We can scarcely expect any outright statement of the reasons in general
or in particular for the appointment of esquires. Nevertheless I find
two circumstances which may indicate the conditions of appointment;
first, some previous connection of their fathers with the king's court,
and second, some previous connection on their own part with the
household of one of the king's children. Of those whose fathers or
relatives had been in the court, may be mentioned John
Beauchamp, [Footnote: Cf. p. 6, supra.] Patrick Byker, [Footnote: p. 6.]
Nicholas Careu, [Footnote: p. 6.] Robert Corby, [Footnote: p. 7.] Collard
Dabriohecourt, [Footnote: p. 7.] Robert de Ferrers, [Footnote: p. 8.] and
William Burele [Footnote: Gal. Pat. Roll, 1378, p. 283.] (who was son of
the Sir John de Burley with whom Chaucer was associated on one mission).
Of course John Legge's father--as mayor of London--must have been known
at court, and one of Thomas Hauteyn's progenitors had been receiver of
king's customs at London. [Footnote: of. p. 9, supra.]
Even more interesting is the case of those esquires who before entering
the king's service had been in the household of one of his children, i.
e. Edward the Black Prince, Lionel, duke of Clarence (or his wife), John
of Gaunt, Isabella, wife of Ingelram de Coucy, and Edmund, Count of
Cambridge. Roger Archer, Griffith de la Chambre, Henry de Almaigne and
Richard Torperle seem to have been in the service of Isabella, the
king's daughter, for, in the grants of annuities which they received,
special mention is made of their service to her. [Footnote: Issues P.
241, mem. ll. p. 239, mem. 15. p. 301, mem,] Possibly they were always
in her service. Stephen Romylowe is expressly called esquire of Edward
prince of Wales (the Black Prince), and he held an annuity from that
prince. [Footnote: Pat. Roll 272, mem. 22, 285 mem. 25. 10 Cal. Pat. Roll
1378, p. 197, 1385, p. 26.] Richard Wirle signed an indenture to serve
John of Gaunt as an esquire in 46 Edward III, after the date at which he
is mentioned in the household books. [Footnote: Duchy of Lancaster
Registers No. 13. f. 125 dorso.] Since he seems never to have received
an annuity from the king, or a grant--except in one instance for his
wages in the wars--it seems likely that he was never actually in the
king's service, but rather in that, of John of Gaunt. Robert Ursewyk was
connected in some way with John of Gaunt and also with Edmund, Count of
Cambridge, son of Edward III. [Footnote: idem f. 94. Pat. Roll, 274, mem.
29.] Roger Mareschall, John Joce and Robert Bardolf held annuities of
twenty pounds each per annum from Lionel Duke of Clarence [Footnote:
Cal. Pat. Boll 1383, p. 326.] and so were probably at one time in his
service. Finally the most interesting case of all is that of Geoffrey
Stucle, whose career and employments curiously parallel Chaucer's and
who in 29 Edward III was valet to Elizabeth, Countess of Ulster.
[Footnote: Issues, P. 212, mem, 22, 27.]