Geoffrey Chaucer (6) Poem by Sylvia Frances Chan

Geoffrey Chaucer (6) :

This is the sequel of: Geoffrey Chaucer (5) , a medieval English poet
His Canterbury Tales is the most generically diverse creative work in the English language, exploring everything from bedroom farce to animal fable and from romances of chivalry to lives of saints.

In 1366 Chaucer was part of the Royal Household as an 'esquire' and received an annual allowance from the king for services rendered and future.
In September of the same year, one Filippa Chaucer was also awarded an annual allowance for her position as lady-in-waiting to Queen Philippa of Hainaut.

It shows that she was married to Chaucer at the time.
Not much is known about the life of Filippa Chaucer.

Chaucer's marriage to Filippa (de) Roet.
Who is Filippa (de) Roet?
She was the sister of Katherine Swynford
and the daughter of Payne de Roet.
Payne de Roet was a flemish herald from Hainaut,
he came to England in 1328 in the retinue of Queen Philippa
and entered the service of King Edward III.

Filippa successively became lady-in-waiting to Countess Elizabeth,
to Queen Philippa, and
to Constance of Castile, John of Gaunt's second wife.

Katherine Swynford (the sister of Filippa de Roet) was John of Gaunt's mistress for many years
and would eventually marry him in 1396.
Chaucer's marriage to Filippa may explain the many favours John of Gaunt granted him.

In 1386, Filippa Chaucer was inducted into the fraternity of Lincoln Cathedral in the company of Henry, Earl of Derby,
later King Henry IV,
Sir Thomas de Swynford, and other dignitaries.
Filippa Chaucer probably died in 1387,
as the allowance granted to her then ceased

The next story-poem will be sequel number 7.
As a poet of English Literature,
you ought to know about Geoffrey Chaucer.
He is the key figure in English Literature.
In what way? Very simple:
No Geoffrey Chaucer, No English Literature

see you all in the next sequel, thank you!