The Geographical Journal (Journal of the Royal Geographical Society): Volume IX, No. 4 [‎223v] (117/172)

434 THE TEACHING OF GEOGRAPHY" IN RELATION TO HISIORY.
been on a campaign to France and a diplomatic mission to Genoa, and whose
characters in the ‘ Canterbury Tales,’ such as the Wife of Bath, who had been m
Palestine, and the Knight in Lithuania, fighting against the pagans, prove that
their author possessed a considerable knowledge of European geography. It is in
this way that we can approximately estimate the knowledge of foreign countries
possessed by the man who acted as Foreign Minister, a consideration of enormous
importance in considering the foreign policy of England.
2. It would be interesting, though not so important and more problematical, to
estimate the geographical knowledge of the different classes of society who are
represented by the characters in Chaucer’s ‘ Canterbury I ales. 1 may heie mention
that the student would already possess maps of the probable geographical knowledge
at at least two epochs between 1066 and 1350, showing the influence of the con
quest, and the Crusades. Chaucer’s Knight must have had many opportunities of
seeing foreign lands—
“ At Alexandre * he was when it was won;
Full often time he had the board begun f
Aboven alle nations in Prusse.”
It was the custom for knights in the fourteenth century to fight in Prussia loi
the Teutonic Order against the heathens. He had also been in Lithuania, Russia;
in Granada, at the siege of Algezir (1344); in Africa; at Layas in Armenia, and
featalie, the ancient Atalia, both taken by the King of Cyprus, the former in 1367,
the latter in 1352; also in the “Create Sea” (the Mediterranean),in Anatolia Peninsula that forms most of modern-day Turkey. ,and
in Turkey. Chaucer’s Shipman represented the class of sailors and traders who
were laying the foundation of England’s future greatness. “ He was the best pilot
from Hull to Carthage,” which shows that at least the wmst of the Mediterranean
was open to bold and enterprising mariners—
“ He knew well all the havens as they were,
From Scotland to the Cape of Finisterre ;
And every creek in Bretagne and in Spain.”
Scotland is in some editions Gothland. In any case, his range was over the
whole of the North Sea and the Atlantic seaboard. In this way it is also possible
to connect geography and literature.
In Chaucer we have actual contemporary material, but when that is not avail
able it is quite easy to find modern writings that refer to ancient times, e.g.
Macaulay’s ‘Armada,’ which should be read in conjunction with a map showing
where the places mentioned are situated.
Chaucer’s Wife of Bath had been a great traveller; besides that—
“ Of cloth-making, she hadde such a haunt (custom),
She passed them of Ipres and Ghent.”
Tnis is most interesting as showing the native woollen manufacture.
“ Thries had she been at Jerusalem
At Rome had she been, and at Bologne,
At Galice, at St. James, and at Cologne.”
Other headings might be—
3. The influence of geography on literature.
* Alexandria taken in 1365 by Pierre de Lusignan, King of Cyprus,
t Begun (sat at the head of the table).