SIXTEENTH CENTURY.
413
result of ignorance than of refinement, as an- tiquity can only be exalted from its connexion with the history, the interests, and improvement of mankind. Now, as colleges are the immedi- ate promoters of these, when antiquity displays the influence they have exerted on the past, her claims are admitted, her influence is felt — she blends herself alil^e with our imagination and reason, and her power is at once venerated, acknowledged, and despotic. The establishment of colleges and halls may be traced to that devotional sentiment which induced the affluent to endeavour to propitiate heaven by the erection of edifices, where the sacred principles of religion might be inculcated, and its truths advanced. As the dark clouds of ignorance rolled away, they shed the light of revelation on manliind. They reclaimed him from an impure and mystical religion, and inculcated the Christian worship of his Creator. " They collected the learned, who were few; and made them a compact and honourable confederacy against the ignorant, who were powerful and many. They gave rise to the plan of collective exertion and emulative industry, which advanced the energies of the mind, and encouraged the progress of discovery, and they supplied a continued growth of culti- vated talent for the demands of successive gene- rations. They treasured the materials of kuow- ledge, saved from the wreck of that moral world which had been passed over by a desolating ignorance, and arranged them as the basis of new acquisitions." Such were the advantages consequent upon the foundation of universities, advantages alone equalled by the benefits they have progressively conferred.
1591. A Greek and Russian Grammar was printed at Lemburg, in Poland. Backmeister informs us that typography was first practised in this city, five years earlier.
1591. In the accounts of the stationers' com- pany are the following entries:
" /tem, a little box of plate, and other things given by the masters and wardens, and divers other persons.
"Item, paid for charges of »«ircA dinners, ten times, at 3t. 4d., 3.3j. 4d.
1591. Joan Broome carried on printing after the death of her husbaud, and had many works printed for her, among which are the following:
Endimion the Man in the Moone. Played be- fore the Queene* Majeslie at Greenewtch, on Candlemas Day at I^ight, by the Chyldren of Paules. By John Lillie, Maister of Artes. At London, by J. Charlewoud, for the Widdowe Broome. 1591.
A reforming glass, precious and profitable for all persons to the right disposing of their thoughts, words, and actions, to God, their neighbm'r, and themselves, by meditations and prayers. Compiled by John Norden. Printed for Joane Broome, widow. 1596.
1591. Robert Bourne and John Porter printed a book entitled. An Exposition of the Lord's Prayer, by way of catechising. And it is supposed others. 8vo.
1591 . The following extracts from the church- warden's accounts of the parish of St Helen, in Abingdon, Berkshire, from 1555 to 1591, may throw some light on the value of books in those days; the original of which is now in the pos- session of the Rev. George Benson.
' «. i. 1555. Payde for a legend 5
1555. Payde for holie water pott 6
1556. Receyved at the buryall and
jnonetAes»iiymi*of Geo.Chynche 22 1666. Receyved for 12 tapers at the yere*
mwui of Maister John Hi(fe ... 21 1556. Fhydeat the buriall and moneths
mynd of the good wifi'Braunche 12 4 1556. Pajde (or Sishippe of frankencensef 20
1556. Paydeforaboke of diearftc2e4..- 2
1557. Payde to the sexton for watching
the sepulter two nyghtes 8
1557. Payde to the suflrigan for hallow- mg the churche yard, and other
implements of the churche 30
1559. Payde for the communion boke... 5 1559. Payde for 4 song bokes and a
sawter (psalter) 6 8
1659. Payde fortoodoosin of TOorre* if We«|| 1 1569. Payde for fower new saulterbookes 8 1561. Payde to the clarkes for maynteyn- inj^ and repeyring the song
bokes in the quyre 4
1561. Payde for a table of the com- mandementes and cealender, or rewle to find out the lessons and spallmes, and for the frame 2 1561 . Payde to the peynter for wrigting the scripture, when roode lofte§ stoode and overthwarte the same isle 3 4
- The motUha mind, the years and two yean mindf and
the oitt of deceased persons, were masses performed at those seasons for the rest of their souls j the word mind, meaning the same as memorial or rememirance. And so it is used in a sermon yet extant of bishop Fisher, entitled A momynge remembrance had at the monteth minde of the most noble prynces Margarete, countetse of Richmonde and Darbye, &c. As to the term obite, services of that kind seem to have been annually iicrformeil. The office of the mass for each of these solemnities may be seen in the Roman Misaal, under the title of Missal pro d^uno- tis. liie exjienses were suited to persons of all ranks, that none might be deprived ol the benefit which was supposed to accrue from them. Masses for the dead continued to this time, (1560,) but here, insteaflof a motieths mynde, the expression is a montlis monument.
t This is a small vessel, in the form of a ship or Ixiat; in wlilch the Roman catholics burn frankincense to per- fume their churches and images.
X This book seems to be that which was printed and sent over the kingdom by order of queen Mary, at ttieend of the year 1554, containing instructions to the bishops for visiting the clergy.
I These bells, mentioned under the year 1560, as pur- chased by the parish, were used in their morrice dances, a diversion then practised at their festivals; in which the populace might be indulged &om apolitical view, to keep them in good humour.
i Dy rood was meant either a crucifix, or the image of some saint in Roman catholic churches. These images were set in shrines, or tabernacles, and the place where they stood was called the rood loft, which was commonly over or near the passage out of the body of the chorch into the chancel. In 1548, the first of king Edward VI., all images and their stirines were ordered to lie taken down, as bishop Burnett informs us. But they were restored again on the accession of queen Mary.
VjOOQ IC
