With regard to the services which the Household Books prescribe for the
esquires, I shall say nothing. In the public records, however, I have
found special services to which the individual esquires were assigned.
In the first place certain of these men--even those who appear in the
list of 1368 as "esquiers," and in that of 1369 as "esquiers de greindre
estat," or "esquiers de meindre degree"--performed special functions of
a character which makes it seem unlikely that they ever did the service
which the Household Books required of an esquire of the king's
household. In the list of 1368, for example, Esmon Rose was custodian of
the great horses of the king [Footnote: Issues, P. 216, mem. 18.], Hugh
Lyngeyn was a buyer of the household [Footnote: Pat. Roll 1384, p. 435.],
Nicholas Prage was first king's minstrel, and later serjeant at
arms, [Footnote: Issues, P. 228, mem. 24, 36 Edw. III, P. 273, mem. 11,
50 Edw. III.] Simond de Bokenham was chief serjeant of the
larder [Footnote: Cal. Pat. Roll 1378, p. 165.], and John Legge was
serjeant at arms [Footnote: Rymer III, 2,891.].
Secondly, certain of the esquires held special offices in the king's
chamber. John Herlyng and Walter Walsh were ushers of the king's
chamber [Footnote: Cal. Pat. Roll 1378, p. 133, idem p. 150.]. John de
Beauchamp was keeper of the king's jewels or receiver of the king's
chamber for some years up to 11 Richard II [Footnote: Cal. Pat. Roll
1384, p. 488.]; then for a short time he was Seneschall (steward) of the
king's household [Footnote: Issues, P. 316, mem. 2.].
Thomas Cheyne was in 43 Edward III keeper of the keys of the coffers of
the king's jewels [Footnote: Pat. Roll 279, mem. 33.]. John de Salesbury
was at different times called usher of the king's chamber and keeper of
the king's jewels [Footnote: Cal. Pat. Roll 1385, p. 15, Cal. Pat. Roll
1381-5 passim.]. Helmyng Leget was from 1362 for many years receiver of
the king's chamber, his business being to keep the king's money, receive
it from various people and pay it out [Footnote: Rymer, vol. 3, p.
911.]. Thirdly, esquires were frequently being sent about England on the
king's business. For example in 1385 Simon de Bukenham was appointed
buyer of horses for the king's expedition into Scotland [Footnote: Cal.
Pat. Roll, p. 579.]; in 1370 Laurence Hauberk was sent to
Berwick-upon-Tweed and from there by sea-coast to retain shipping for
the passage of Robert Knolles to Normandy [Footnote: Devon's Issues, p.
136.]; similarly at other times Helmyng Leget and John Romesey, John de
Salesbury and Thomas Spigurnell were detailed to take ships for royal
expeditions [Footnote: Issues, p. 270, mem. not numbered, p. 262, mem.
13, p. 298, mem. 23. Rymer, vol. 3, p. 90.]. Again, Walter Whithors in
1370 was sent to York to borrow money from divers abbots, priors and
others for the king's use [Footnote: Devon's Issues, p. 111.], in 1370
John de Beauchamp was sent to the abbot of Gloucester to borrow money
for the king's use [Footnote: idem, p. 153. Issues, P. 308, mem.], and
in 7 Richard II Walter Chippenham was assigned to raise money for the
king's use out of the lands of the late Edmund Mortimer, Count of March
[Footnote: Similarly Geoffrey Stucle, P. 298, mem. 23.]. In 5 Richard II
Simon de Burgh was appointed to inquire into the possessions held by the
rebels who had lately risen against the king in Cambridge [Footnote:
idem, P. 305, mem. 3.]. In 47 Edward III, Nicholas Dabridgecourt was
appointed to convey the children of Charles of Bloys from the custody of
Roger Beauchamp to that of Robert de Morton [Footnote: idem, p. 262,
mem. 14.]. Of less importance but equal frequency are the employments of
esquires to convey money from the king's treasury or from some customs
house to the king's wardrobe; John de Beauchamp de Holt le ffitz, Hugh
Cheyne, Rauf de Knyveton, Walter Chippenham and Robert la Zouche were at
various times so employed [Footnote: Issues, P. 229, mem. 24, P. 217,
mem. 22, Devon, P. 156, P. 281, mem. 2, P. 213, mem. 24, P. 229, mem.
19.].
Of course during the King's wars many of the esquires served in the army
abroad. In the Issues of the Exchequer for 1370, for example, many
entries of this type appear--John de Beverle--L107 15 s. 5 d. due in the
wardrobe for the expenses of himself, his men at arms and archers in the
war. _Devon_ p. 483. Hugh Cheyne, _idem_, p. 449, Robert de
Corby, _idem_, p. 461. Collard Dabridgecourt, p. 461. Helming
Leget, _idem_ p. 447. John Legge, _idem_ p. 449. Thomas
Spigurnell, p. 490, etc.
Most interesting with relation to Chaucer, however, is the employment of
esquires on missions abroad. Apparently certain individuals were
assigned especially to this kind of business and many of these were kept
almost constantly engaged in it. For example, George Felbrig, in 51
Edward III, was sent on the King's secret business to John Duke of
Brittany in Flanders. [Footnote: Issues, P. 274, mem. 11.] In 2 Richard
he was sent with John Burle and others on King's secret business to
Milan. [Footnote: idem, P. 298, mem. 20.] In 4 Richard II he was sent to
the King of the Romans and of Bohemia on secret business touching the
King's marriage. [Footnote: idem, P. 303, mem 2.] In 5 Richard II he was
sent again to Flanders. [Footnote: idem, P. 305, mem 13.] In 11 Richard
II (being then Knight of the King's chamber) he was sent to Middelburgh
to receive the homage of the Duke of Gueldres, [Footnote: idem, P. 316,
mem. 2.] and again in 14 Richard II he was sent on the King's business
to the King of the Romans and of Bohemia. [Footnote: idem, P. 323, mem.
5.] That the service was not a special honour but merely a business
function of the esquire is clear from the fact that Felbrig was on one
occasion called, "King's messenger beyond seas." [Footnote: Cal. Pat.
Roll 1384, P. 367.]
Similarly Geoffrey Stucle (whose career, I have already pointed out,
closely parallels Chaucer's) made many voyages abroad in the King's
business between 33 Edward III and 2 Richard II. In 33 Edward III, and
again in 35 Edward III, he was sent to Normandy on the King's business.
[Footnote: Issues, P. 223, mem. 17, A 169, mem. 30, mem 38.] On many of
his missions he merely carried letters to John of Gaunt, (in Devon's
Issues 1370, for example, five such missions in a single year are
mentioned), or to various nobles directing them to arm themselves for an
expedition under John of Gaunt. [Footnote: idem, P. 262, mem. 9.]
Likewise Stephen Romylowe was employed on many missions from 25 Edward
III on. [Footnote: idem 25 Edw. III, P. mem 21, 37.] In 30 Edward III he
was sent "in nuncio domini Regis" to Flanders, [Footnote: idem, P. 214,
mem. not numbered.] in 31 Edward III on another mission, [Footnote: idem
P. 217, mem. 18.] in 32 Edward III with John de Beauchamp, banneret, to
Holland, Flanders, Zealand, etc. [Footnote: idem P. 220, mem. 15.] These
are the most important examples of such employment, but many other
esquires--notably John Padbury, who in 1368 was an "esquier survenant"
[Footnote: Issues, P. 294 (?) mem. 20, P. 211, mem. 7, P. 214, mem. 23,
P. 218, mem. 2, etc.]--made occasional voyages.