The first mention I find of Geffrey Stucle is in 1347 when he had a
grant of the bailiwick of Cork in Ireland made at the request of Henry,
Earl of Lancaster. [Footnote: Cal. Pat. Roll, p. 367.] This grant was
confirmed by one of 32 Edward III--an inspeximus and confirmation of
letters patent of Maurice, Count Dessemond, according to which Maurice
granted the bailiwick of Cork to Geffrey Styeucle at the request of
Lionel, Count of Ulster. According to this last document Stucle had the
office with all its fees and privileges and was to pay for it a rose
yearly at the feast of St. John the Baptist. [Footnote: Pat. ROLL 255,
mem. 29.] In 1348 also a statement is made that Stucle is going to
Brittany on the king's service.
In 29 Edward III Stucle appears under entirely different circumstances:
he is then "vallettus" of the Countess of Ulster and is paid forty
shillings and sixty shillings for attending to certain business of the
countess. [Footnote: Issues, P. 212, mem. 22, 27]. Again he is mentioned
as "vallettus" of the Countess of Ulster, staying in London on her
affairs, and paid sixty shillings therefor. [Footnote: idem, P. 294,
(214?) mem. 23.] In 31 Edward III he had a grant--as "vallettus" of the
king's household--of ten marks per annum, "for good services to the
king," etc. [Footnote: Issues, P. 217, mem. 14.] Evidently then Stucle
came into the king's household, just as Chaucer did, from the household
of Elizabeth, Countess of Ulster, and it is to be noted that he received
an annuity within a year or a little more, possibly as soon as he
shifted to the king's service. In the same year he was sent on a mission
of the king's and paid 26s. 8d. [Footnote: idem, mem. 18] In 33 Edward
III he was sent on the king's secret business to Normandy and paid
L16,13s.4d. for his wages. [Footnote: idem, P. 223, mem. 17] He was paid
ten pounds more in the same year for a mission of the king--possibly the
same as the foregoing. [Footnote: idem, P. 222, mem. 20.] In 35 Edward
III he was sent on the king's business to Normandy and paid ten pounds
for his wages. [Footnote: idem A 169, mem. 30.] Likewise in the same
year he was paid twenty pounds for his wages in going to France and
Normandy in the diplomatic service of the king--possibly the same as the
foregoing. [Footnote: idem A 169, mem. 38.] In 36 Edward III he was paid
ten pounds for going on another journey [Footnote: ISSUES P. 228, mem.
2.] and L6,13s.4d. for a journey on the king's business to Britanny.
[Footnote: idem, P. 229, mem. 25] In the same year he was paid sixty
shillings for his robe. [Footnote: idem] In 37 Edward III he was sent to
Jersey in the company of Elizabeth, Countess of Ulster, [Footnote: idem,
P 232, mem. 20.] and his annuity was increased to twenty marks.
[Footnote: Pat. Roll 267, mem. 21.]
In 38 Edward III Stucle was granted, at his own request, custody of all
lands and tenements which were formerly the property of Richard de la
Rynere, defunct, during the minority of the heir. [Footnote: idem 269,
mem. 43.] In 39 Edward III he went on a diplomatic mission to the duke
of Britanny, and was paid L26,13s.4d. therefor. [Footnote: Issues, P.
239, mem. 31] In 40 Edward III he was granted one tenement and two shops
in the parish of St. Michael over Cornhill, London. [Footnote: Pat. Roll
273, mem. 35.] In 41 Edward III he was paid forty pounds for a mission
to Spain. [Footnote: Issues, P. 248, mem. not numbered.] In 42 Edward
III he was paid forty pounds for a journey to the Prince of Aquitain.
[Footnote: Issues, P. 249, mem. 4.] In 1370 he was given ten marks in
addition to his wages for the five voyages which he had made to Calais
for the king. [Footnote: Devon's Issues, p.409.] In that year also he was
sent on secret business of the king to Nottingham. [Footnote: idem.]
In 47 Edward III, Stucle was sent to Flanders with certain letters of
privy seal 'directed to various bannerets and knights of the king's
retinue who were staying in Germany, directing them to prepare
themselves to go with John, duke of Lancaster, to France on the king's
business. [Footnote: Issues, P. 262, mem. 9.] For this he was paid
L13,6s.8d. and he received ten pounds more for a journey to Flanders
with letters directed to Simon, Archbishop of Canterbury. [Footnote:
idem 264, mem. not numbered.] In 49 Edward III he was sent to Brugges to
report to the council the results of the conference between the
ambassadors of the king and the king of France for a treaty of peace.
