Thomas Chaucer

Thomas Chaucer
Thomas Chaucer
	Sir Richard Redman
	In office; 1421–1421
Monarch	Henry V of England
Preceded by	Roger Hunt
Succeeded by	Richard Baynard
Member of Parliament ; for Oxfordshire
	In office; 1401–1402
Preceded by	Thomas Barantyn
Succeeded by	Sir Peter Bessels
	In office; 1406 – May 1413
Preceded by	Sir William Lisle
Succeeded by	Sir William Lisle
	In office; Nov 1414 – Mar 1416
Preceded by	Sir John Brayton
Succeeded by	Thomas Stonor
	In office; 1421–1421
Preceded by	John Danvers
Succeeded by	John Danvers
Chief Butler of England
	In office; 1404–1434
Preceded by	Unknown, last known is John Payn
Succeeded by	Sir John Tiptoft
Personal details
Born	c. 1367; Alice de la Pole, Duchess of Suffolk
Parent(s)	Geoffrey Chaucer; Philippa Roet
Residence	Oxfordshire

Thomas Chaucer (c. 1367 – 18 November 1434) was an English courtier and politician. The son of the poet Geoffrey Chaucer and his wife Philippa Roet, Thomas was linked socially and by family to senior members of the English nobility, though he was himself a commoner. Elected fifteen times to the Parliament of England, he was Speaker of the House of Commons for five parliaments in the early 15th century.

Parental connections

Thomas Chaucer was a relative by marriage of

Edward IV and Richard III

.

Alice de la Pole

.

Marriage

Early in life, Thomas Chaucer married Matilda (or Maud) Burghersh, second daughter and coheiress of Sir John Burghersh, nephew of

Bartholomew de Badlesmere, 1st Baron Badlesmere. The marriage brought him large estates, including the manor of Ewelme

, Oxfordshire.

Career

He was Chief Butler of England for almost thirty years, first appointed by Richard II, and on 20 March 1399 received a pension of twenty marks a year in exchange for offices granted him by the Duke, paying at the same time five marks for the confirmation of two annuities of charges on the Duchy of Lancaster and also granted by the Duke.

These annuities were confirmed to him by Henry IV, who appointed him constable of Wallingford Castle, and steward of the honours of Wallingford and St. Valery and of the Chiltern Hundreds. About the same time he succeeded his father Geoffrey Chaucer as forester of North Petherton Park, Somerset. On 5 November 1402, he received a grant of the chief butlership for life.^[1] On 23 February 1411 the queen gave him the manor of Woodstock and other estates during her life, and on 15 March the king assigned them to him after her death.

Chaucer served as High Sheriff of Berkshire and Oxfordshire during 1400 and 1403 and as High Sheriff of Hampshire in 1413. He attended fifteen parliaments as knight of the shire for Oxfordshire (1400–1401, 1402, 1405–1406, 1407, 1409–1410, 1411, 1413, 1414, 1421, 1422, 1425–1426, 1427, 1429, 1430–1431) and was Speaker of the House five times, a feat not surpassed until the 18th century.

He was chosen speaker in the parliament that met at Gloucester in 1407, and on 9 November reminded the king that the accounts of the expenditure of the last subsidy had not been rendered. The chancellor interrupted him, declaring that they were not ready, and that for the future the lords would not promise them.

He was chosen again in 1410 and in 1411, when, on making his 'protestation' and claiming the usual permission of free speech, he was answered by the king that he might speak as other speakers had done, but that no novelties would be allowed. He asked for a day's grace, and then made an apology. He was again chosen in 1414.^[1]

In 1414 he also received a commission, in which he is called domicellus, to treat about the marriage of Henry V, and to take the homage of the Duke of Burgundy. A year later he served with the king in France, bringing into the field 12 men-at-arms and 37 archers. He was not present at the Battle of Agincourt, being sent back to England ill after the siege of Harfleur; his retinue did march on to Agincourt. It is unknown if he was really sick, or used it as an excuse to return to England. In 1417, he was employed to treat for peace with France.^[1]

On the accession of Henry VI he appears to have been superseded in the chief butlership, and to have regained it shortly afterwards. In January 1424, he was appointed a member of the council, and the next year was one of the commissioners to decide a dispute between the Earl Marshal and the Earl of Warwick about precedence. In 1430–1431, he was appointed one of the executors of the will of the Duchess of York, and was by then very wealthy.^[1]

Thomas Chaucer died at Ewelme Palace in the village of Ewelme, Oxfordshire on 18 November 1434 and is buried in St Mary's church in the village.^[1]

Family

Thomas' only daughter

Alice married William de la Pole, 1st Duke of Suffolk and her grandson John de la Pole, Earl of Lincoln was the designated heir of Richard III. John was killed in battle and several of his brothers were later executed after Richard lost power. They left descendants however, including the Earls of Rutland and Portmore, William Parker, 4th Baron Monteagle, who foiled the Gunpowder Plot and Sir Francis Sacheverel Darwin (through his mother, Elizabeth Collier, natural daughter of the Earl of Portmore).^[1]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Hunt 1887.

Attribution

This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Hunt, William (1887). "Chaucer, Thomas". In Stephen, Leslie (ed.). Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 10. London: Smith, Elder & Co. pp. 167–168.

External links

Parliament of England
Preceded by John Wilcotes Thomas Barantyn	Member of Parliament for Oxfordshire 1401–1402 With: John Wilcotes 1401 Thomas Wykeham 1402	Succeeded by Sir Peter Bessels William Mackney
Preceded by Sir John Drayton John Wilcotes	Member of Parliament for Oxfordshire 1406–1411 With: John Wilcotes 1406–1407 William Wilcotes 1410 Unknown 1411	Succeeded by Unknown
Preceded by Unknown	Member of Parliament for Oxfordshire 1413 With: John Wilcotes	Succeeded by William Lisle John Wilcotes
Preceded by William Lisle John Wilcotes	Member of Parliament for Oxfordshire 1414 With: John Wilcotes	Succeeded by Unknown
Preceded by John Danvers Richard Greville	Member of Parliament for Oxfordshire 1421 With: John Wilcotes	Succeeded by John Danvers Peter Fettiplace
Preceded by John Danvers Peter Fettiplace	Member of Parliament for Oxfordshire 1422 With: Sir Thomas Wykeham	Succeeded by John Danvers Peter Fettiplace
Preceded by John Danvers Thomas Stonor	Member of Parliament for Oxfordshire 1426–1431 With: Thomas Stonor 1425, 1427–1431 Unknown 1426	Succeeded by Richard Quatremain Unknown
Political offices
Preceded by William Wilcotes	High Sheriff of Berkshire and Oxfordshire 1400–1401	Succeeded by John Wilcotes
Preceded by Robert James	High Sheriff of Berkshire and Oxfordshire 1403–1404	Succeeded by John Golafre
Preceded by Sir John Tiptoft	Speaker of the House of Commons 1407–1411	Succeeded by unknown, later William Stourton
Preceded by Sir Walter Hungerford	Speaker of the House of Commons 1414–1415	Succeeded by Richard Redman
Preceded by Roger Hunt	Speaker of the House of Commons 1421	Succeeded by Richard Baynard

[FOOTNOTEHunt1887-1] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Hunt 1887.

[1]

Authority control databases
International	FAST ISNI VIAF
National	Israel United States
Other	SNAC