Kuhl — Chaucer's Burgesses. 
673 
Bobbing)—likewise mentioned in the Canterbury Tales. 
Eleanor, sister of Arnold Savage, and William, son of Lewis 
Clifford (a known friend of Chaucer), were joint owners of 
property at Bobbing. 1 John Cobham lived at Cooling 
(Cowling) near the Pilgrim’s Road. 2 Thomas Brokhull, 
presumably the father of the poet’s fellow J. P., owned a 
manor six miles south of Dartford. 3 Simon Burley had in¬ 
terest in the manor of Parrok near Gravesend. 4 Six promi¬ 
nent Justices of the Peace, therefore, lived or owned prop¬ 
erty on or near the Pilgrim’s Road, and some actually lived 
at the usual halting places for the night. This is manifestly 
significant. That Chaucer in making a pilgrimage to Can¬ 
terbury was entertained by one of his colleagues we like to 
imagine. At any rate, the minute knowledge necessary 
for the portrait of the Franklin was not got in London. 
The poet not only saw this country gentleman enjoy his 
morning draught, but he also heard belated travellers ask 
for a night’s lodging. Nor are these facts which one ordi¬ 
narily gleans at midday. Furthermore, not to press the 
point, when Chaucer pays the Franklin the great compliment 
of being the Saint Julian does he not infer that this worthy 
gentleman lived on the Pilgrim’s Road? 5 What other high¬ 
way in Kent would be so likely to have belated travellers? 
Finally, it may be observed that Chaucer succeeded Sharde- 
lowe (who lived at Dartford) as J. P., when the latter 
died. Shardelowe was an old man who had been J. P. for 
years, and 
Ful ofte tyme he was Knyght of the shire. 6 
Mention has been made of the fact that Kelseye left 
money for the repair of bridges. What bridges we do not 
know. From other sources, however, we may infer that one 
of them was the bridge over the Medway between 
Strood and Rochester,—the bridge the Pilgrims had to 
cross. That some of the London burgesses did contribute 
towards its construction or repair we do know. In 1373 
1 Die. Natl. Biog., L. p. 336. The source of information is not given. 
2 Die . Natl. Biog.. XI. p. 156. 
8 Cal. Close Rolls , 1364-8, pp. 199-200. 
4 Cal. Pat. Rolls, 1381-5, p. 160. 
6 Assuming of course that the Franklin was a resident of Kent. 
6 In my doctoral dissertation on Illustrations in Chaucer, which I hope 
to publish shortly, I have made a fuller biography of Shardelowe. 