[Footnote: idem, P. 271, mem. 17.] In the same year he was granted
custody of all the lands and tenements formerly belonging to John
Dakeneye, chivaler, defunct, with marriage of the heir. [Footnote: Pat.
Roll 293, mem. 19. GEORG FELBRIGG]
In 50 Edward III he was paid ten pounds for transacting certain arduous
business pertaining to the king in Flanders. [Footnote: Issues, P. 273,
mem. 20.] In 1 Richard II, Stucle was sent to Leycester with a letter of
private seal directed to John, King of Castile and Leon, Duke of
Lancaster, certifying to the duke the death of the countess of March and
excusing the count of March on that account from his journey to the
north. [Footnote: idem 295, mem. 11.] In the same year he was sent to
the north with a letter directed to John of Lancaster ordering the
latter to come to London to the king's council. [Footnote: idem 295,
mem. 17.] In 2 Richard II he was paid a hundred shillings for a journey
to various parts of England to get money for a royal expedition.
[Footnote: idem, P. 298, mem. 23.] In 1378 his grant of an annuity--here
stated to be twenty pounds--was confirmed and he was retained in the
king's service. [Footnote: Cal. Pat. Roll, p. 181.] In 10 Richard II it
is stated that Richard de la Panetrie had married his widow; evidently
he had not been dead long for the king paid to his widow L37, es.8d. due
to him. [Footnote: Issues, P. 315, mem. 11.]
Mention of George Felbrig first occurs in 34 Edward III when he was
granted an annuity of twenty marks. [Footnote: Pat. Roll 261, mem. 2.]
In 37 Edward III George Felbrigg and William Elys were granted the farm
of all the customs except those of wool and wool-fells in the town of
Magne Jernemuth for one year. [Footnote: idem 268, mem. 49.] They seem
to have held this farm for a number of years, certainly in 40 and 41
Edward III, by yearly grants and at a rent of twenty-two pounds per
annum. [Footnote: Fine Roll 167, mem, 10, 168, mem.16] In 1370 he was
paid L31, 11s. 10 d. for the expenses of himself his men at arms, and
archers in the war. [Footnote: Devon p. 440.] In 44 Edward III he was
receiving an annuity of twenty pounds, [Footnote: Devon's Issues, p.
66.] and in the same year he had a grant at farm of the hundred of
Northerpyngham, and Southerpyngham, paying fifty pounds yearly
therefor. [Footnote: Fine Roll 171, mem. 26.] In 47 Edward III he was
granted custody of the priory of Tostes at a farm of sixty-three pounds
yearly. [Footnote: idem 174, mem. 16.] In 48 Edward III the bailiff of
fees, etc., in Norfolk and Suffolk was ordered by the Duke of Lancaster
to deliver the lands and tenements late belonging to Elizabeth, Dame de
Aspall, to George de Felbrigge who had married Margaret, daughter of the
said Elizabeth. [Footnote: Abstracts and Indexes (Long Room-Rec. Off.)
I, 157 dorso.] In 49 Edward III he was granted a messuage with
pertinences in Grippewic. [Footnote: Pat. Roll 293, mem. 3.] In 50
Edward III he had a grant of the "balliva" of the hundred of Rockeford
in Essex, and also of the custody of Haddele Castle. [Footnote: Abb.
Rot. Orig. II. 310.] In 51 Edward III he was sent on secret business of
the King to John, duke of Brittany, in Flanders, and paid L13, 6s. 8d.
for his wages for the journey. [Footnote: Issues, P. 274, mem. 11.]
In 1377 he is said to have been one of the jury that found Alice Perrers
guilty of maintenance [Footnote: Blomefield's Norfolk VIII, 107 ff.];
certainly he witnessed against her before Parliament. [Footnote: Rot.
Parl. p. 14.] In 2 Richard II he was sent on secret business of the King
with John de Burle and others to Milan; for the voyage he received L23,
6s. 8d. [Footnote: Issues, P. 298, mem. 20.] In 4 Richard II he was sent
to the King of the Romans and of Bohemia on secret business connected
with the marriage of the King, and paid L66, 13s. 4d. for the journey.
