum—Sir Hamond L'Estrange, of ..., in ... had his Workes in MS., a most curious piece, most rarely writt and illumined, which he valued at 100 li. His grandson and heire still haz it.—From Mr. Roger L'Estrange.

He taught his sonne the use of <the> astrolabe at 10; prout per his treatise of the Astrolabe.

Dunnington Castle, neer Newbury, was his; a noble seate and strong castle, which was held by the King (Charles Ist) (who governour?) but since dismanteled.

Memorandum:—neer this castle was an oake, under which Sir Jeofrey was wont to sitt, called Chaucer's-oake, which was cutt downe by ... ... tempore Caroli Imi; and so it was, that ... ... was called into the starre chamber, and was fined for it.... Judge Richardson[642] harangued against him long, and like an orator, had topiques from the Druides, etc. This information I had from ... an able attorney that was at the hearing.

His picture is at his old howse at Woodstock (neer the parke-gate), a foot high, halfe way: has passed from proprietor to proprietor.

[643]One Mr. Goresuch of Woodstock dined with us at Rumney marsh, who told me that at the old Gothique-built howse neer the parke-gate at Woodstock, which was the howse of Sir Jeffrey Chaucer, that there is his picture, which goes with the howse from one to another—which see.