GQODWIN’S LIFE OF CHAUCER. 
‘efford a considerable presumption that it was 
consumed from day to day as it was received. 
From this fact we may derive a reasonable 
inference as to the extent of Chaucet’s for- 
tune. We find him consuming four pipes 
of wine annualiy, the price of which, stated 
in modern denominations of money, was 
18ol.~or 451.. per pipe-——The question 
then which it is necessary for us to examine 
is, what may be taken to be the whole an- 
nual expenditure of a man, whose consump- 
tion is to this amouni in the single article of 
swine? It seems to be the height of absurdity 
to stippose, that Chaucer's disbursements un- 
der every other article were comprehended 
within the limits of his pension of twenty 
yarks, that is, of 2401 of modern money. 
Proceeding upon this datum of his grant of 
Wine, we cannot with probability take his 
entire revenue at this period at a lowes valua- 
tion than 10001. of modern money, which, 
reduced into the denominations of Chaucer's 
time, is 551. 11s. 14d. 
_** Where then were the items of which 
this income was composed? Beside his pen- 
‘sion and his grant of wine, he had also the 
rant of a house near the royal manor-house 
at Woodstock. Taking the yent of the house 
a man lives in at the tenth part of his in- 
come, Chaucer's house at Woodstock may 
be estimated, in modern denominations of 
money, at the value ef 1001. per annum.— 
‘This, with his annuity at 2401, and his grant 
of wine at 18¢@1. per annum, constitute a re- 
venue of 5201. fi is also not unfreqnent for 
_ the grant of a house to be accompanied by 
‘eertain other perquisites, tending to assist 
the holder in his means of subsistence. Still, 
_-however, there will remain considerable re- 
sources to be supplicd, to raise Chaucer's 
income to the amount above specified.— 
» These, as was hinted on a former occa- 
_ sion, may most obviously be supplied by 
the supposition that Chaucér inherited a 
piternal fortune, adequate to the ordinary 
purposes of subsistence, Nine years elaps- 
ed between the time when we know that 
_ Chaucer occupied the house granted him hy 
iM sovercizn on the verge of Woodstock 
Park, and tne date of his fist pension: and 
“We must perceive it to be impossible that 
Chaucer Brccid have. tenanted a house, 
which we haye found equal in accommipda- 
)ons to a modern house of the rent of 1001. 
ber Annum, ut a time when he was destitute 
The next poem which comes under 
nsideration is the House of Fame, in 
ich Chaucer very honestly expresses a 
ish that all those who dislike that pro- 
ction may be hanged. We have then 
indry historical chapters, which carry 
On the work to 1378, when the poet is 
sa by his present commentator, 
to have written the Complaint of the 
Black Knight, on occasion of the calum- 
471 
nies and popular outcries against John 
of Gaunt. Former critics had conjec- 
tured that it was composed for the same 
prince, during his courtship of the prin- 
cess Blanche, The opinion now advanc- 
ed seems most conformable to the tenor 
of the poem. 
Tn the next chapter comes the whole 
history of Wat Tyler, though in the for- 
mer volume the author had told us that it 
was too well known to be recited. But 
it seems “ this was the state of society 
which Chaucer saw, and which could 
not but occasion to him many profound 
yeflections.” 
«« Tle was a poet; and no man can be 
worthy of that name, who has nat attentively 
studied the sensations and modes of feeling 
which varioys external impressions are cal- 
culated to produce in the human mind. He 
was the poet of character and manners ; such 
he eminently appears in. his last and most 
considerable. work, the Canterbury ‘Tales — 
fe was a statesman, closely connected with, 
and desply interested in, the changing for- 
tunes of the first priuce of the blood. From 
all these reasons we may be convinced, that 
he was no careless and indifferent spectator 
of what was acting on the great theatre of 
public aftairs. Ii John of Gaunt had not 
foreseen the tumults of this.period, we may 
well belicve that Chaucer foresaw them.— 
Not exactly in time and place; for that is 
not the pravince of human sagacity: but he 
saw the posture of society ; he saw what 
Was passing in the minds of men ; he heard 
the low, indisiinet, murmuring, pent up 
sound, that preceded this memorable crash 
of the ele:nents of the moral world. _ He per- 
ccived the opprbssed aud tettered muititude 
shaking their chains, and noted their quick 
lnpatient pants after freedom and happiness. 
Like every good man, and every true lover of 
his species, it is reasonable to suppose, that 
he syimpathised in their caise, and wished 
suceess to their aims, till he saw them con- 
ducting theraselves in sucha manner, as was 
no less destructive to themselves and cala- 
mitous to their lords, and as led to* the in- 
troduction of universal ignorance and bar- 
barism.” 
Before Mr. Godwin begins another 
history, we exhort him to work off his 
fancy.-—By its violent workings we' 
should conjecture, that on these extraor- 
dinary occasions he had adopted. the 
wild painter’s evening diet of raw pork 
or toasted cheese. Mr, Bayes’s receipt 
of stewed prunes would suit his tempera- 
ment better. It is the business of the 
historian to inform us what has been ; 
we can guess for ourselves, 
The Legende of Gode Women ap- 
Hh 