[Footnote: Issues, P. 303, mem. 2.] In 1382 he and John Herlyng acquired
a messuage and sixty acres of land. [Footnote: Cal. Pat. Roll, p. 121.]
In 5 Richard II he was paid for a certain voyage to Germany L75, 6s. 8d.
and for a voyage on king's secret business to Flanders, ten
pounds. [Footnote: Issues, P. 304, mem. 19, P. 305, mem, 13.] In 1384 he
was granted for life the ten pounds yearly due from him from the issues
of the Castle of Colchester. In this document his services as King's
messenger beyond the seas are expressly mentioned. [Footnote: Cal. Pat.
Roll, p. 367.] He seems to have had custody of the castle of Colchester,
for when later in 1384 the King granted it to Robert de Veer, he gave
instead forty pounds yearly to George Felbrigg. [Footnote: idem pp. 440,
442] In 7, 8 Richard II he was granted free warren for certain estates
in Suffolk. [Footnote: Cal Rot. Chart., p. 190.] In 1385 the King granted
to George Felbrig, whom the King on his entry into Scotland had advanced
to the rank of Knight, forty pounds yearly to enable him to support his
estate more honorably. [Footnote: Cal. Pat. Roll, p. 18.] He had with him
when he was in the King's expedition to Scotland eight esquires and
bowmen. [Footnote: Issues, P. 312, mem. 17.]
In 11 Richard II George de Felbrugg was sent to the Duke of Gueldres at
Middleburgh to receive his homage on the part of the King; for his
expenses on the journey he was paid thirty pounds. [Footnote: idem, P.
316, mem. 2.] In 1389-92 he was mentioned frequently in the Patent Rolls
as justice of the Peace in Suffolk. [Footnote: Cal. Pat. Roll index.] In
14 Richard II he was paid forty pounds for a journey to the King of the
Romans, and in 15 Richard II a hundred pounds for the same
journey. [Footnote: Issues, P. 323, mem. 5, P. 324, mem. 5] In 1399 nine
grants made by Richard II to him, were confirmed by Henry IV. [Footnote:
Cal. Pat. Roll, p. 77.] In 1401 a George Felbrig married Anne, late the
wife of Robert Charles, Knight. [Footnote: idem, p. 539.]
Blomefield gives the following additional information about Felbrig. In
7 Richard II he and Margery his wife held the manors of Wortham and
Ingham in Suffolk. About the same time Roger Mortimer, Earl of March,
granted to him and Roger Mareschall, esquire, the manor and park of
Standon in Hertfordshire, at farm. He was one of the King's protectors
in the latter's tenth year, and in 15 Richard II, he was one of the
Lieutenants in the court of chivalry to try the case of Lords Morley and
Lovell. His will was dated 3 February 1400. [Footnote: Blomefield, VIII,
pp. 107 ff.] The office of Justice of the Peace developed in England in
the fourteenth century. The main outlines of its growth can be indicated
by the statement of a few significant facts. In 1327 it was enacted that
"good and lawful men" be assigned to keep the peace. In 1330 they were
given power to return indictments. In 1360 one lord and with him three
or four of the most worthy of the county, with some learned in the law,
were given power to arrest malefactors, to receive indictments against
them, and to hear and determine at the King's suit all manner of
felonies and trespasses done in the county. In 1362 it was directed by
statute that the justices should hold sessions four times a year, and,
in 1388, that they should be paid four shillings a day during the
sessions. [Footnote: Summarized from Maitland's Constitutional History
and G. E. Howard. Neb. U. Studies, pp. 44, 53.] In 13* Richard II it was
enacted that the justices should be "the most efficient Knights,
esquires and gentlemen of the law" of the county. [Footnote: Though
enacted after Chaucer's time as justice, this indicates very nearly a
contemporary attitude toward the office.]
The justices of a given county were derived from three classes.
[Footnote: Encyclopaedia of Laws of England, vol. 7, p. 587.]
(a) those appointed by being named in the schedule. (The Lord Chancellor
made the appointment, usually relying upon the Lord Lieutenant, or the
custos rotulorum, of the county.)
(b) virtute officii--i.e. the Lord Chancellor, Lord President of the
Privy Council, Lord Privy Seal, Justices of the Supreme Court, etc.
(c) holders of minor judicial offices, county judges, etc.
