natural to a human being, and reproached him for his unsocial mode of life. Petrarch smiled at their messages, and scorned their reproaches, and made the following excellent remarks:- These people consider the pleasures of the world as their supreme good, and not to be reed. But I have friends of a very different description, whose society is far more agree to me; they are of all countries, and of all ages; they are distinguished in war, in pics, and in the sciences. It is very easy to e them; they are always at my service. I call the company, or send them away whenever Ipse; they are never troublesome, and immediately answer all my questions. Some late the events of ages past, others reveal the ets of nature; these teach me how to live in mfort, those to die in quiet. In return for all ese services, they only require a chamber of mone corner of my mansion, where they may repose in peace." An anecdote of Petrarch is mentioned by two athers, that he wrote occasionally his thoughts, in cat letters, upon a cloak of leather, which he e, and not being lined, was so contrived that might be able to write on both sides of it his fees, which appeared full of corrections and It is said, that La Casa, Sadolet, and Buccatello, who were in possession of this precious when they returned to the country-house of latter to take refuge from the plague, which this year, was desolating Italy, took this cloak with them, to consider it at their leisure, and to mpt to decipher what it contained. Petrarch died of apoplexy, at Argua. He sas found dead in his library, July 18th, 1374, with one arm leaning on a book. Petrarch, Lord Woodhouslee observes, composed 318 nets, 39 canzoni or songs, and six trionfi, a ge volume of poetry, entirely on the subject passion for Laura; not to include a variety f passages in prose works. Laura died in 1348, ad was buried at Avignon. Her grave was vened by Francis I. of France, wherein was land a small box, containing a medal and a e verses, written by Petrarch. On one side of the medal was impressed the figure of a woman; the reverse, the characters of M. L. M. J., lying Madona Laura morte jaeet. The t and enthusiastic monarch returned every ng into the tomb, and wrote an epitaph in our of her memory. *Arise, O Petrarch, from th' Elysian bowers, To the soft notes of elegant desire, Was spread the fame of thy disastrous love.” in the Church of Saint Clare, at six o'clock in the morning. I was then in my early youth. In the same town, on the same day, and at the same hour, in the year 1348, this light, this sun, withdrew from the world." The works of this illustrious poet form four folio volumes, and more than twenty-five persons have written his life. Tuscus, one of the preceptors of Petrarch, provided for the payment of his debts, by pledging two small manuscript volumes of certain | works of Cicero. Petrach is wonderfully accurate and precise Laura. These are his words:"Laura, But by the virtues she possessed, and celebrated, during many years, by my verses, red to my eyes, for the first time, on the old day of April, in the year 1327, at Avignon, 1345, April 14. Died Richard Aungerville, commonly known by the name of Richard de Bury, from the place of his nativity, Bury St. Edmund's, in Suffolk, were he was born in the year 1287. He was the son of Sir Richard Aungerville. Having distinguished himself by his learning at Oxford, he became tutor to the Prince of Wales, afterwards Edward III. In 1333 he was appointed dean of Wells and bishop of Durham; and in the following year, he was appointed lord high chancellor and treasurer of England. He was much celebrated for his piety and munificence, but still more for his remarkable love of learning and patronage of distinguished scholars, by whom he was held as the Mæcenas of those times. In 1341, he purchased thirty or forty volumes of the abbot of St. Albans, for which he gave fifty pounds weight of silver; and so enamoured was he of his large collection that in 1344 he expressly composed a treatise entitled Philobiblion, or the Love of Books.* Richard de Bury may be fairly classed as the first bibliomaniac upon record, in the best and wisest sense of the word, not only in the North of England, but in England at large. Describing the process by which manuscripts were published in his days, he says "Because every thing that is serviceable to mortals, suffers the waste of mortality through the lapse of time, it is necessary for volumes corroded by age to be restored or renovated by successors, that perpetuity, repugnant to the nature of the individual, may be conceded to the species.” in another place he says, "the study of the monks, now a days, dispenses with emptying bowls, not with amending books." Speaking of his books, he uses the following excellent and impressive words, "these are teachers, whose instructions are unaccompanied with blows or harsh words; who demand neither food nor wages: you visit them, they are alert; if you want them, they secrete not themselves; should you mistake their meaning, they complain not; nor ridicule your ignorance, be it ever so gross." Again, he says, "books ought to be purchased at any price, the wisdom which they contain renders them invaluable, they cannot be bought too dear." He bought books at any price, but never sold them again, alleging the sentence, "Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding." Prov. xxiii. 