Chaucer and his family
.:Nichol:.
genealogical information relating to Chaucer pertained to his possible
Durfort descendents. As I am interested in discovering any collateral
descendents, I found several books on Chaucer from which I learned a
fair bit about his family.
In "The Life and Times of Chaucer (New York, 1977)" by John Gardner, I
found an account of the poet's ancestry. His great-grandfather was
known variously as Andrew le Taverner or Andrew de Dennington,
suggesting he was born, lived in, or owned property in Dennington,
Sussex. Andrew's son was known as Robert de Dennington and then as
Robert Malyn le Chaucer, surnames being rather lax at the time. His
wife was named Mary, "from the substantial Ipswich family of
Westhales." She was widow of John Heyroun (or Heron), a pepperer, by
whom she had at least one son, Thomas Heyroun, who would become a
vintner before his death in 1349. After Robert's death between 1312
and 1315, Mary took as her second husband his cousin Richard Chaucer,
who would die in 1349 (a plague year, and also year of his stepson's
death).
Robert Malyn le Chaucer had at least one sister, Agnes, who was also
his sister-in-law, having married Mary's brother Walter of Westhale.
After the death of her brother, Agnes abducted her teenaged nephew
John and tried to force him to marry her daughter, (and his double
first cousin) Joan Ipswich. Young John Chaucer was rescued by his
stepfather and half-brother, and Agnes was imprisoned in Marchelsea
Gaol. A brother is mentioned by Howard, a Simon "who got into a street
fight, its cause forgotten, and was brought home to Watling Street to
die, his head bashed in with a doorbar."
John Chaucer, having survived this mishap, went on to become a wealthy
vinter and married Agnes de Copton, the niece of Hamo de Copton,
"citizen and moneyer", who died in 1349. Her father, John de Copton,
"was apparently the same John Copton who lived outside Aldgate and was
slain in 1313 or '14, when Agnes was a child." Agnes had wed a London
vinter named Henry Northwell, by whom she had a son, John Northwell.
She had married John Chaucer by October 1349, as a plea of intrusion
was placed against "John Chaucer, vinter, and his wife Agnes."
Geoffrey Chaucer's birthdate is uncertain; in the Scrope-Grovesnor
trial in 1386, his deposition reads "Geffray Chaucere esquier del age
de xl ans et plus armeez per xxvii ans" -- Geoffrey Chaucer, esquire,
forty and more years of age and armed for twenty-seven years.
According to "Chaucer, His Life, His Works, His World (1987)" by
Donald R. Howard, this means he was born "no later than the early
months of 1343, and possibly a year or so before that."
There was also a sister, Catherine, who, according to Philpot's
"Visitation of Kent" married Simon Manning of Codham, Kent. She is
described as "soror Galfridi Chawcer militis celeberrimi Poetae
Anglicani" -- sister of Geoffrey Chaucer, soldier, and celebrated
English poet. Chaucer served as mainpernor for Simon Manning in 1386
when the latter was sued for debt; Catherine inherited property in
Greenwich in 1366, the year of John Chaucer's death.
If anyone can shed any light on the possible descendents of Chaucer's
sister and half-brother, I would be most appreciative. Similarly, if
you discover a mistake or error, I would be thankful if you would
point it out to me.
.:Nichol:.
David Tasker
paste in her/ 1343 is also a possible birthdate I have. Sorry if on Apple
appears scrambled will have to send as attachment.
John O'GADDESDEN [c1280 - 1349 or 61]
[Johanne : Joannes : Jone de : GATESDEN(E) : GAD(D)ESDEN :
GABESH(EDE)(DENE) : GATISDEN]
1280 prob.b.in house on site of present tudor John O¹Gaddesden House in
Little Gaddesden (b.1250 in some sources)
1294 Pupil at Oxford Grammar School (or boy pupil Merton College founded
1264)
1296 Student (16) in lodgings, Merton College, Oxford studying for 1st
degree BA 1300 (He would have studied the 7 liberal arts
Grammar,Rhetoric,Logic,Arithmetic.Music,Geometry & Astronomy + more than
passing acquaintance with writings of ancient scholars such as Aistotle &
Boethius) then Masters Degree 1303.He could have pursued Law,Theology or
Medicine & chose latter.
1307 Batchelor of Medicine.[Edward I 272 1307 dies (68)][Edward II (23)
1307 -1327 deposed,imprisoned, murdered Berkeley Castle]
1309 Doctor of Medicinis. Batchelor of Theology. Fellow of Merton
College 1309.