Of those named in the list of Justices of the Peace for Kent in 1386 at
least four fall under class (b); Robert Tresilian, Robert Bealknap,
David Hannemere, and Walter Clopton were at that time Justices in the
King's courts and their names occur (evidently ex officio) in the lists
of justices for many of the counties of England. Since they very likely
never sat with the Justices of the Peace in Kent, they may, for our
purposes, be disregarded.
We cannot be sure that Chaucer ever actually sat on this commission or
that he knew personally any one of his fellow justices. Consequently
there is no intrinsic interest in a study of their individual careers
and personalities. But a few notes about them will give us some
impression of the type of men with whom Chaucer was associating and the
importance of his social position.
In the fourteenth century the name of the Constable of Dover and Warden
of the Cinque Ports always heads the list of justices in Kent. The
holder of that office in 1387 was SIMON DE BURLEY, one of the most
influential men in Richard II's court. This man was not of noble birth.
Barnes (quoted by Kervyn de Lettenhoeve) [Footnote: Froissart XX, 487.]
says that Walter Burley was so renowned for his learning at Oxford that
he became the almoner of the queen (Philippa (?)) and the tutor of the
prince of Wales. One of his relatives, Simon de Burley, was included
among the group of young people brought up with the prince, and soon he
became the latter's intimate friend, and afterwards one of the tutors of
his son, Richard II. He enjoyed the greatest favour under Richard II,
and belonged to the group of the King's friends, Robert de Vere, Michael
de la Pole and Nicholas Brembre. He had been connected always with the
family of Richard II (a fact illustrated by his being named by Joan,
mother of Richard II, one of the executors of her will, 1385).
[Footnote: Test Vet, p. 15.] In 1377 Richard II confirmed to him--"the
King's father's Knight"--a grant of a hundred pounds yearly made by the
King's father and the custody of Kerwerdyn castle. [Footnote: Cal. Pat.
Roll, p. 223.] In the same year he granted de Burley the office of
constable of Windsor Castle for life, the abbot of Fecampe's manor of
Sloghtre, [Footnote: idem, pp. 78, 21, 223.] rent free, during the war,
and the office of master of the falcons. In 1378 he confirmed to de
Burley the custody of the manor of Chiltenham (Gloucester) and the fee
simple of the castle and lordship of Lanstephan. [Footnote: idem, p.
119, 256.] In 1382 Richard granted him the office of under-chamberlain
of the King's household for life, and appointed him surveyor of the
lands in South Wales in the King's hands during the minority of the heir
of Edmond Mortimer. [Footnote: idem, p. 164.] In 1384 the King granted
him for life the constableship of Dover Castle and the wardenship of the
Cinque Ports, and three hundred pounds yearly therefor (and for the
maintenance of himself, chaplains, etc.) with provision that he exercise
the office himself. [Footnote: idem, p. 367.] In 1388 he was attainted
of treason with the other favourites of the King and executed. It is
reported that people in Kent rose in rebellion to [Footnote: idem, p.
78] demonstrate their loyalty to him. At his death Michael de la Pole,
William Wingfield and he possessed together extensive lands, and he
himself had some seven manors in Kent. [Footnote: Cal. Inq. P. M. III,
111, 119.]
The JOHN DE COBEHAM whose name follows that of de Burley in the list,
was one of the most eminent barons of his day. I shall merely outline a
few of the most important features in his career. He came of one of the
oldest families in Kent. [Footnote: Ireland's Kent V, 240 ff.] His father
had been at various times admiral of the King's fleet in the west,
justice in Kent, and constable of Rochester. His mother was Joan,
daughter of John, lord Beauchamp of Stoke. In 40, 41 Edward III John de
Cobeham served in the wars in France; in 41 Edward III he was ambassador
to Rome. In 1 Richard II he was a member of the King's council, served
later in France with three Knights, 105 esquires and 110 men at arms,
and was made a banneret. In 10 Richard II he was one of the thirteen
lord governours of the realm, appointed to oversee the government of the
King. From 1377 on he was on many commissions to treat for peace with
foreign powers. In 1387 he was with the five lords appellant at Waltham
Cross (evidently then he was of the party of Gloucester and Arundel). He
was Member of Parliament from Kent in 1390, 1394 and 1398. In 1392 he
was lieutenant to the constable of England, and in the same year he was
given a cup in the Earl of Arundel's will. [Footnote: Test. Vet., p.
