SOME GENERAL POINTS


Although I have objected to some of the inferences drawn by others,
nevertheless it seems to me that from the facts viewed in their new
relations, some legitimate inferences may be drawn. In the first place
it seems almost certain that by 1386 Chaucer held considerable land in
Kent. Every other man on the list of Justices of the Peace (with the
single possible exception of Topclyff) held fairly extensive lands in
the county; all except de Burley, Topclyff and Chaucer were of old
Kentish families. De Burley's importance as Constable of Dover (indeed
he undoubtedly held the office of Justice ex officio) and Topclyffs
position as steward of the Archbishop of Canterbury counterbalanced the
fact that they were not of Kentish stock. What then of Chaucer? He
surely must have held a manor and lands of considerable value or he
could never have been high enough in the estimation of the landed
proprietors to gain the Justiceship and even the membership to
Parliament. Now, he apparently did not receive this land by royal grant;
consequently it would appear that he must have had it by grant of some
great noble or by purchase. In any case we have no record to indicate
what land he held or by what tenure he held it.

Again we do not know what Chaucer's income as controller of the customs
amounted to. It is apparent, however, that the returns from the office
of controller of the greater custom must have been very considerable. If
the collectorship of the customs was not a profitable office, it is
impossible to see why such men as Walworth, Philipot, and Brembre should
have cared to hold it. That the twenty pounds which was their nominal