Volume II 1603-1660 - The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple

CHAUCER.
Vol. i., p. xiv. " Geoffry Chaucer, of whom tradition says, but upon doubtful
authority, that he was a student of the Inner Temple."
Vol.i.,p.235
Vol.i.,p.265
Vol. i., p. 9
In the life of Chaucer to be found prefixed to Speght's Edition
of Chaucer's works, the following passage occurs :
" About the latter end of K. Richard's the second's daies he
florished in Fraunce, and got himself great commendation there by
his diligent exercise in learning. After his returne home, he frequented
the Court at London, and the Colledges of the Lawiers,
which there interprete the lawes of the land, and among them he had
a familiar friend called John Gower. It seemeth that Chaucer was of
the Inner Temple, for not many years since, Master Buckley did see
a Record in the same house, where Geffrey Chaucer was fined two
shillings for beating a Franciscan friar in Fleetstreet."
The second edition of Speght's Chaucer is in the library of the
Inner Temple, and from this it appears that the first edition of
Chaucer was by Wm. Thynne, chief clerk of the kitchen to King
Henry VI I I., to whom he dedicated his work, such dedication being
printed at p.,3/ . The next edition of Chaucer was by Thos. Speght,
and was dedicated to the Rt. Honble. Sir Robt. Cecil, Principal
Secretary to the Queen's most excellent Majestie. This was published
with the life in 1574, according to the engraved date on the
title page. A short introduction was afterwards written by Francis
Beaumont, a member of the Inner Temple and a justice of the common
pleas, and is dated from Leicester, his native place, the last of June,
Anno 1597. The second edition by Speght, containing Beaumont's
letter, was published in 1602, as appears from the firinted date on the
title page. The statement of Chaucer's being a member of the Inner
Temple thus appears to have been made at least as early as 1574
on the authority of Master Buckley. Some further investigation
shows that Master William Buckley, the elder, was chief butler and
as such librarian of the Inner Temple for many years. On the
23rd November, 1572, Master William Buckley, lately the chief
butler of the house, was specially admitted a fellow without any
payment. He was therefore in a position to have access to the
antient books of the society, many of which, as we know from our
records, were in existence at the early part of that century. The
statement of Speght, therefore, in his life of Chaucer prefixed to his
works in 1574, would thus appear to have a greater authority than
might otherwise have been accorded to it.