1048 TiiAXSACTioys of the Amebican Lxstitute. 



Ill the patent rolls of Ed^'avd II, 131S is a grant to Robert Fitz- 

 ■walter of lands in Pennington for repairing the organ and clock in 

 the Cathedral at Exeter. Striking clocks conld not liave been 

 uncowimon |in Italy at this day, for Dante says, according to one 

 translator: 



" Thence as the clock which chimed 

 At the hour when the spouse of Idle rose." 



A pnblic clock was erected at Padua about 1350, at the expense of 

 Hubert, Prince of Carrara. It was constructed by John de Dondis, 

 a distinguished astronomer, who became so noted that his fomily 

 went by the name of Ilorologius, and he by the title of Maitre Jehau 

 de Orloges. He made a curious astronomical clock which he was 

 twenty years in completing. The material used was copper. 



John Yisconti, archibshop of ]\Iilan, set up a clock at Penoa, in 

 1353. 



AVhat the Dutchmen and Germans had been doing all this time, I 

 cannot tell you, but it is very evident that they had not been idle, 

 and their fame must have gone abroad, fur in 1368, EdAvard III, of 

 England, invited over from Deft, three Dutch clock makers, to whom 

 he granted by letters patent safe conduct and protection for one year 

 to carr}^ on their lawful business for their own profit. 



Charles Y, of France, sent to Germany and invited Henry de Yick 

 to come and build him a large clock for the tower of his palace. This 

 clock is said to have combined all the improvements of the past, and 

 it seems of more than ordinary interest to us, it being the first clock 

 of which we have any drawings, and we have only the time side of 

 this. It was wound every day, struck the hours, had a dial, and one 

 hand. The train is very similar to those of the present day, and it 

 had what is called the crown wheel and verge escapement. Instead 

 of a balance wheel, it had a swinging cross and a weight suspended 

 on each end, that could be moved outward to make it run slower, 

 and inward to make it run faster. The balance staff was suspended 

 by a short piece of rope that reduced the friction on its bearing, 

 besides offering an apology for a balance spring which was then 

 unknown. This was the first clock seen in France, and became quite 

 famous in its early days, an officer being appointed by the king to 

 attend to it, and keep it in order. 



Soon after a clock was made by a Frenchman and put up at Mon- 

 targis, with this inscription : " Clias. Y, caused me to be made by 

 Jean of Jouvance." * 



