This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1921 Excerpt: ... of the reign of Edward III there is little more than the Latin drinking songs of Walter Map in the reign of Henry II, or the rude though highly patriotic verses of Laurence Minot, an unknown soldier who followed the early wars of Edward III. The work of Chaucer, however, is not merely among the earliest poetry, ...
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This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1921 Excerpt: ... of the reign of Edward III there is little more than the Latin drinking songs of Walter Map in the reign of Henry II, or the rude though highly patriotic verses of Laurence Minot, an unknown soldier who followed the early wars of Edward III. The work of Chaucer, however, is not merely among the earliest poetry, written in the English that we can understand, but it is among William OF Wykeham. the most beautiful and charming of all our literature. His father was a prosperous vintner or wine merchant of Thames Street, London, who was wise enough to give his son the best education of the day, and who, though not a nobleman, was able to procure young Geoffrey a post at the King's Court. In 1359 Chaucer fought in France and was taken prisoner; next year, however, he was ransomed at the Peace of Bretigny. For the next twenty-five years of his life he was frequently employed in diplomatic business; in 1370, for instance, he was sent to Genoa on the English mission which was negotiating a commercial treaty. The influence of Italy may be traced all through his works--the influence, in particular, of Petrarch the poet, and of Boccaccio the story-teller. In 1376 Chaucer was elected to Parliament as a knight of the shire for Kent. This assembly, known as the Good Parliament, is famous for the reforms in administration which it forced upon the decadent government of Edward III. He died in 1400, leaving one son, and a daughter who became a nun in the Abbey of Barking. Chaucer's works. Chaucer was a man of affairs; busy, practical, moving among the great men of the land. Yet whether travelling, fighting, or negotiating, he never lost his love of letters, and found time to write the long poems, beautiful, finished stories, which remain to give pleasure to all the ages. Th...
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