133.] With the downfall of Gloucester he fell out of favour. He died in
1409, leaving extensive possessions ( forty-three items in all) in
London, Wiltshire, Kent and Surrey. He married Margaret, daughter of
Hugh Courtenay, Earl of Devonshire. [On Cobeham cf. Nicolas Hist.
Peerage, and Kent. Arch. Soc. II, p. 71.]
JOHN CLINTON came of a prominent Kentish family. He was son of John de
Clinton of Maxtoke and Ida d'Odingsel. [Footnote: Froissart XXI, pp. 17
ff.] He was in the French and Scottish campaigns, was appointed on
commissions and was at one time lieutenant of John Devereux, warden of
the Cinque Ports. He died in 1396, leaving extensive lands in Kent
(twenty-six items in all). [Footnote: Cal. Inq. P. M. III, 228.] He
married Margery Corbet, of a good Kentish family.
JOHN DEVEREUX was son of William Devereux. Edward III attached him to
the person of his grandson (Richard II?) and gave him two hundred marks
as a pension. [Footnote: Froissart XXI, p. 94 Statham Hist. of Dover, p.
380.] He was in Spain with the Black Prince. In 1377 he was appointed
one of the King's council, [Footnote: Rymer old ed. VII, 161.] in 1378
constable of Leeds Castle for life, and in 1380 Captain of the city of
Calais. [Footnote: idem, p. 259.] He was on many commissions to treat of
peace with France and Flanders [Footnote: idem, 308, 338, 248.] and from
1384 on he was frequently summoned to Parliament. In 1386 he was one of
the council of eleven appointed to govern England. From 1386 to 1390
(and perhaps longer) he was steward of the King's household. [Footnote:
Rymer old ed. VII, 495, 675.] In 1387 he was with the lords appellant at
Waltham Cross. [Footnote: Rot. Parl. III, 229.] In 1387 he succeeded
Simon de Burley as Constable of Dover and Warden of the Cinque Ports.
[Footnote: Ireland's Kent I, 710.] He died in 1394, a Knight of the
Garter [Footnote: Beltz, p. 323.] and the possessor, in right of his
wife, of the manor of Penshurst, Kent. His only other property seems to
have been the manor of Donyngton in Buckinghamshire. [Footnote: Cal.
Inq. P. M. III, 174.]
THOMAS CULPEPER came from a great Kentish family which at one time could
boast of having twelve members bearing the order of Knighthood.
[Footnote: Kent. Arch. XXI, 212.] A Thomas Culpeper was Member of
Parliament for Kent in 1361 and in other later years.
THOMAS FOGG was Member of Parliament for Kent in 1378, 1380, 1383, 1384,
1388. He held lands by Knight's service of the Lord of Ponynges, and
came, through right of his wife, into part of the property of Warresins
de Valoynes. In 1377 he was constable of the castle of Calais.
[Footnote: Rymer IV, 2.] He was prominent in the wars of the time,
especially in naval action. In 1386 he went to Spain with John of Gaunt.
[Footnote: Rymer old ed. VII, 499.] In 1405 he died. [Footnote: Kent.
Arch. XVIII, p. 360.]
WILLIAM RIKHILL was a justice of the King's bench. He may have been in
the list for that reason, or perhaps because he was an inhabitant of
Kent. At any rate he came of a landed family in Kent. [Footnote:
Ireland's Kent, IV, 416.] He died in Henry IV's reign.
JOHN FREMINGHAM, son of Sir Ralph Fremingham of Lose, was derived from a
prominent Kentish family. [Footnote: idem, III, 111. Kent Arch. XXI,
214, XXIII, 57.] He himself is called "chivaler;" was sheriff of Kent in
1378 and 1393, and a Member of Parliament in 1377, 1381 and 1399. He was
executor of the will of William Courtenay, Archbishop of Canterbury. He
died 12 Henry IV, possessing the manor and advowson of the church of
Otham, and Read Court.
JAMES DE PEKHAM was of another old Kentish family which can be traced as
far back as Richard I. [Footnote: Ireland's Kent III, 529. Kent Arch.
Soc. XXI, 214, XXVIII, 210.] His great grandfather possessed the manor
of Pekham in Hadlow (temp. Edward I) and the estates had been increased
since that time. James Pekham was sheriff of Kent in 1377 and 1380 and a
member of Parliament in 1372, 1377, 1383, 1388.
