"vallettus" of the King's chamber only once; in all other early
references he is described, if at all, as "vallectus hospicii Regis."
There is, I believe, a difference between these two. As I have already
pointed out, [Footnote: p. 17 above.] a certain confusion with regard to
the use of such phrases undoubtedly exists in the records. As evidence
of this confusion we find men called "vallettus" after they have been
called "armiger," and sometimes men who are normally called "vallettus
camere Regis" named as "vallettus hospicii Regis." Yet if we look up the
entries with regard to the men called "valletz de la chambre du Roi" in
the list of 1368, [Footnote: L. R., p. 167. 'In many cases, of course,
they are called merely "vallettus noster," "dileatus vallettus" or
"dileatus servitor."] we find that in such records as the Patent Rolls
where _DEFINITELY_ characterized, they are generally referred to as
"vallettus camere nostre." For example, William Gambon is so titled
seven times and never as "vallettus hospicii nostri." [Footnote: Pat.
Roll 285, mem. 2, idem 274, mem. 37, 257, mem. 25. Cal. Pat. Roll 1377,
p. 79. Issues, P. 228, mem. 17. C. R. 207, mem. 12. Pat. Roll 295, mem.
26.] Reginald Neuport is called six times "vallettus camere Regis."
[Footnote: Cal. Pat. Roll 1378, p. 139. Issues, P. 237, mem. 17. P. 249,
mem. 3. P. 251, mem. Pat. Roll 288, mem. 21, etc.] John Tipet is called
the same at least five times, and never by any other title. [Footnote:
Issues A 169, mem. 35. P. 228, mem. 17. P. 228, mem. 38. P. 235, mem.
20, etc.] Thomas Cheyne is called "vallettus camere Regis" five times.
[Footnote: Pat. Roll 262, mem. 23, 254, mem. 4, 255, mem. 25. Cal. Rot.
Pat. Turr. Lon. p. 174. Abb. Rot. Orig. II, 222.] Thomas Loveden alone
is called "vallettus hospicii Regis" twice and "vallettus camere" once.
[Footnote: Issues, P. 287, mem. 8. p. 250, mem. 1. Pat. Roll 266, mem.
5.] Under the circumstances, if Chaucer ever was a "vallettus camerae
Regis," we should expect him to have been so called more than once. It
seems rather more likely that his proper position was that of "vallettus