_Richard_ the Second's Days, he flourished in _France_, and got himself
into high esteem there by his diligent exercise in Learning: After his
return home, he frequented the Court at _London_, and the Colledges of
the _Lawyers_, which there interpreted the Laws of the Land. Amongst
whom was _John Gower_, his great familiar Friend, whose Life we wrote
before. This _Gower_, in his Book entituled _Confessio Amantis_,
termeth _Chaucer_ a worthy Poet, and maketh him as it were the Judge of
his Works.

This our _Chaucer_ had always an earnest desire to enrich and beautifie
our _English_ Tongue, which in those days was very rude and barren; and
this he did, following the example of _Dantes_ and _Petrarch_. who had
done the same for the _Italian_ Tongue, _Alanus_ for the _French_, and
_Johannes Mea_ for the _Spanish_: Neither was _Chaucer_ inferior to any
of them in the performance hereof; and _England_ in this respect is
much beholding to him; as _Leland_ well noteth:

_Anglia_ Chaucerum _veneratur nostra Poetam_;
_Cui veneris debet Patria Lingua suas_.

Our _England_ honoureth _Chaucer_ Poet, as principal;
To whom her Country-Tongue doth owe her Beauties all.

He departed out of this world the _25th._ day of _October_ 1400, after
he had lived about seventy two years. Thus writeth _Bale_ out of
_Leland, Chaucerus ad Canos devenit, sensitque Senectutem morbum esse_;
_& dum Causas suas_ Londini _curaret_, &c. _Chaucer_ lived till he was
an old man, and found old Age to be grievous; and whilst he followed
his Causes at _London_, he died, and was buried at _Westminster_.