22. It is stated that he preferred taking the fees of office in books. rather than in money. In 1334, on his being appointed high treasurer of England, he entertained at his palace at Durham, Edward III.* his queen, and her mother, the king of Scotland, the two metropolitans, five bishops, seven earls, with their consorts, and all the nobility on this side Trent, besides a great number of knights and esquires; also many abbots, priors, and other ecclesiastics. Some idea may be formed of the perseverance and literary attainments of this great man, and his enthusiastic ardour in the promulgation of learning, when we are informed that he alone possessed more books than all the bishops of England together, and besides the fixed libraries which he had formed in his several palaces; the floor of his common apartment was so covered with books, that those who entered could not with due reverence approach him; he also kept binders, illuminators, and writers, in his palaces. He selected his chaplains on account of their piety and erudition, and many of them rose to the episcopal bench. To his nurture of genius and learning, we are indebted for some of the most eminent prelates and writers this country can boast; among them may be mentioned, Thomas Bradwardine, archbishop of Canterbury; Richard Fitz-Ralph, archbishop of Armagh; Richard Benworth, bishop of London; and Walter Segraffe, bishop of Chester; also Walter Burley, John Maudyt, Robert Holket, Richard de Killington, and several others, all doctors of theology. His generosity is recorded to have been as uniform as it was extensive, and we are told that he weekly bestowed eight quarters of wheat made into bread, exclusive of the accustomed fragments from his table, and pecuniary assistance; during a ride from Newcastle to Durham, he distributed £8 in alms, and going from Durham to Stockton £5, besides many more which are minutely enumerated by Chambre. This excellent prelate died at Auckland, and was buried, says Chambre, before the altar of the blessed Mary Magdalene, at the southern angle of the cathedral church of Durham, leaving a reputation untarnished by the breath of calumny. The account, however, which Richard de Bury gives of the monks before his time, shows us that the old religious transcribers must have been endued with singular patience and preseverance, for he says "many wrote them out with their That Edward exerted all his influence to promote the advancement of his tutor, is proved by an interesting do cument recorded in Rymer's Fadera, and an account of his preferments in the first six years of his reign, is preserved by Tanner: Edward presented him to two rectories, six thampton, the Canonry of Weston, and the Deanery of Wells. He was so enriched by ecclesiastical preferment that he was enabled to expend five thousand marks on a journey to Rome. When he went into the presence of the prebendal stalls, the Archdeaconries of Salisbury and Nor Pope and Cardinals, he was attended by twenty of his clerks, and thirty six esquires, attired in the most expensive and sumptuous garments.-See Dibdin's Bibliomania and Warton's Hist. of English Poetry. own hands in the intervals of the canonical hou and gave up the time appointed for bodily rest the fabrication of volumes; those sacred treasur of whose labours, filled with cherubic letters, at this day resplendent in most monasterie Erasmus thus describes the Secunda Secunt of Thomas Aquinas, which was a ponder treatise of scholastic divinity then so m prized and cherished: "No man can carry about, much less get it into his head." I volume thus produced on fair parchment af the labour of years, was covered with immens thick lids of wood and leather, studded with la nails and curiously clasped; and being deposi on the shelves of the monastery library, kept sacred from all profane eyes. The not generally laboured for themselves alone, with any desire to diffuse the knowledge which t strove, and properly so to preserve. "The splendent volumes, with cherubic letters," b striking marks not only of the persevering indi try but of the great ingenuity of the mon Their initial letters, that is, the letters at t beginning of each chapter or section, were inde resplendent with gold and the brightest tints crimson and azure. But the satisfaction to afforded by these efforts of art was confined to few. They were not, like the paintings w which churches were subsequently adorned, d played before the people to exalt their devoti They were unclasped only on days of solemni by the mitred abbot or the prior; and then e veyed like precious jewels to the obscurity their worm-eaten and dusty cases. 