APPENDIX 2. Transcriptions and Translations

In the following transcriptions, common abbreviations have been expanded in italics, capitalization and the use of u and v have been standardized, and a degree of punctuation introduced. Interlinear insertions in the original are indicated by slashes (\ /). A degree of punctuation has been introduced into translations, where the spelling of names has also been standardized. Translations for the newly uncovered documents, and Chaucer’s appointment of an attorney against Thomas Staundon (documents 1–3) have been produced by Euan Roger, while translations for documents 4–8 are based on the widely used translations prepared by Anna Waymack, which are available online at: http://chaumpaigne.org.¹ Names in these translations have been standardized. Documents are presented here chronologically.

Transcription:

non prosecutum²

Ricardus Dei gracia Rex Anglie et Francie et Dominus Hibernie vicecomitibus Londonium salutem. Si Thomas Stondoun fecerit vos securum de clamore suo prosequendo tunc ponite per vadium et salvos plegios Galfridum Chaucer quod sit coram nobis in Crastino Sancti Martini ubicumque tunc fuerimus in Anglia ad respondendum tam nobis quam prefato Thome quare cum per dominum Edwardum nuper Regem Anglie avum nostrum et consilium suum pro communi utilitate eiusdem regni ordinatum sit quod si aliquis serviens in servicio alicuius retentus³ ante finem termini concordati a dicto servicio sine causa racionabili vel licencia recesserit penam imprisonamenti subeat, et nullus sub eadem pena talem in servicio suo recipere vel retinere presumat, predictus Galfridus Ceciliam Chaumpayn nuper servientem predicti Thome in servicio suo apud Londonium retentam que ab eodem servicio ante finem termini inter eos concordati absque causa racionabili et licencia ipsius Thome recessit in servicium ipsius Galfridi quamquam ipse de prefata Cecilia eidem Thome restituendo requisitus fuerit, admisit et retinuit in nostri contemptum et predicti Thome grave dampnum et contra formam ordinacionis predicte. Ponite eciam per vadium et salvos plegios predictam Ceciliam quod tunc sit ibidem ad respondendum tam nobis quam prefato Thome quare a servicio eiusdem Thome sine causa racionabili et licencia sua ante finem termini inter eos concordati ut predictum est recessit in nostri contemptum et predicti Thome grave dampnum et contra formam ordinacionis supradicte. Et habeatis ibi nomina plegiorum et hoc breve. Teste me ipso apud Westmonasterium xvj die Octobris anno regni nostri tercio.

               Breve de ordinacione               Seran

[Dorse]

Plegii de prosequendo Ricardus Kymbel et Willelmus Cofrer

Galfridus Chaucer infrascriptus attachiatus est per Radulphum Strode et Willelmum Mymms.⁴

Cecilia Chaumpayn infrascripta nichil habet in balliva nostra per quod potest attachiari.

Responsus Willelmi Baret et Johannis Heylesdon vicecomitorum

Translation:

(Not prosecuted)

Richard, by the grace of God King of England and France and Lord of Ireland, to the sheriffs of London, greeting. If Thomas Staundon will give you security for pursuing his claim, then put Geoffrey Chaucer by gage and safe pledges that he shall be before us on the morrow of St. Martin [November 12], wheresoever we shall then be in England, in order to answer both to us and to the aforesaid Thomas why, whereas it has been ordained by Edward, late king of England, our grandfather, and his council, for the common welfare of the same kingdom, that if a servant, retained in someone’s service, withdraws from the same service before the end of the agreed term of the said service, without reasonable cause or license, they shall undergo the penalty of imprisonment, and that no one, under the same penalty, may presume to receive or retain such in his service, the aforesaid Geoffrey admitted and retained Cecily Chaumpaigne, formerly the servant of the aforesaid Thomas, in his service at London, who has departed from the same service before the end of the agreed term, without reasonable cause or license of Thomas himself, into the service of the said Geoffrey, although he himself had been requested to restore the aforesaid Cecily to the same Thomas, in contempt of us and to the grievous loss of the said Thomas and against the form of the aforesaid ordinance. They are also to put the aforesaid Cecily by gage and safe pledges that she shall be there then in order to respond both to us and the aforesaid Thomas, why she left the service of the same Thomas, without reasonable cause and his license before the end of the agreed term as aforesaid, in contempt of us and to the grievous loss of the said Thomas and against the form of the aforesaid ordinance. And you shall have there the names of the pledges, and this writ. Witnessed myself at Westminster the sixteenth day of October in the third year of our reign.

               Writ of the ordinance               Seran

[Dorse]

Pledges to prosecute: Richard Kymbel and William Cofrer

Geoffrey Chaucer above written is attached by Ralph Strode and William Mymms.

Cecily Chaumpaigne above written has nothing in our balliwick by which she can be attached.

Response of William Baret and John Heylesdon, sheriffs

Transcription:

London’

Galfridus Chaucer ponit loco suo Stephanum de Fall versus Thomas Stondoun qui tam pro domino rege quam pro se ipso sequitur de placito contemptus et transgressionis.

