Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 1.djvu/230

212 representation of an inscription is required. It is even practicable, by varnishing the paper with a spirituous solution of lac, to obtain from it a cast in plaster of Paris; such simple and ingenious processes are invaluable to those who know the importance of minute accuracy in their researches, and furnish authorities for reference, which no drawing or transcript, however carefully made, can ever supply. 2em



the purely literary monuments of the middle ages have been little used for the illustration of architectural antiquities, in spite of the interesting materials which they furnish, more especially for domestic architecture, of which we have so few existing remains of an earlier date than the fifteenth century. The literary monuments of the middle ages are varied and numerous, and we may form them into a series of short articles, arranging them according to dates, so as to preserve the historical order of the variations in style, and according to the class of literature to which they belong, which will keep distinct the architectural monuments of each order of society. At present, I propose to take the Fabliaux, or popular metrical tales, which belong in date exclusively (or nearly exclusively) to the thirteenth century, and which describe the domestic manners of the middle and lower orders of society. The subjects of the fabliaux (which are written in French and Anglo-Norman) are chiefly low intrigues, which, from their nature, give us an insight into the arrangement of the dwellings of the peasantry and bourgeoisie.

The common name for a house was a manor (Fr. manoir, Lat. manerium, from manere), without any apparent distinction of character or dimensions. In the Diz don soucretain (Meon.