1346. Died, John Bacon, otherwise denon nated Baconthorpius, from an obscure village Norfolk, where he was born, was distinguished the schools by the name of " Doctor Resolutus He studied first at Oxford; then visited Par where he obtained the character of "Averroist rum Princeps." On his return to London 1 became provincial of the Carmelites: afterwar was invited to Rome, where he gave gre offence by arguing with too much subtilty an freedom in defence of the pope's unlimited rig of granting matrimonial dispensations. T odium thus excited induced him to recanth doctrines on this head: and hence he was led quarrel with the art itself in which he had bet so great a proficient. 1347. Died, William Ockam, who was ver celebrated in the annals of scholastic theolog and denominated "Doctor Invincibilis." H was a disciple of Scotus, and put himself a the head of the nominalists, he maintained th opinions of that party with great ingenuity.Some consider him the founder of a distinct see whence he also received the denomination "Venerabilis Inceptor et Doctor Singularis. He was an Englishman, but of what part is no known. His works were printed at Paris, b Cæsaris and Stol, 1476. 1347, August. The conquest of Calais by Edward III., the warriors and archers on foot received 3d.; the Black Prince £1.; and the Bishop of Durham (with the earls), 6s. 8d. per battle day. It was during this famous siege that ST. | Guild of August has lost its primitive importance GEORGE, of England, was first invoked in the by the reformation of the calendar. Wheat was from 3s. 4d. to 4s. the quarter; a fat hog, two134 Died, Thomas Bradwardine an English-years old, 3s. 4d; clothing for a year of a common pposed to be a native of Hartfield, in the servant of husbandry, 3s. 6d; a quarter of beans docese of Chichester, was of Merton College, or pease, 1s; a quarter of barley, 10d; a pair of Open shout 1325. He obtained the appellation shoes, 4d; two gallons of ale, 2d. of Doctor Profundus." Afterwards became fer to Edward III. canon of Lichfield, cellor of St. Paul's. He attended the in his victorious expedition to France. In this year he was chosen to the see of Canterbury by the chapter, and after some hesitation his et was confirmed by the king and the pope. Bradaarline was consecrated at Avignon; but vived his consecration scarce forty days. He find at Loudon before his inthronization had take place. 1351, Sept. 3. To George Cosyn, for one quartern of royal paper, to make the painters' patrens (patterns) tenpence. 149 Died, Richard Rolle, a hermit, of Har pole, in Yorkshire; who translated and te a gloss upon the psalter, and a metrical paraphrase of the book of Job, one of the first tempts at a translation into the English lanrage, as spoken after the Conquest. 130. The constable of France, the greatest in the state, and one of the greatest men of age, could neither read nor write. 150, March 18. In the roll of accounts reating to the ornamental painting and glazing of Stephen's chapel, Westminster, by order of Edward III. we find that the wages of the be from fivepence to one shilling per day, et to a person named John Barnaby, emped at St. Stephen's chapel, in 1355, who was paid twopence per day. 1351, August 1. (Lammas Day.) From anauthorities we find that this was the usual inal day of commencing Harvest in England. By a useful act, called the "statute of labourers" 5th Edward III. in 1351, it is provided, 'that carter, ploughman, or day (dairy maid) or scher servant, shall take in the time of sarcling, eding) or haymaking, but a penny the day, and mowers of meadows for the acre, fivepence, by the day fivepence, and reapers of corn in first week of August, twopence, and the d threepence, and so till the end of August, less in the country, where less was wont to ven without meat or drink or other courtesy; and that all workmen bring openly in their hands The market towns, their instruments, and these all be hired in a common place, and not privy. that no servant go out of the town where he eth in the winter, to serve in the summer, dhe can get service in the same town, taking as het is said, saving that the people of the of Stafford, Lancaster, and Derby, and of Craven, and of the marshes of Wales Sedland, and other places may come in time dagst, and labour in other counties, and tim, as they were wont to do before this Bread offerings of the first fruits at the of harvest were universal; and our Saxon ay, of half mass or loaf mass, expresses, 1352. Lawrence Minot an English poet, is supposed to have died in this year. Mr. Tyrwhit first discovered his manuscripts