Translation:

London

Geoffrey Chaucer puts in his place Stephen del Falle against Thomas Staundon who sues for the Lord King as well as for himself on a plea of contempt and trespass.

Transcription:

London’

Cecilia Champayn ponit loco suo Edmundum Heryng et Stephanum Falle sub alternacione ad lucrandum vel perdendum in loquela que est coram Rege per breve suum inter Thomam Standoun et prefatam Ceciliam de eo quod eadem Cecilia in servicio ipsius Thome apud Londonium nuper retenta ab eodem servicio ante finem termini inter eos concordati sine causa racionabili et licencia ipsius Thome recessit \ut dicit/ contra formam ordinacionis inde facte. Teste ipso Rege apud Westmonasterium ix die Aprilis Anno regni sui tercio.

Brud

[Dorse]

Johannes Phelypot cepit attornatos per breve.

Translation:

London

Cecily Chaumpaigne puts in her place Edmund Herryng and Stephen Falle, in alternate turns, for gain or loss, in the suit which is before the king by his writ between Thomas Staundon and the aforesaid Cecily, as to whether Cecily, lately retained in the service of the same Thomas at London left the same service without reasonable cause and license of the same Thomas before the end of the agreed term, as he says, against the form of the ordinance made concerning this. Witnessed by the king himself at Westminster the ninth day of April in the third year of his reign.

Brud

[Dorse]

John Philipot received the attorneys as per the writ.

Transcription:

De scripto irrotulato

Noverint universi me Ceciliam Chaumpaigne filiam quondam Willelmi Chaumpaigne et Agnetis uxoris eius remisisse relaxasse et omnino pro me et heredibus meis imperpetuum quietum clamasse Galfrido Chaucer armigero omnimodas acciones tam de raptu meo tam [sic] de aliqua alia re vel causa cuiuscumque condicionis fuerint quas unquam habui habeo seu habere potero a principio mundi usque in diem confeccionis presencium. In cuius rei testimonium presentibus sigillum meum apposui. Hiis testibus domino Willelmo de Beauchamp tunc Camerario domini Regis domino Johanne de Clanebowe domino Willelmo de Nevylle militibus Johanne Philippott et Ricardo Morel. Datum Londonie primo die Maii anno regni Regis Ricardi secundi post conquestum tercio.

Et memorandum quod predicta Cecilia venit in Cancellaria Regis apud Westmonasterium quarto die Maii anno presenti et recognovit scriptum predictum et omnia contenta in eodem in forma predicta.

Translation:

Enrolled from a written document

Let all know that I, Cecily Chaumpaigne, daughter of the late William Chaumpaigne and his wife Agnes, have remitted, released, and entirely quitclaimed on behalf of myself and my heirs in perpetuity to Geoffrey Chaucer, esq., all manner of actions related to my raptus,⁵ or to whatever other situation or cause, and of whatever condition they are, that I ever had, have, or could have, from the beginning of the world down to the day of making these presents. In testimony of which thing I have appended my seal to these presents. With these witnesses, Sir William Beauchamp, then Chamberlain of the Lord King, Sir John Clanvowe, Sir William Neville, knights, John Philipot, and Richard Morel. Given in London, on the first day of May, in the third year of the reign of King Richard II after the Conquest.

And let it be remembered, that the aforesaid Cecily came into the King’s Chancery at Westminster, on the fourth day of May, in the present year, and has acknowledged the aforementioned writing, and all contents in the same, in the aforementioned form.

Transcription:

Scriptum

Memorandum quod Cecilia Chaumpaigne filia quondam Willelmi Chaumpaigne et Agnetis uxoris eius die lune proximo ante festum pentecostes isto eodem termino coram domino Rege in propria persona sua venit et profert hic in curia quoddam scriptum quod cognoscit esse factum suum et peti[i]t illud irrotulari et irrotulatur in hec verba—Noverint universi per presentes me Ceciliam Chaumpaigne filiam quondam Willelmi Chaumpaigne et Agnetis uxoris eius remisisse relaxasse et omnino pro me et heredibus meis imperpetuum quietum clamasse Galfrido Chaucer armigero omnimodas acciones tam de feloniis transgressionibus compotis debitis quam aliis accionibus quibuscumque quas erga dictum Galfridum unquam habui habeo seu quovismodo habere potero a principio mundi usque in diem confeccionis presencium. In cuius rei testimonium presentibus sigillum meum apposui. Hiis testibus domino Willelmo de Beauchamp’ tunc camerario domini Regis domino Johanne Clanvowe domino Willelmo de Nevylle militibus et aliis. Datum Londonie primo die Maii anno regni Regis Ricardi secundi post conquestum tercio.

Translation:

Let it be remembered that Cecilia Chaumpaigne, daughter of the late William Chaumpaigne and Agnes his wife, on the Monday next before the Feast of Pentecost in this same term came before the Lord King in her own person and put forward here in the court a certain written document, which she recognized as being her own deed and requested that it be enrolled and it is enrolled in these words—Let all know through these presents that I Cecily Chaumpaigne, daughter of the late William Chaumpaigne and his wife Agnes, have remitted, released, and entirely quitclaimed on behalf of myself and my heirs in perpetuity to Geoffrey Chaucer, esq., all manner of actions either related to felonies, trespasses, accounts, debts, or whatever other actions that I ever had, have, or any could have against the said Geoffrey from the beginning of the world down to the day of making [these presents]. In testimony of which I have appended my seal to [these presents]. With these witnesses, Sir William Beauchamp, then Chamberlain of the Lord King, Sir John Clanvowe, Sir William Neville, knights, and others. Given [at] London on the first day of May in the third year of the reign of King Richard II after the Conquest.