WILLIAM TOPCLYF was apparently the only man in the list (except Chaucer)
who did not come from a landed Kentish family. He was, however, in 1382
and doubtless later, land steward to the Archbishop of Canterbury. He
held a manor in Kent, whether as steward of the Archbishop or of his own
right, I have not been able to find out. [Footnote: Kent Arch. IV, 125.]
THOMAS BROKHILL, of Saltwood, chivaler, derived from a good Kentish
family, was Sheriff in 1382, 1383, 1385, 1395, 1397, 1399, and 1402. He
died in 1437-38, leaving no male heirs. [Footnote: Ireland's Kent II,
218. Kent Arch. XXI, 215, XVIII, 422, 3.]
WILLIAM BRENCHESLEY was lord of the manor of Benenden, near Dartford,
and a justice of the Common Pleas (in Henry IV's time). [Footnote: Kent
Arch. V, 27.] THE CUSTOMS [Footnote: Atton & Holland: the King's
Customs.]
The duties of the collectors of customs were to ensure payment on all
wools and leather shipped from their port, to have the wool or leather
weighed at the wool-beam and each bale tested and sealed with the
Government stamp or "coket" seal. The collectors, of whom there were two
in every important port, were clerical officers rather than coast
guards--their most arduous duty the preparing and balancing of the
accounts which had to be written by their own hands. Their salary was
twenty pounds a year each. The controller, who was intended as a check
on the collectors, prepared and presented an independent account to the
Exchequer. He seems to have had no fixed salary, but the collectors were
empowered to pay the controller's salary out of the takings. [Footnote:
Summarized from Hubert Hall: History of the Customs Revenue.] The sums
thus paid, were however, mostly nominal, (in Chaucer's case ten pounds a
year) and it is evident that both collectors and controllers were
allowed to levy fees.
The collectors of the Port of London during Chaucer's service as
controller were:
1374 John de Bernes and Nicholas Brembre. 1375 Brembre and William de
Walworth. 1376 John Warde and Robert Girdelere. 1377 Warde and Richard
Northbury. 1378-1384 Brembre and John Philipot. 1384-1386 Brembre and
John Organ.
These were in every case prominent citizens and merchants of London, and
after 1377, they were members of a clique especially friendly to the
King, and inimical to John of Gaunt. To gain the right conception of
their relations, one must learn something about London politics. I shall
follow Trevelyan's account [Footnote: Age of Wyclif, pp. 278 ff.] of the
factional struggles in the city, which from the documents which he has
published and from such evidence as that afforded by the Rolls of
Parliament, is unquestionably the correct one. The aldermen of London
were the representatives of the companies (the associations of merchants
of different sorts), each company choosing a given number according to
its influence and wealth. Further in 1376 a method of electing the mayor
and the sheriffs, was introduced, which consisted in a vote by
companies. Now the most powerful of these companies was the Grocers'
which at this time had sixteen aldermen--many more than its nearest
competitor. Allied with this company were the other companies of
merchants dealing in provisions, especially the Fishmongers. The chief
opponents of this group were the companies of clothing merchants, the
mercers, drapers, cordwainers, etc. The Grocers' Company and its allies
stood for the established order of things because they were faring well
under it. The Mercers and Drapers were rebellious and ready to take any
opportunity to eject their rivals from power.
At this time (1376) John of Gaunt's clique in the court, especially Lord
Latimer and Richard Lyons, had aroused the enmity of the Londoners
because of their irregular and "grafting" financial operations.
[Footnote: Trevelyan, p. 10.] The Londoners paraded the streets in
demonstration against John of Gaunt. The latter demanded revenge and
gained the deposition of the mayor, Adam Staple. The Londoners rallied
and elected Nicholas Brembre mayor. [Footnote: idem, p. 49.] Brembre and
his allies defended the Londoners vigorously before Parliament.
Naturally then John of Gaunt felt a still greater hatred of Brembre and
his party and was willing to act as patron to their opponents. The
latter in turn, eager to gain any aid they could in their struggles,
willingly accepted John of Gaunt as a friend. This, as clearly as I can
make out, is the train of circumstances which brought about an
unquestioned condition: John of Gaunt's hatred of London and especially
of Brembre and his party, and his patronage of John of Northampton, the
chief representative of the clothiers. Brembre's chief political allies
were Sir William Walworth, Sir John Philipot and Nicholas Exton. These
men were very definitely patronised by Richard II in opposition to John
Northampton, Richard Northbury and John More.