in the Cottonian library, and they were published in 1795, 8vo. : 1357, May 24. In a blank page of Cosmestor's Scholastic History, deposited in the British museum, it is stated, that this MS. was taken from the King of France, at the battle of Poictiers, fought on this day it was afterwards purchased by the Earl of Salisbury for a hundred marks, and directed, by the last will of his Countess, to be sold for forty livres. One hundred marks were equivalent to £66 13s. 4d. This sum was exactly the pay of Henry Percy, keeper of Berwick castle, in 1359; at this time the king's surgeon's pay was £5 13s. 4d. per annum, and one shilling a day beside. Master carpenters had four-pence a day, their servants two-pence; the price of wheat was about 6s. 8d. a quarter. 1357. It was the prevailing opinion at this period, that even the Latin bibles should not be commonly allowed to the laity; when, therefore, archbishop Fitz Ralph, in this year, sent three or four secular priests of his diocese of Armagh into England, to study divinity in Oxford, they were forced very soon to return, because they could not find there a bible to be sold. And indeed, had the copies of the bible been more frequent than they were, it is no wonder that they were made so little use of, if what the writers of these times, D. Wiclif, archdeacon Clemangis, Beleth, and others say, be true, that the clergy were generally so ignorant, as not to be able to read Latin, or even con their Psalter. Our poet Chaucer represents the religious as gathering the bibles up and putting them into their libraries, and so imprisoning them from secular priests and curates, and, therefore, hindering them from preaching the gospel to the people.-Lewis. Matthew of Westminster, an English historian of this century, was very much esteemed for his veracity, acuteness, and diligence. 1358. About this period Richard Fitz-Ralph, archbishop of Armagh, possessed a translation, probably made by himself, of the New Testament in Irish. According to the information of Bale, quoted by archbishop Usher, this copy was concealed by him in a certain wall of his church, with the following note:---" When this book is found, truth will be revealed to the world, or Christ shortly appear." This, observes the narrator, was written in the spirit of prophecy, for the book was found when the church of Armagh, was repairing, about the year of Christ, 1530. augh in shadow, the natural piety merely of| Richard Fitz-Ralph, or Fitzraf, a man worthy be, called Heathen, now extinguished. The for his christian zeal of immortal commendation, L was brought up at Oxford, under John Baconthorpe, who was called the resolute doctor. His abilities recommended him to King Edward III. by whom he was promoted, first to the archdeaconry of Lichfield, then to the chancellorship of Oxford, and afterwards to the archbishopric of Armagh, in 1347. The monks accused him of heresy, and he was cited to appear before the pope at Avignon, where he died in 1360, yet such was the character he had maintained, that on hearing of his death, a certain cardinal openly declared, "A mighty pillar of Christ's church was fallen." 1362. Died, at Paris, Petronus Berchorius, a native of Poictiers and author of the Gesta Romanorum, one of the most ancient story-books extant; and the outlines of some of the best stories in Chaucer, Gower, Lydgate, Shakspeare, and their most distant successors, even down to Parnell's Hermit, may be traced in it. Boccaccio is reported to have laid it under ample contribution. It first appeared in print at Louvane in 1473, in folio, and at Paris, by John Petit, 1515. 1364. In this year the royal library of France, did not exceed twenty volumes, but shortly after, Charles V. encreased it to nine hundred, which by the fate of war, as much at least as by that of money, the duke of Bedford, about 1440, purchased and transported to London, where libraries were smaller than on the continent. It is a circumstance worthy of observation, that the French sovereign, Charles V. surnamed the Wise, ordered that thirty portable lights, with a silver lamp suspended from the centre, should be illuminated at night, that students might not find their pursuits interrupted at any hour. An objection to night studies in public libraries is the danger of fire, and in our own British museum, not a light is permitted to be carried about upon any pretence whatever. little known, even in Italy, as to have left its author but a slender proportion of that eminent degree of poetical reputation which he might have justly claimed from so extraordinary a performance. It is an heroic poem, in twelve books, entitled, La Teseide, and written in the octave stanza, called by the Italians octavo rima, which Boccacio adopted from the old French Chansons, and here first introduced among his countrymen. The story of this admirable production of the great Tuscan novelist is well known to the English reader, in consequence of its having been selected by Chaucer as the ground-work of his Knight's Tale, the finest of his poems, and the first conspicuous example of the English heroic couplet extant. "Dryden's paraphrase of this poem," says Warton, "is the most animated and harmonious piece of versification in the English Language." 