Transcription:

Chaucer

Ultimo die Junij anno regni Regis Ricardi secundi secundo⁶Ricardus Goodchild’ et Johannes Grove, armurer, recognoverunt subsequens scriptum esse factum suum, in hec verba: Noverint universi nos, Ricardum Goodchild,’ coteler, et Johannem Grove, armurer, cives Londonie, remisisse, relaxasse, et imperpetuum pro nobis, heredibus, et executoribus nostris quietum clamasse Galfrido Chaucer, armigero, omnimodas acciones, querelas, et demandas quas versus dictum Galfridum unquam habuimus, habemus, seu aliquo modo habere poterimus, vel aliquis nostrum habere poterit infuturum, racione alicuius transgressionis, convencionis, contractus, compoti, debiti, vel alterius rei cuiuscumque, realis vel personalis, inter nos et predictum Galfridum vel aliquem nostrum inite vel facte a principio mundi usque in diem confeccionis presencium. In cuius rei testimonium presentibus sigilla nostra apposuimus. Datum Londonie, vicesimo octavo die mensis Junij, anno regni Regis Ricardi secundi a conquestu quarto.

Translation:

Chaucer

On the last day of June, in the second year of the reign of King Richard II, Richard Goodchild and John Grove, armorer, recognized the following writing to be their deed, in these words. Let all know that we, Richard Goodchild, cutler, and John Grove, armorer, citizens of London, have remitted, released, and quitclaimed in perpetuity for ourselves, heirs, and our executors to Geoffrey Chaucer, esq., all manner of actions, complaints, and commitments that we ever had, have, or in some way could have against the said Geoffrey, or one of us could have in the future, by reason of any trespass, agreement, contract, account, debt, or whatever other matters, real or personal, between us and the aforementioned Geoffrey or that one of us begun or made, from the beginning of the world down to the day of making these presents. In testimony of which thing we have appended our seals to these presents. Given in London, the twenty-eighth day of the month of June, in the fourth year of the reign of King Richard II from the Conquest.

Transcription:

Goodchild’

Grove

Eodem die venit hic Cecilia Chaumpaigne, et cognovit Grove. subsequens scriptum esse factum suum, in hec verba: Noverint universi me Ceciliam Chaumpaigne filiam quondam Willelmi Chaumpaigne et Agnetis uxoris eius remisisse relaxasse et omnino pro me heredibus et executoribus meis imperpetuum quietumclamasse Ricardo Goodchild,’ coteler, et Johanni Grove, armurer, civibus Londonie, omnimodas acciones, querelas, et demandas, tam reales quam personales, quas versus dictos Ricardum et Johannem vel eorum alterum unquam habui, habeo, seu quouismodo infuturum habere potero, racione cuiuscumque cause a principio mundi usque in diem confeccionis presencium. In cuius rei testimonium presentibus sigillum meum apposui. Datum Londonie vicesimo octauo die Junij, anno regni Regis Ricardi secundi post conquestum quarto.

Translation:

Goodchild

Grove

On the same day came here Cecily Chaumpaigne and recognized to Grove that the following writing was her own deed, made in these words: Let all know that I, Cecily Chaumpaigne, daughter of the late William Chaumpaigne and his wife Agnes, have remitted, released, and entirely quitclaimed for myself, my heirs, and my executors in perpetuity to Richard Goodchild, cutler, and John Grove, armorer, citizens of London, all manner of actions, complaints, and commitments, either real or personal, that I ever had, have, or in some way could have in the future against the said Richard and John or either of them, by reason of whatever cause, from the beginning of the world up to the day of making these presents. In testimony of which thing I have appended my seal to these presents. Given in London, on the twenty-eighth day of June, in the fourth year of the reign of King Richard II after the Conquest.

transcription:

Vacat quia soluit

C. Chaumpaigne

Secundo die Julij anno regni Regis Ricardi secundi quarto Johannes Grove, armurer, venit hic coram Maiore et Aldermannis et recognovit se debere Cecilie Chaumpaigne, filie quondam Willelmi Chaumpaigne et Agnetis uxoris eius decem libras sterlingorum, soluendas ad festum Sancti Michaelis proximo futurum etc. Et nisi fecerit concedit etc.

Translation:

Canceled, because paid

C. Chaumpaigne

On the second day of July, in the fourth year of the reign of King Richard II, John Grove, armorer, came here before the Mayor and Aldermen, and recognized that he owed Cecily Chaumpaigne, daughter of the late William Chaumpaigne and his wife Agnes, ten pounds sterling, to be paid the next upcoming feast of Michaelmas, etc. And unless he does so, he grants, etc.

Notes