already shown that this could not have been due to John of Gaunt's
absence from England. It is almost equally certain that it was not due
to the fact that Chaucer was a partisan of the King or that the council
of thirteen was instructed to inquire into the conduct of the King's
offices and to initiate reforms. [Footnote: As Colton in his book on
Chaucer's England assumes, pp. 58-59.] The proof of those statements is
this: so far as we know Chaucer's only fault in the conduct of these
offices was the fact that he "performed" them by deputy; now, although
the two offices were granted in December to Adam Yardley [Footnote: Adam
Yard&y, clericus, was in 1383 joined with a sergeant at arms to take and
arrest mariners for the passage of the Bishop of Norwich across the
channel. This would suggest that he was connected in some way with the
court, since such duties were commonly assigned to esquires and clerks
of the court.]--and Henry Gisorz, [Footnote: Henry Gisors seems to have
come from an eminent London family. (Riley Memorials pp. 74, 185.
Ancient Deeds; A 7833. Maitland History of London, p. 825). In 11
Richard II and 16 Richard II he was concerned with John Hermesthorpe in
certain transfers of land in London. (Ancient Deeds; B 2118, 2121).] the
controllership of the greater custom was re-granted scarcely six months
later to John Hermesthorpe [Footnote: John Hermesthorpe was a very much
more important person. He was for some years one of the chamberlains of
the King's exchequer, probably as early as 1370 when on one day he
conveyed payments of their annuities to Philippa Chaucer and three other
damsels of the queen. He was likewise ft priest, for a time confessor to
the King, and holder of various ecclesiastical preferments, in London
and elsewhere. He was in particular Master of the Hospital of St.
Katherine from 1368 till a few years before his death in 1412. The fact
that he was in favour with the King and that he was allowed to exercise
the office by deputy, makes untenable the supposition that Chaucer was
dismissed because he was a friend to the King, or because he did not