1376. Du Cange cites the following lines from a French metrical romance written about this time, which proves that waxen tablets continued to be occasionally used till a late period. Some with antiquated style, In waxen tablets promptly write; Form letters lovelier to the sight. There are many ample and authentic records of the royal household of France, of the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, still preserved, written on waxen tablets. 1376. King Edward III. in the 50th or jubilee year of his reign, granted as an especial favour that judicial proceedings which had been written and administered in Norman French, might pass in English, but that all acts should be enrolled in Latin. Several of the ancient charters, however, had been written in Anglo-Saxon, and that the knowledge of their liberties might not 1372, Nov. 17. Died, at Leige, Sir John Man- be lost, some of the British monasteries, particu deville, the traveller. He was born at St. Albans, larly those at Croyland and Tavistock, still taught in the year 1300, and spent thirty-four years in the language. On this glorious occasion, every visiting various countries, and on his return pub-public prisoner was released, and the banished lished a relation of his voyages. In 1455 the first edition was printed at Leige, with the following title, Itinerariis a terra Angliæ ad partes Jerosolymitanis, 4to. By Wynkin de Worde, in 1499. 1375. Died, John Boccacio, a very celebrated Italian writer, was born at Certaldo, in Tuscany, in 1313. He resided a long time in Naples, where he fell in love with a natural daughter of the king. At the close of his life he returned to his native place, where he died, aged 76. Boccacio was the disciple of Petrarch; and, although principally known and deservedly celebrated as a writer and inventor of tales, he was, by his cotemporaries, usually placed as a poet in the third rank, after Dante and Petrarch. But Boccacio having seen the Platonic sonnets of his master Petrarch, in a fit of despair, committed almost all his poetry to the flames, except a single poem, of which his own good taste had long taught him to entertain a more favourable opinion. This piece, thus happily rescued from destruction, was, until lately, so scarce and so subject was restored to his country. This great monarch also conferred in full parliament upon his second son Lionel of Antwerp, the title of “Duke of Clarence," and upon his third son. John of Gaunt, that of " Duke of Lancaster." 1377, June 21. Edward III. died at his palace of Sheen, (Richmond) and was buried in West minster abbey. He was born at Windsor, Nov 13th, 1312, and crowned at Windsor, on the 1s of February, 1327, in his fifteenth year. In 1337 the dignity of duke was first created by him in this country in favour of his son the black prince as Duke of Cornwall, a title which is always vest ed in the king's eldest son the moment he is born The Chronicle of Rastel, speaking of the thir Edward, contains the following apposite passag in relation to our national festival ST. GEORGE DAY. "About the nineteenth year of this king [1345] he made a solemn feast at Windsor, an à great just and tournament, where he devise and perfected substantially the Order of th Knights of the Garter; howbeit some affirm this order began first by Richard Cœur de Lion, at the siege of Acre [1191] where, in his great accessity, there were but twenty-six knights that firmly and surely abode with the king, where he caased all them to wear thongs of blue leather about their legs; and afterwards they were called the aghts of the Blue Thong." Beath the inspiring banner of England's patre Sint, a long and splendid line of nobility have sprung, illustrating by their deeds in arms, ther faith in counsel, and with hearts of courtest, & THRONE, venerable from inheritance, and unspotted by dishonour; abroad respected; approached with general affection at home; and possessing all those energies which, triumphant as they have been in a whirlwind of contention, are still proved soundly wise in a diet of repose. On the 30th of March, 1363, Edward III. first distributed the Maunday† and purified the рот. 1377, July 16. The coronation of Richard II. may illustrate the manners of these times. The eg prince, then in his twelfth year, passed the tower to the abbey under a canopy of the silk, borne on spears of silver by the barons the cinque ports. "In the market of Cheapde, was erected (by the merchants) a building in the form of a castle, out of which ran two streams wine. On its four turrets were placed four girls, dressed in white, and of the same age with the king. As he approached, they blew towards small shreds of gold leaf; then showered upon ban forins made of paper; and coming down, helped him and his attendants to wine out of ps of gold. To conclude this loyal exhibition, anangel descended from the summit of the castle, and offered to the king a golden crown." The haron Percy was created Earl of Northumberland Epon that great occasion. 