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FOURTEENTH CENTURY.

79

from the East; in support of whicti, be adduces the mode at printing practised by the Cm en- graveisbv the meiins of fiittion; ond also the cnstom, wb'ch is still pi-eserved in Germany, of gluio^ the design sed tbin plates of metal, with boles cut into them, for the putpose of finishing the cavds wi(h coloun. Of these patterns, or si ensils, it was requisiie to have ODe for every different coloiir. Mi'. Singer sup- poses that they we'e iuvenicd in Italy, and that they found (beir waj- to Germany as early as the period staled by Hoin»^-ken. SJiiDulateu by the nigh price paid. for manuscripts, the engravers commcDcedeietiiling wo^-kson wood, resembling those of the sciibes; tbey were done in the most private way, no press being required, as they took their impressions by means of a roller or fiiction.

1390. In this year the first paper-mill in Ger- many, was erecteil near the cily of Nuremberg.

1390, My 18, 19, and 20. The parish clerks of London, pkyed interludes before Richard II. his queen, and their tou'i, at the Skinner's well, the nsual place of their peifo'inance.

The pansb clerics of London, weie incorporated iatoa guild by Heniy III. about 1240, under the patronage of St. Nicholas. It was anciently rastomarv for men and women of the first quality, ecclesiastics, and olhcrs who were lovers of church music, to be admHted into this corporation, and ther gave large giutuities for the support or edacation of many persons iu the practice of that science. It was an essential part of their pix)- fesion not only to sing but to read; an accom- plishment almost solely confined to the clergy : and on the whole they seem to come under tie denomination of a religious fraternity. Their public feasts were very frequent and celebrated with singing and music; most commonly at Guildhall chapel or college. Before the Reform- ation this societT was constantly hired to assist >! a choir at the magnificent funerals of the nobQity or other disliuguisbed personages, which were celebrated within the city of Loudon or in its neighbourbood. At this time thej played the Crtation of the World, and of the like subjects, for eight successive days, to splendid audiences of the nobUity and gentry from all parts of England. The splendid ceremonies of their umnal procession and mass in the year 1554, are thus related by Strype from an old chronicle, " May the sixth was a goodly evensong at Guild- hall college, by the masters of the clerks and their fellowship, with singing and playing, and the morrow after was a great mass, at the same place, and by the same fraternity; when every clerk oflfeied an halfpenny. The mass was sung by divers of the queen's (Slary) chapel, and chil- dren. And after mass done every clerk went their Pioccsaion, two and two together; each having

on a surplice and a rich cope, and a garland. And then, fourscore standards, streamers, and bannei's; and each one that trare Ibcm had an alb or a surplice. Tbrn came in o<der (be waits playing; a.nuthenthiriy cloLs siiiging/ota diet. The'* were four of the-e choirs. Then came a canopy, borne over the sacranieut by four of the masters of the clerks with stafles, torches burn- ing, &c." — Suypp's Ecelet. Mem. vol. i. c. xiii.

Their profession, employment, and character, naturally dictated (o this spiritual brotherhood therepresentaiion of plays, especially those of the scriitiural kind; ana their constant practice in shews, processions, and vocal music, easily ac- counts for tbeir address in detaining the last company which England afibnled in the four- teenth century at. a religious farce for more than a week. — WarloH.

The parish clerks' ancient performances are memorialized in raised leOers of iron, uiK)n a pump on the east side of Rug-street, now called Ray-street, beyond the Sessions-bouse, Clerken- weli; and which inscription records, the parish clerks of London, in remote ages, commonly per- formed sacred plays. That custom caused it to be denominated Clerk's-well, and from which this parish derived its name. — Hone.

1390. In this year a bill was brought into the House of Lords, to prohibit the use of English Bibles. The bill, however, being strongly re- probated, and opposed by John, Duke of Lan- caster, WicliPs firm patron, was rejected. The Duke is related to have said, " We will not be the dregs of all, seeing other nations have the law of God, which is the law of faith, written in their own language." Declaring at the same time, *■ that he would maintain our having the law in our tongue against those, whoever diey .should be, who first brought in tie bill." The duke was seconded by others, who said, that " if the gospel, by its l>emg translated into Englith, was the occasion of men's running into error, tbey nitglit know, that there were more hetetics to be found among the Latins, than the people of any other language." The consequence of this firmness of WicTiTs patron and friends, was, that the bill was thrown out.

1392. The progress of the poor laws is regu- larly traced trom the 15th Richard II. c. 6, (which directs that, upon appropriations, a con- venient sum of money shall be distributed yearly to poor parishioners, from the profits of the church,) to the 43rd Elizabeth. — Sir F. Eden.

1393. Alazie de Blevis, lady of Romolles, spouse of the magnificent Boniface of Castellane, baron of Germany, making her last will, left to her daughter a certain number of books, wherein was writ the whole body of the law, done in a fair letter upon parchment; charging her in case she should marry, that she would marry a doctor or lawyer; and lor that end, she bad left her that fine and rich treasure in abatement of her dowry.

1395. In an accompt roll of Winchester college for this year, there is an article of dis- bursement, for a tablet covered with green wax, to be kept in the chapel for noting down with a

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