1314 Merton College Resident,Master of Arts & Medicine,Batchelor of
Theology. Established large practice in London & Prob Wrote his book 1314 -
17 "Rosa Medicinae" later known as "Rosa Angelica" Physiciian to Edward II
(Battle of Bannockburn : Bruce routs Edward II¹s army)
1316 Rector of Abingdon. (had by this time taken holy orders)
1320 Merton College Fellow.(Ordained Priest) Rector of Chipping
Norton.(then like Little Gaddesden in Diocese of Lincoln)
1327 Edward III {1327 1377]
1330 Canon & Prebend of St.Pauls
1333 Canon of Chichester Cathedral. King¹s Clerk which brought him
influence & possbly affluence serving the Royal family inc the Black Prince,
eldest son of Edward III . Court Physiician.
1336 Prebendary of London + offices other parishes/cathedrals/political
appointments (sinecures)
1338 Start of 100 years war with France.(1338-1453)
1339 Appointed Constable of Castle at Wallyngford (for " his good
services in the army lately in France")
1342 Aug 1st Prebendary of St.Pauls with the stall of Wilsland (when
resigned the living of "cheping norton") Went into the sevice of the 12 year
old Black Prince.
1343 Chaucer¹s birth ? (d.1400)
1346 Received a gift of gold from Black Prince who fought alongside his
father at the Battle of Crecy & defeated French.John was in attendance as
Royal Physician throughout the French Campaigns 1338 1360 & a John
O¹Gaddesden mentioned as Marshal of Calais 1350 .The black death ravaged
Europe struck England 1349 & 1361-2 & 1369 reducing population by 1/3 or
even 1/2
1349 May have died of black death or lived on to c1361. Priests and
doctors were particlary at risk.
1492 His book "Rosa Angelica" Printed Pavia & became first printed
medical book in English. Later Eds, Venice 1502, Augsburg 1595
He served Edward I ? & treated one of his sons (prob Thomas de Bretherton)
for smallpox by wrapping him in scarlet cloth in a bed with scarlet hangings
to avoid him getting pit-marks. King¹s Clerk & Court physician to Edward II
? or Edward III (if c1333 onwards) after 1342 he went into the service of
the 12 year old Black Prince himself. [Edward III¹s eldest son] receiving a
gift of gold from him 1346 the year he fought alongside his father at the
battle of Crecy.During French Campaigns he may have met Goeffrey CHAUCER
(b.c1340) who although a poet had to earn a living & like John served in
various Royal households inc the Duke Of Clarence¹s,3rd son of Edward III in
1557. 2 years later he joined the army when England invaded France & was
there until March 1360. At one stage Chaucer was employed at Berkamstead
Castle a favourite Royal Residence up to Elizabeth I¹s time & not far from
Little Gaddesden. If John lived to retire to 15C Manor House of Little
Gaddesden he may well have entertained his friend CHAUCER. [NB The Black
Prince won the battle of Poitiers 1356 & eventually worn out with waring
returned to England 1371 a broken man dying 1376 (46)]
In Prologue to Canterbury Tales Chaucer may well have used his friend John
O'Gaddesden as model for his "doctour of Physick" who from Chaucer¹s
description relied on Astrology "magik nature" & upon the doctrine of the
Humours & was fond of his fees. "For Gold In Physick is a cordial, Therefore
he lovede gold in special" Also amid the sonorous names of ancient writers
on medicine he slyly introduces the name of his friend. " Bernard, and
GATISDEN & Gilbertyn " [John was said to have received a large fee from the
Barber Surgeons' Guild for a prescription in which the main ingredients were
3 frogs but he also had poor patients & gave them prescriptions they could
afford.] The sub title of his book was how to make money in medicine & one
of the chapters was titled of disagreeable diseases which the doctor can
seldom make money by. However he is said to have made a great deal of money
from the sale of cosmetics and to have been besides a physician a
surgeon,dentist,chiropidist and de louser. Chaucer's doctor was grounded in
Asronomy [John knew little] & "his study was but litel on the Bibel" [Was
this Chaucer's characteristic criticism of the clergy who did not live up to
the standards of "his poor parson of the toun" or was he using local
traditions about him ?] The Merton College Annals state that just as the
college produced famous philosophers,theologians & astronomers in medicine
it produced GADDESDEN
*
in article f7dc395a.02120...@posting.google.com, .:Nichol:. at
Nichol...@yahoo.com wrote on 4/12/02 10:49 pm: