Was Chaucer murdered?
Book: Who Killed Chaucer?
Jennifer Viegas, Discovery News
Nov. 7, 2003 — Geoffrey Chaucer, the 14th century author of The Canterbury Tales, may have been murdered, according to a new book authored by former "Monty Python" member Terry Jones and backed by a team of English literature scholars.
According to Jones and his team, both Chaucer and his writings, including The Canterbury Tales, could have become "politically inconvenient" during the turbulent overthrow of King Richard II by Henry IV in 1399.
Jones' new book, Who Murdered Chaucer?, is itself a bit of a mystery. A representative for the publisher, Methuen, refused to send a review copy to Discovery News. Three authors of the book did not respond to queries. Terry Jones' representative at Methuen also did not respond. (Note: A review copy of the book was received by Discovery News a week after this story was originally published.)
Based on recent lectures given by Jones at a number of American and U.K. universities, however, Discovery News was able to piece together the speculation over Chaucer's death.
Jones and his colleagues allege that in 1400, Chaucer basically disappears. They say there is no official confirmation of his death, no chronicle entry, no notice of a funeral or burial, no will, and no remaining manuscripts.
Given the author's status as a public figure and senior member of Richard II's court, Chaucer did receive a tomb at Westminster Abbey. Jones and his team claim that the rather unimposing tomb was not in keeping with a person of Chaucer's status. It was replaced in the 16th century.
Evidence for a motive might be present in The Canterbury Tales. In the book, Chaucer mocks the English church establishment. He presents corrupt church officials, such as a friar who is banished to hell. Other characters, including the pardoner, summoner and prioress, are presented in a less than favorable light.
Chaucer also had close ties to Richard II, whose own death in 1400 was suspicious. In his play Richard II, Shakespeare claimed the king was murdered. Others suggest Richard II starved himself to death while imprisoned during the overthrow.
Alan Fletcher, a lecturer in medieval studies at University College Dublin, and one of Jones' co-authors, told the Times of London, "Chaucer was under a very dark cloud indeed. The regime was against him. It is quite possible that he was just quietly shut up, as it was more convenient to have him out of the way than around."
While Fletcher did not name a possible murderer, Thomas Arundel, the Archbishop of Canterbury, appears to be their prime suspect. In 1397, Arundel petitioned Henry IV and Parliament to make the penalty for heresy death by burning, along with confiscation of the accused's belongings.
Fletcher said Chaucer "vanishes without a trace" after possible residence at the Sanctuary in Westminster Abbey, a place that provided immunity from prosecution.
In his book, The Life of Geoffrey Chaucer, Derek Pearsall agrees that controversial commentary on issues could have put Chaucer's life in danger. Pearsall, however, disagrees with the theories presented in Jones' book. He told a BBC Radio 4 interviewer that the arguments occupied some place between "the deeply implausible and the wholly preposterous."
Before the October release in England of Who Murdered Chaucer? Pearsall added, "Terry Jones has got a habit of hanging onto ideas and pressing on with them, and so the book is coming out."
Fletcher admitted that the new book "is deliberately provocative," but believes it will be successful if it makes people rethink what could have happened to Chaucer at that turbulent moment in history over 600 years ago.
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