Skeat has supposed the Bukton mentioned in Chaucer's Lenvoy a Bukton, to
be Sir Peter Bukton of York. There is, however, at least one other
possibility. A Robert de Bukton is mentioned in 3 Richard II as armiger
to Thomas de Percy, [Footnote: Issues, P. 301, mem. 21.] with whom it
will be remembered Chaucer had some three years before been associated
in a diplomatic mission. In 14, 15 and 16 Richard II, Robert de Bukton,
scutifer of Thomas de Percy, is frequently mentioned in the Issue Roll
as transmitting money from the Exchequer to de Percy, [Footnote: P. 323,
mem. 11. P. 324, mem. 1, 12, 21. P. 327, mem. 17, P. 328, mem. 16. P.
330, mem. 1, 22.] and in one case to Louis Clifford. [Footnote: p. 323,
mem. 8.] In 15 Richard II, the King inspected and confirmed a patent of
Queen Anne dated 15 Richard II, being a grant for the term of her life
to her esquire Robert Bucton, of a quantity of pasture and wood called
"Gosewold" in her lordship of Eye, "by the yearly service of the rent of
a rose." [Footnote: Cal. Pat. Roll, p. 324.] In 1399 this was confirmed,
[Footnote: idem 1399, p. 16.] and in 1401 Robert de Bukton is mentioned
as constable of the Castle of Eye. [Footnote: idem 1401, p. 540.] Robert
de Bukton was returned to Parliament from the county of Suffolk in 17
Richard II (1393-4), 20 Richard II (1396-7), 21 Richard II ( 1397,
1397-8) and 2 Henry IV, (1400-1). On account of his constant connection
with the court, Robert de Bukton would seem more probably to have been
Chaucer's Bukton, than Skeat's candidate. [Footnote: On Sir Peter
Bukton, see note in Scrope-Grosvenor Roll, II, 466-7, containing many
facts not in Skeat.]