Page:A history of architecture on the comparative method for the student, craftsman, and amateur.djvu/340

 282 COMPARATIVE ARCHITECTURE. owing to the Black Death, which swept away half the population of England. The poet Chaucer (1340 -1400) fought in the army of Edward III. against France, his employment on diplomatic services, in Italy and Flanders, exercising a marked influence on his writings. William of Wykeham (d. 1404), one of the greatest Gothic builders, carried out a large number of building operations at Winchester, including the college and refacing of the cathedral, and many other buildings. A.D. 1455-147 1. The Wars of the Roses, between the rival Houses of York and Lancaster, distracted England at this period. A.D. 1476. The introduction of printing by Caxton, a press being established by him in the Almonry at Westminster. A.D. 1485. Accession of Henry VII. united the Houses of York and Lancaster, when a great impulse was given to the development of political institutions. The Lady Margaret, Countess of Richmond, as the foundress of colleges, developed education, and influenced art. The condition of the English people, which can hardly be considered apart from the architecture which they produced, is well treated in " A Short History of the English People," by J. R. Green, LL.D.; and should be referred to by the student. vi. Historical. B.C. 55. Julius Caesar's first expedition into Britain. A.D. 43. Expedition of the Emperor Claudius into Britain. A.D. 84. Final conquest of Britain by Agricola, the General of Domitian. A.D. 420. The Roman troops withdrawn from Britain. A.D. 449-547. The English (the Low Dutch tribes known as Angles, Saxons and Jutes) conquest of Britain. A.D. 450-550. Destruction of British churches by heathen invaders. A.D. 597-681. Augustine landed in England and the conversion to Christianity commenced. A.D. 802-837. Egbert (a friend of Charlemagne), King of the West Saxons, gradually brought the other English kingdoms and the Welsh into subjection. A.D. 924. King Edward received the homage of all Britain. A.D. 1066. The conquest of England by the Normans caused a social and political revolution, the manners and government: of the English being transformed, and the military organization of feudalism introduced. French traders at the same time came to reside in London and the large towns, thus bringing over Continental ideas.