1377, Dec. 28. Wiclif divulges his opinions upon the pope's mandate. 1378. The clergy and scholars of St. Paul's school in London, presented a petition to Richard II. praying him “to prohibit some unexpert people from presenting the history of the Old and New Testament, to the great prejudice of the ad elergy, who have been at great expense in der to represent it publicly at Christmas." Hoi soit qui mal y pense.-Confusion to dishonourable -Motto of the Garter. ancient word of courage, fair St. George.--ShaksMannday Thursday records the institution of the crament of the Lord's Supper, when our Saviour ted, for the last time, the national passover. Ac to Spelman, the mande is the hand-basket in the king was accustomed to give alms to the poor. derivative is most probably the initial mandate in nek text-that the poor should always be remem , even as this woman (Mary of Bethany) had rememde, or perhaps a corruption of the muron, the forous funeral ointment bestowed by her upon tv was the purse-bearer or almoner of Christ and ties, we might have purchased, and with it empurified the poor; but Christ rebuked him, say por always ye have with you, but me ye have Tremony of purifying the poor was discontinued at teration; but the provisions and silver pieces are steer in the royal chapel at Whitehall. estowed upon Maunday Thursday by the king's sub From Mysteries the boys of St. Paul's school proceeded to more regular dramas; and at the commencement of a regular theatre, were the best and almost the only comedians. They became at length so favourite a set of players as often to act at court, and on particular occasions of festivity, were frequently removed from London for this purpose only, to the royal houses at some distance from town. In early times, while no settled or public theatre was known, and itinerant minstrels acted in the halls of the nobility at Christmas, plays were performed by the boys of the public schools, and have continued to be so to the present time, of which the practice of acting Latin plays at Westminster, Eton, and other seminaries, are examples. The ancient consuetudinary as it is called of Eton school, containing all its old and original customs, relates that about the 30th of November, the master was accustomed to choose such Latin plays as were most excellent and convenient to be played in the following Christmas holidays before public audience. 1379. At this period red wine was four-pence a gallon; and Rhenish sixpence ; in the following year it was four pounds a tun. The Vintners or Vintonners, were incorporated in the reign of King Edward III. They were originally divided into Vinetarii et Tavernarii; Vintners who imported the wine, and Taverners who kept taverns, and retailed it for the former. The company flourished so much, that from its institution till 1711, it produced no fewer than fourteen lord mayors, many of which were keepers of taverns. Sir John Strodie, vintner, who was lord mayor in 1357, gave the land on which Vintner's hall in Thames-street was built. It was called the manor of the vinetre. Our great wine trade was at first with Bourdeaux, and the neighbouring provinces; it commenced as early as the conquest, perhaps sooner. For in 979, or the reign of Etheldred, mention is made of ships from Rouen, laden with wines, but what duty was paid is not known; a small vessel was to pay "ad Bilynggesgate" one penny halfpenny as a toll; a greater, bearing sails, one penny; a keel or hulk (Ceol vel Hulkus) fourpence; a ship laden with wood, one piece for toll; and a boat with fish, one halfpenny; or a larger, one penny. But our trade in wine became very considerable in the reign of Henry II. by reason of his marriage with Elianor, daughter of the duke of Aquitaine; our conquest of that, and other great wine provinces of France, increased the trade to a high degree, and made great fortunes among the adventurers of this company. In after times, when sweet wines came into fashion, we had considerable intercourse with the Canary islands. 1380. The romance of Amadis de Gaul was written by Loberia. 1380. Wiclif, the Morning Star of the Reformation, completed his translation of the whole Bible unto English, including the apocryphal* The books called the Apocrypha, and appended to our bibles, are denominated from the Greck apokrupto to hide, either because they are of doubtful or hidden authority. |