18 



establishments. Dr. Bumey says, that in a legendary life of 

 St. Christopher, written about the year 1200, mention is made 

 of the Fiddle :— 



■ Cristofre him served longe ; 



The Kynge loved melodye of Fithele and of songe." 



In the verses of Robert Mannyng, commonly called Robert 

 de Brunne, who flourished above a century later, the 

 ** Harpe" and " Organes" are mentioned ; ' and Chaucer, 

 who died in 1400, alludes to both the " Fidel" and " the merry 

 Orgon," and this Dr. Bumey regards ** as a proof that organs 

 were very general in our abbeys and cathedrals at the latter end 

 of the l4th century." It may be doubted whether the organisters 

 of York, in the reign of Edward III., were makers of organs or 

 performers upon the instrument. The common organ of this 

 period (or pair of organs as it was then called) was a portable 

 instrument, somewhat dijfferent from the stately and elaborate 

 piece of mechanism now known by that name. On the occasion 

 of King Henry the Seventh's visit to York, in the first year of 

 his reign, a pair of organs was hired to grace the pageant exhi- 

 bited on the King's entry at Micklegate Bar ; and the sum of 

 12d. was paid for the loan of the instrument, and the reward of 

 the musician who played upon it. 



Before the close of this reign 4 persons were registered 

 under the title of Medicus, and one who is called a Leche. ^ 

 It may not be uninteresting to our medical friends to know that 

 the first physician who became a citizen of York was " Johannes 

 Crespyn de Caumbray, medicus." ' The practice of surgery is 

 supposed to have been principally in the hands of the Barbours, 

 of whom more than 30 are admitted by that name during the 

 half century, and nearly as many under the description of 

 Toundour. One of the earliest instances of an apothecary 



* " Orgues, chymbes, each manner glee, 

 Was drynan ayein that lady free." 



Adam Davie's Life of Alexander, circa 1312. 

 s " For murderers are many leeches; Lord "hem amend ! 

 They do men die by their drinkes, ere destiny it would." 



Fierce FlowmftQ's Yisioo, olrca 1300. 

 ' He was admitted in 1338. 