During Chaucer's tenure of the office of controller only one certain
adherent of the Northampton faction acted as collector--Richard
Northbury, who was dropped from the office almost as soon as Richard II
came to the throne. The other men with whom Chaucer had to deal were the
very leaders of the royal faction. Further they were the most eminent
merchants of their time. In the [Footnote: (3) See Robert Girdelere, p.
46.] first half of the fourteenth century the king had been forced to
rely upon foreign, especially Italian, merchants for financial aids,
loans, etc., since no group of Englishmen could control sufficient money
to aid him in an emergency. [Footnote: W. D. Chester, Chronicles of the
Customs Department, pp. 13 ff.] But in the second half he had at his
hand a group of London merchants, powerful enough to meet the sudden
financial needs of government. Moreover they were picturesque
figures-Sir William Walworth striking down Wat Tyler in the presence of
the peasant-host, Sir John Philipot fitting out a fleet at his own
expense, scouring the channel and finally bringing the dreaded pirate
Mercer in triumph to London.
JOHN DE BERNES, Collector in 1374, was, in 1360, Sheriff, in 1363 and
1370 Alderman, of London, and in 45, 46, Edward III, Mayor.' In 1370 he
lent the King L100, in 1363 he was apparently employed in buying for the
king's household. [Footnote: Devon's Issues, p. 170. Rymer III, 696.] He
was dead by 1378, and I have not found out anything more about him.
NICHOLAS BREMBRE, Collector 1374, 1375, 1378-1386. See account in D. N.
B. Brembre was mayor in 1377, 1383-4-5. He was the political leader of
the group of King Richard's friends in London. Of his public career I
shall not treat since that is sufficiently covered elsewhere. To
illustrate his financial dealings, the following abstracts of documents
are important. In September 1377, the King borrowed L10,000 of Brembre,
Wallworth, Philipot and John Haddele (grocer, later Mayor of London),
and certain other merchants, for whom these were attorneys, pledging the
crown jewels. [Footnote: Cal. Pat. Roll, p. 25.] In May 1378 this sum
was repaid. In 1378, Hugh de Calvylegh, captain of Calais, Nicholas
Brembre and John Philipot, in the service of the war, agreed to pay to
William von de Voorde of Bruges, the sum of L2,166, 13s. 4d. as directed
by the council, delivered their bond to the King's clerk, and a tally of
that amount was placed in the hands of William de Wallworth. [Footnote:
Cal. Pat. Roll, p. 280.] In 1382 the King granted Brembre in discharge
of 2,000 m. lent by him to the King to discharge a debt to Sir Bretrucat
de Lebret, half a mark from the subsidy of each sack of wool and
wool-fells passing out of the ports of London and Boston, with custody
of one part of the coket seal of the latter port, until the loan should
be fully paid [Footnote: idem, p. 164.]. In 1380 Brembre, Philipot and
Walworth were appointed [Footnote: 2 Riley Memorials, pp. 305, 313, 345.
Gregory's Chronicle (Camden Soc. p. 88.) on a commission to investigate
the finances of the realm--together with the Archbishop of York, Earl of
Arundel, etc. This group of men is, indeed, constantly mentioned
together; throughout such documents as the Patent Rolls, where matters
of national finance are under consideration, Brembre, Philipot and
Walworth, or perhaps two of them, are sure to be mentioned [Footnote: It
is noticeable that from 1377 on John of Northampton is never mentioned
in the Patent Rolls in connection with financial operations, loans to
the King, etc.].
In the latter part of his career complaints were sent to Parliament
against him and Exton, by the Mereers, Cordwainers, Pounders, Sadlers,
Painters, Armourers, Pinners, Embroiderers, Spurriors and
Blacksmiths--obviously the trades belonging to the then defunct party of
John Northampton. [Footnote: Rot. Parl. in, 141 ff. 225.]
He was accused in 1388 together with de la Pole, Robert Tresilian and
other friends of the King of the following: having prevented access by
others to the King, misled the King, caused the King to give manors,
lands, and other offices to persons of their party and to persons from
whom they received gifts or whom they wished to use (such as Usk),
having caused the King to grant them money, etc. [Footnote: Rot. Parl.
III, 230.] As is well known Brembre was condemned and executed.
