Sir Geoffrey, an eminent English poet in the 14th century, born at London in 1328. After he left the university, he travelled into Holland, France, and other countries. Upon his return he entered himself in the Inner Temple, where he studied the municipal laws of England. His first station at court was page to Edward III, and he had a pension granted him by that prince till he could otherwise provide for him. Soon after we find him gentleman of the king's privy chamber; next year, field-bearer to the king. Esteemed and honoured, he spent his younger days in a constant attendance at court, or for the most part living near it, in a square stone house near the park-gate at Woodstock, still called Chaucer's House.

Soon after, having got the duke of Lancaster for his patron, Chaucer began every day to rise in greatness. In 1373, he was sent with other persons to the republic of Genoa to hire ships for the king's navy (our want of shipping in those times being usually supplied by such means); and the king was so well satisfied with his negotiation, that, on his return, he obtained a grant of a pitcher of wine daily in the port of London, to be delivered by the butler of England; and soon after was made comptroller of the customs for wool, wool fells, and hides; an office which he discharged with great diligence and integrity. At this period, Chaucer's income was about 100l. a-year; a sum which in those days might well enable him to live, as he says he did, with dignity in office, and hospitality among his friends. It was in this meridian blaze of prosperity, in perfect health of body and peace of mind, that he wrote his most humorous poems. His satires against the priests were probably written to oblige his patron the duke of Lancaster, who favoured the cause of Wickliff, and endeavoured to expose the clergy to the indignation of the people. In the last year of Edward III, our poet was employed in a mission to treat with the French; and in the beginning of King Richard's reign, he was in some degree of favour at court.

The duke of Lancaster at last finding his views checked, began to abandon Wickliff's party: upon which which Chaucer likewise, how much sooner he had espoused that divine's opinions, thought it prudent to conceal them more than he had done. With the duke's interest that of Chaucer entirely sunk; and the former passing over sea, his friends felt all the malice of the opposite party. These misfortunes occasioned his writing that excellent treatise, *The Testament of Love*, in imitation of Boethius on the Consolation of Philosophy. Being much reduced, he retired to Woodstock, to comfort himself with study, which produced his admirable treatise of the *Astrolabe*.

The duke of Lancaster at last surmounting his troubles, married Lady Catherine Swynford, sister to Chaucer's wife; so that Thomas Chaucer, our poet's son, became allied to most of the nobility, and to several of the kings of England. Now the sun began to shine upon Chaucer with an evening ray; for by the influence of the duke's marriage, he again grew to a considerable share of wealth. But being now 75, he retired to Dunnington castle near Newbury. He had not enjoyed this retirement long before Henry IV. son of the duke of Lancaster, assumed the crown, and in the first year of his reign gave our poet marks of his favour. But however pleasing the change of affairs might be to him at first, he afterwards found no small inconveniences from it. The measures and grants of the late king were annulled: and Chaucer, in order to procure fresh grants of his pensions, left his retirement, and applied to court; where, though he gained a confirmation of some grants, yet the fatigue of attendance, and his great age, prevented him from enjoying them. He fell sick at London: and ended his days in the 72nd year of his age, leaving the world as though he despised it, as appears from his song of *Flie from the Prefe*. The year before his death he had the happiness, if at his time of life it might be so called, to see the son of his brother-in-law (Hen. IV.) seated on the throne. He was interred in Westminster abbey; and in 1556, Mr Nicholas Bingham, a gentleman of Oxford, at his own charge, erected a handsome monument for him there. Caxton first printed the Canterbury Tales; but his works were first collected and published in one volume folio, by William Thynne, London, 1542. They were afterwards reprinted in 1561, 1598, 1602, Oxford, 1721.

Chaucer was not only the first, but one of the best poets which these kingdoms ever produced. He was equally great in every species of poetry which he attempted; and his poems in general possess every kind of excellence, even to a modern reader, except melody and accuracy of measure; defects which are to be attributed to the imperfect state of our language, and the infancy of the art in this kingdom at the time when he wrote. "As he is the father of English poetry (says Mr Dryden), so I hold him in the same degree of veneration as the Grecians did Homer, or the Romans Virgil. He is a perpetual fountain of good sense, learned in all sciences, and therefore speaks properly on all subjects. As he knew what to say, so he knows also when to leave off; a continence which is practised by few writers, and scarcely by any of the ancients, except Virgil and Horace." This character Chaucer certainly deserved. He had read a great deal; and was a man of the world, and of sound judgement. He was the first English poet who wrote *poetically*, as Dr Johnson observes in the preface to his Dictionary, and (he might have added) who wrote like a gentleman. He had also the merit of improving our language considerably, by the introduction and naturalization of words from the Provencal, at that time the most polished dialect in Europe.

**CHALCIS**, in *Ancient Geography*, the country of the Chauci, a people of Germany: divided into the Minores, now East Friesland, and the county of Oldenburg; and into the Majores, now the duchy of Bremen and a part of Lunenburg.