Note 40 — Chapter III

The biographers used to say 1328: this is now thought inadmissible by most commentators. Furnival makes the birth-year 1340—in which he is followed by the two Wards, and by Professor Minto (Br. Ency.). Evidence, however, is not as yet conclusive; and there is an even chance that further investigations may set back the birth-year to a date which will better justify and make more seemly those croakings of age which crept into some of the latter verse of the poet. For some facts looking in that direction, and for certain interesting genealogic Chaucer puzzles, see paper in London Athenæum for January 29, 1881, by Walter Rye.