By ihe Rev. Canon J. E. JacJcson, I.S.A. 



343 



bier n (Bfcyer-again) . The elders are called'' Aldermen : " the Kuler 

 of the Feast at the Marriage in Cana ' ' The Arehi-tricline " (from, 

 the Greek) . 1 There is also a volume of old English religious poems 

 of the fifteenth century, some of them very simple and touching, none 

 of which, so far as I know, have ever been printed. Lydgate's " Life 

 of the Virgin Mary/'' a MS. of the fifteenth century, afterwards 

 printed by Caxton. 



Among- a different class of subjects, relating to monastic establish- 

 ments, may be named " Privileges of the Sanctuary of St. Peter at 

 Westminster/'' an interesting MS. volume of the fifteenth century. 

 Prefixed to it is a charter of King Edgar, by which he ordains that 

 the Church of St. Peter at Westminster shall become a sanctuary 

 for fugitives of every degree; and other charters of Edward the 

 Confessor and William I. confirming the privileges. There are many 

 registers of various abbeys, and amongst them one of great Glaston- 

 bury, of the fourteenth century, a fine folio of 440 pages in vellum. 

 Prefixed to it is a Bull of Pope John XXI., addressed to Adam, 

 abbot of the monastery, according permission for his confessor to 



1 The following are specimens of the style of the " Speculum Vitse : " — 



I. Christ before Pilate. 

 " There was geven him none reste hut ever travayle in paynes and sorowe. And yf thou wilt 

 knowe in what conflytte and hatayle he was, heholde and see. First, one despitouslye leyth hande 

 on him and taketh him. Another crying pytteth upon him blaspheme. Another spyteth in his face. 

 Another sotely asketh of him manye questyones in desceyte for to acuse him. Another draweth him 

 forth befor the Justice. Another styffely accuseth him. Another hydeth his eyen. Another huff- 

 eteth and scorneth him. Another dispoileth him. Another byndeth him hard to the pylere. Another 

 with sharpe scorges sore beteth him. Another nnbyndeth him. Another casteth on him that olde 

 6ylkene mantelle. Anothere putteth in to his hand a rede. Another taketh it wodelye from him 

 and smyteth his sore hede full of thornes. Another in scorne kneleth before him : and so forth now 

 one and now another. Divers and mayne wth. alle ther wytte and migt besyeu them to tormente 

 him in the worste maner. They leiden him as a theefe nowe to the byshop Anne and now to Cayphas 

 now to Pylate and now to Beiowde: now hyderward, and nowe thedirward : now inne and now 

 owte. Oo my lorde God what is alle this. Loo, thenketh ye not here a full harde and contennele 

 bitter bataylle. Yitt abyde a litle whyle and ye shal seeharder." 



II. The taking down from the Cross. 

 " Take now good hede in maner of taking down. There are sette tweyne ladders on the sydes of 

 the Crosse, one agens anothere. and Joseph gothe up on the ladder, standying on the right halfe, 

 and besyeth him to drawe out the nayles of the handes : but hit is full harde. for the nayle is grcte and 

 longe and hard dryven in to the tree : and with owte grete thrystyng downe of oure lorde's handes 

 it may noute be done, but that is no fors, for oure lorde knoweth that he doth alle trewly and with 

 gode entente: and therefore he accepted the dede. And when the nayle was drawe out, Jobn makyth 

 sygne to Nichodeme for to take hit to him piivily : so that oure lady see hit nout for disconfortyng. 

 And after in the same maner Nichodeme drawith owte the nayle of the lyfte hande, and takith hit 

 privily to John. And then Nichodeme comcth down for to draw owt the thrydde nayle of the 

 feete." 



