ascendancy of Gloucester was drawing to a close, we may conclude the King
to have been personally desirous to provide for a faithful and attached
servant of his house, for whom he had had reason to feel a personal
liking. It would be specially pleasing, were we able to connect with
Chaucer's restoration to official employment the high-minded Queen Anne,
whose impending betrothal he had probably celebrated in one poem, and
whose patronage he had claimed for another.

The Clerkship of the King's Works to which Chaucer was appointed, seems to
have been but a temporary office; or at all events he only held it for
rather less than two years, during part of which he performed its duties
by deputy. Already, however, before his appointment to this post, he had
certainly become involved in difficulties. For in May, 1388, we find his
pensions, at his own request, assigned to another person (John Scalby)--a
statement implying that he had raised money on them which he could only
pay by making over the pensions themselves. Very possibly, too, he had,
before his dismissal from his comptrollerships, been subjected to an
enquiry which, if it did not touch his honour, at all events gave rise to
very natural apprehensions on the part of himself and his friends. There
is accordingly much probability in the conjecture which ascribes to this
season of peril and pressure the composition of the following justly
famous stanzas entitled "Good Counsel of Chaucer":-

Flee from the press, and dwell with soothfastness;
Suffice thee thy good, though it be small;
For hoard hath hate, and climbing tickleness:
Press hath envy, and wealth is blinded all.
Savour no more than thee behove shall;
Do well thyself that other folk canst rede;
And truth thee shall deliver, it is no dread.