ABSTRACT
In October 1360 Chaucer had been paid by Lionel, Earl of Ulster, for bringing letters from Calais to England, The next record is for 22 February 1366. It is a safe-conduct (i.e. a kind o f passport) for Chaucer and three companions to travel in the kingdom of Navarre, the Basque country, which lay over the Pyrenees between Aqui taine, held by the English, and the Spanish kingdoms of Castile and Aragon. During these six years Chaucer presumably continued at least at first in Lionel’s court. He was reading widely, and probably writing. At some time he started translating Le Roman de la Rose, and may have written a number of love-lyrics for which he became well known, but which are lost. W hat else did he do?