At his death Brembre left extensive estates (entered in the
Inquisitions) in London and Kent.
WILLIAM DE WALWOKTH was born about 1320. He was apprenticed to John
Lovekin, Stockfishmonger, Mayor of London, 1348, 1358, 1365,
1366. [Footnote: Woodcock, Lives of Lord Mayors, Surrey Arch. Coll. VIII,
277 ff.] He was executor of Lovekin's will and seems to have retained a
special feeling of loyalty for him, because in 1381 he founded a college
of a master and nine chaplains to celebrate divine service for the good
estate of the King, himself, and Margaret his wife, for their souls
after death and for that of John Lovekin, formerly his master. [Footnote:
Cal. Pst. Roll, p. 99.] He was elected Mayor of London in 1374 and again
in 1380. In 1370 he and Simon de Morden lent the king L300. On the day
of Edward Ill's death he and John Philipot went to the young King,
implored his favour for the city of London, and asked him to put a stop
to John of Gaunt's persecutions. When the Commons voted a subsidy to the
King for carrying on the war, they expressed distrust of the management
of it, and demanded that the funds be intrusted to Walworth and
Philipot, treasurers for the war. In 1381 Walworth accompanied the boy
King at his meeting with the Peasant leaders, and he, Brembre and
Philipot were knighted by the King for their bravery on this occasion.
He died in 1381. Walworth was appointed on many commissions of various
sorts and dealt extensively in land.
JOHN WARDE did not bulk so large in London affairs as did the others and
consequently I have been able to learn but little about him. He belonged
to the Grocers' Company and consequently without doubt to Brembre's
faction. [Footnote: Orridge, Citizens of London.] He had been sheriff in
1366 and was elected Mayor of London in 1375. [Footnote: Coll. of London
Cit. (Camden Soc.) pp. 88, 89.]
ROBERT GIRDELERE is even more difficult to trace than Warde. He was
sheriff of London 1368-9. [Footnote: Coll. of London Cit. (Camden Soc,)
p. 88.] I have found reference to a transaction in which Robert Girdler
agreed to buy certain cables and cords [Footnote: Cal. of Letters, City
of London, p. 144.]. Consequently he may not have been a dealer in
provisions and was perhaps a member of John Northampton's party. The
last reference that I have found to him is the date of his
collectorship, 1376.
RICHARD NORTHBURY was a leader of John Northampton's party. He was a
member of the Mercer's Company. [Footnote: Cal. Rot. Pat. Turr. Lon., p.
223.] In 1384 he was found guilty with John of Northampton of sedition,
and imprisoned. Certain tenements which he held in London were forfeited
to the King [Footnote: Cal. Pat. Roll, p. 481.]. In 1385 the King
granted him 10m. a year for clothing and 26m. a year for victuals, while
he was a prisoner in Corfe Castle [Footnote: idem, p. 548.]. In 1391 the
Commons petitioned the King to annul the decision against him and to
restore him his lands, at the same time making similar petitions for
John Northampton and John More. All three were granted [Footnote: Rot.
Parl., p. 292.].
JOHN PHILIPOT is treated in D. N. B. He was apparently a ship owner, and
certainly a member of the Grocers' Company. In 1363 he was appointed on
a commission to seize forfeited goods for the King. In 1364 he was
granted license to buy victuals and take them to Calais. In 1378 he was
elected Mayor. In 1379 Sir Roger Beauchamp, lord chamberlain to the
King's household, bequeathed him "my great cup gilt, which the King of
Navarre gave me," and made him one of the executors of his will. In the
same year he contributed largely to fitting out a fleet against the
French, hiring a number of ships at his own expense and redeeming a
thousand sets of armour and arms which had been pawned. In 1383 he was
appointed on a commission to treat of peace with the Duke of Flanders.
He died in 1384.
JOHN OEGSN was alderman of London and sheriff in 1385. [Footnote: Oal.
Pat. Roll, p. 90.] I have not been able to discover what company he
belonged to. In 1378 he was appointed one of the collectors of the tax
of two-fifteenths. [Footnote: Rymer IV, 34.] In 1383 he was appointed one
of the collectors of the subsidy of 2s. from each tun of wine and 6d. in
the pound from the merchandise in the port of London. [Footnote: Oal.
Pat. Roll, p. 128.] From these appointments it seems likely that he was
friendly to the Brembre faction--note also that he succeeded Philipot at
the latter's death.