The Doctor ' s Tale ( audio story ) The Doctor ' s Tale was the second story of the first season of " The Early Adventures " . The Doctor and his TARDIS were the only science fiction elements that appeared in the story , making it a pure historical . The title was a play on those of the individual tales within " The Canterbury Tales " , whose author , Geoffrey Chaucer , featured prominently . It was written by Marc Platt and featured the First Doctor ( voiced by William Russell ) , Ian Chesterton , Barbara Wright ( voiced by Maureen O ' Brien ) , and Vicki Pallister . In this adventure , to be treated as a nobleman , Ian used his title " Sir Ian of Jaffa " bestowed on him in the television story " The Crusade " . Publisher ' s summary . England , 1400 . Winter . Blood in the snow . Henry IV has usurped the throne , and deposed King Richard II languishes in Pomfret Castle . Meanwhile the Doctor and his companion s preside over New Year revels at Sonning Palace . But Sonning is a prison , treachery is in the air and murderous Archbishop Thomas Arundel will stop at nothing to crush the rebellion . As the Doctor and Barbara take the road to Canterbury , Vicki finds a royal friend and Ian is dragged into a dark web of conspiracy at whose heart sits that teller of tales , Geoffrey Chaucer . Plot . The Lord of Misrule ( 1 ) . The First Doctor , Vicki Pallister , Ian Chesterton and Barbara Wright visit Sonning Palace . They learn from the bishop that Henry IV has recently deposed Richard II , so Barbara correctly identifies the date as 1400 . Vicki meets Isabella , Richard ' s queen , and the Doctor is appointed to be her tutor . Sir Robert de Wensley expresses empathy with Isabella ' s plight , being cut off from her husband who is imprisoned in Pomfret Castle . The travellers attend an Epiphany feast , with the Doctor presiding as Lord of Misrule . However , their revelries are interrupted by Thomas Arundel , Archbishop of Canterbury who — after being affronted by Barbara and the Doctor — declares them to be Lollard heretics . He tells them they must recant or be sent to God . The White Hart ( 2 ) . Robert negotiates for the release of the Doctor and his companions . Barbara and the Doctor go to Canterbury , desiring to discover the fate of Geoffrey Chaucer . Ian and Robert , after learning that King Henry has been attacked at his tournament at Oxford , travel in their wake , hoping to warn them that troubles will soon consume London . They stop at the Black Oak , which is more a stable than an inn . Vicki stays with Isabella and they meet Jud Hacker and acquire his services as a cart driver . A train of men goes part and Isabella and Vicki hide in the cart . They see a cartload of dead men — supporters of Richard II killed in Oxford . Arundel is with the party and , catching glimpse of a face in Hacker ' s cart , orders him to uncover it . Sanctuary ( 3 ) . Vicki hides Isabella and pretends to be Hacker ' s daughter . Isabella pays him to take her to Oxford . When they arrive , Hacker asks for more payment , but Isabella steals his cart and rides off with Vicki for Pomfret Castle . Meanwhile , Ian is invited to an abbey by Robert , into the company of a conspiratorial group , mostly composed of clergy . Among their number is Geoffrey Chaucer . They plan to depose King Henry . In Oxford , Isabella is found by the King , who tells her she is free from her confinement in Sonning Palace now that Richard ' s forces have been defeated . Arundel interrupts Chaucer ' s meeting . After he leaves , they learn that there has been a murder outside — the gatekeeper — and Chaucer ' s home has been raided and his work is being burned . Robert pulls his sword on Ian and Chaucer and , revealing he has aligned himself with Arundel , has them taken prisoner . Isabella learns from Henry that Richard is dead , but refuses to believe it . Chaucer tells Ian he gave the original manuscript of " The Canterbury Tales " to the Doctor and Barbara for safe keeping . They are shown the body of Richard and , when none of the conspirators agree to recognise Henry , are sentenced to death by Arundel . They are killed one by one . When only Ian and Chaucer are left , Henry arrives and order proceedings to be halted while Isabella grieves over Richard ' s body . In a prison cell , Ian and Chaucer find the Doctor . He tells them that Barbara is safe and that Arundel cannot be defeated — he is a part of history . The Empty Crown ( 4 ) . Henry berates Arundel for his actions , but he shows no remorse . Vicki comforts Isabella . Tom Chaucer , Geoffrey ' s son , manages to contact his father . The Doctor asks him to find out how Vicki is faring . In their conversation , Robert expresses to Arundel a desire to find Barbara , which the Archbishop takes to be his desired prize . Vicki and Isabella discuss Richard , and the former queen says he had been dead along a while to her , having been separated for so long . Henry banishes Vicki and , as she exits , she meets Tom from whom she gets the idea to have the Doctor and his fellow prisoners pardoned . The Doctor picks the lock of his cell and find Robert as they escape . After he makes a comment about Barbara , he and Ian fight . While Robert has his sword caught , the Doctor knocks him out with a chamber pot . Isabella rejects Henry ' s proposition that she marry Prince Hal . Vicki and Tom tell the King that Chaucer is not dead , as Arundel claims , that the Doctor and Ian are also being held , despite being innocent . Ian gets into a fight in the street . As the guard moves to strike him , Isabella shoots him with an arrow . The Doctor ' s party escape and Henry sends Robert after them , to collect Chaucer . They travel by boat and pass London Bridge . They go to the Tabard Inn to find Barbara and learn that she is performing recitations of " The Canterbury Tales " . Ian sees Robert with her , holding her hand . Robert stands before the crowd and declares Chaucer to be a traitor and asks them to put his head on the bridge . Instead , they cheer for him who brought the tales Barbara read . They lift the Doctor onto their shoulders and parade him . Robert pulls a knife , but Isabella aims an arrow at him . He flees . Ian follows and confronts him . Robert says Barbara will never be Ian ' s , but as he does , he slips on the ice and falls into the Thames beneath London Bridge where the current drowns him . The Doctor tells Chaucer his tales have been sent to Wales where they will be copied . He stands up and tells the crowd he is Chaucer . Arundel arrives and is isolated . They confuse him with multiple voices until he is frightened . They taunt him and he cries that he will banish them all . He runs away in panic . Chaucer is going to Wales . Isabella will return to Sonning Palace where the Doctor tells her she will be safe with the bishop before returning to France . She asks Vicki to stay , but she says she cannot leave the Doctor . The Doctor , Ian , Barbara and Vicki walk back to the TARDIS . Barbara put her arm through Ian ' s and asks what became of Robert . He tells her that he ran away . The party find themselves back at the ship .