I S 8 State of ArchiteBure to the end of 



northern nations ; but his difcovcries were 

 by no means anfwerable to his labour. Of 

 French builders he did find a few names, 

 and here and there an Italian or German. 

 Of Enolifh he owns he did not meet with 

 the leafl trace \ while at the fame time the 

 founders of ancient buildings were every 

 where recorded : fo carefull have the monks 

 (the only hiftorians of thofe times) been to 

 celebrate bigotry and pafs over the arts. But 

 I own I take it for granted that thefe feem- 

 ing omifTions are to be attributed to their 

 want of perfpicuity rather than to negle6t. 

 As all the other arts * were confined to cloy- 

 llers, fo undoubtedly was architecfture too ; 

 and when we read that fuch a bifhop or fuch 

 an abbot built fuch and fuch an edifice, I 

 am perfuaded that they often gave the plans 

 as well as furnifhcd the neceffary funds ; 



» The arts flcurifhed fo much in convents to the laft, 

 tliat one GyfFard, a vifitor employed by Thomas Crom- 

 well to make a report of the ftate of thofe focieties pre- 

 Tious to their fuppreffion, pleads in behalf of the houfe 

 of Wolftrop, "■ That there was not one religious perfon 

 there, but that he could and did ufe, either embrother- 

 yng^, writing books with very fair hand, making their 

 own garments, car-vingt paintingy gmjjing,'*^ Strype's 

 jaemor. vol. i. p. 255. 



but 



