FIFTEENTH CENTURY.
85
Amongst the Astrological writers he reckons Nosh, Graham, and Moses ; but he is not sure that Abraham was an author, havinc never seen SBTofthat Patriarch's Works; and he prefers Tnsm^istus to Moses. Cabalistical tracts «eie, howeyer, extant, not only under the names of Abraham, Noah, and Moses, but of Adam, Abel, and Enoch. He mentions with particular
Jird Ptolomy's Almagest, the grand source of the superstitious notions propagated by the Arabum Pnilosophers concerning the science' of diTination by the stars. These infatuations seem l« have coinpleted their triumph over human ciednlity in (rower's age, who, probably, was an ingenious adept in these false and frivolous ^leculations ot this admired species of study.
His account of the progress of the Latin lan- guage is exceedingly curious. He supposes that It W3S invented by the old Tuscan Prophetess, Ctimens ; that it was reduced to method by the gnnummans Aristarchus, Donatus, and Didy- mos; adorned with the flowers of eloquence and tbetoiic by Tully ; then enriched by translations from the Chaldean, Arabic, and Greek lan- gpages, more especially by the version of the H^ew Bible into Latin, by Saint Jerome (in the fimrth centoiy) ; and that at length, after- the labours of many celebrated writers, it re- ceived its final consummation in Ovid, the poet of loveis. At the mention of Ovid's name, the poet, with the dexterity and address of a true iBsster of transition, seizes the critical moment of bnoging back the dialogue to its proper argu- ffleat— Love. — Warton.
The death of Gower has been dated on the 16th of October, 1402, but by no sufficient anthoiity. His will was signed at the priory, in Soathwark, the 16th of August, 1408, and ss administration of his goods was given to .^pes, the poets widow, on the 7th day of Jiorember.
UIO. Snbines sumamed Lepva archbishop of tWne, a prelate of illustrious extraction, but so illiterate, that he only acquired the knowledge of letters after his aavancement to the arcn- bywpric. The determined enemy of the Hus- sites, as thCT were called, commanded that all the books of Wiclif should be brought to him in Older to be publicly burnt. This episcopal Kundate was partially obeyed, and more than onehnsdred volumes finely written, and richly onomented with costly covers and gold bosses, ivere committed to the flames.
Having in a preceding page given the rise and pn^ress of monastic institutions, and shewn that in many of the religious houses luxury and indo- lence, bad arisen to such a height, that some masures wrae rendered necessary for remedying the disorders cr^Ued by their dissipation ana licentionsness. For this purpose a new order of religious fiatemity was introduced into the church, the members of which, being destitute of fixed possessions, might restore respect to the monastic institution, and recover the honour of the church, by the severity of their manners, a professed contempt of riches, and unwearied per-
severance in the duties of preaching and prayer. This new order were called Mendicants, or beg- ging friars, which took their rise at the beginning of the thirteenth century ; and by a decree of the second council of Lyons, in 1274, were divided into four orders, which were called Dominicans Franciscans, Carmelites, and Augustines, or Aus- tins. The Franciscans were often styled friars, minors, minorets, or grey-friars ; the Dominicans were generally termed friars-preachers, or black- fnars ; the Carmelites bore the name of white- friars ; and the Austins, of grey-friars. The Dominicans and Franciscans were the most emi- nent. The popes, among other immunities, allowed them the liberty of travelling wherever they pleased, of conversing with persons of all ranks, of instructinf^ youth and the pople in general, and of heanng confessions, without re- serve or restriction ; and as they exhibited more striking marks of sanctity than were observable in the deportment of the members of other mo- nasteries, they were regarded with the highest esteem and veneration urough all the countries of Europe. By the extraordinary assiduity and success with which they cultivated the various branches of literature, they acquired the most extensive influence. The theological professors in the university of Naples, founded in 1222, were chosen from among them. They were the principal teachers of theology at Paris ; and at Oxford and Cambridge, respectively, all the four orders had flourishing monasteries. The Fran- ciscans appear to have been the sole support and ornament of that universiw for more than two hundred years. Their diligence in collecting books was proverbial ; and every mendicant con- vent was furnished with what was considered as a great and noble library. To literary pursuits they ioined the arts of popular entertainment, and tney were probably the only religious orders in England who acted plays. The Creation of the World, annually performed by tiie grey firiars, at Coventry, is still extant
Thebuildii^ of the mendicant monasteries, especially in England, were remarkably magni- ficent. These fitatemities being professed poor, and by their original institution prevented from receiving estates, the munificence of their bene- factors was employed in adorning their houses with stately refectories and churches. Persons of the highest rank bequeathed their bodies to be buried in the friary churches, which were esteem- ed more sacred than others, and were consequentiy filled with sumptuous shrines and superb monu- ments. In the noble church of the grey friars in London, finished in 1325, but long since des- troyed, four queens, beside upwards of six hun- dred persons of quality, were buried, whose beautiful tombs remained till the dissolution. The Franciscans indeed enjoyed from the popes the privilege of distributing indulgences, which produced a valuable indemnification for their voluntary poverty. For the space of nearly three centuries, the Dominicans and Franciscans, ap- pear to have governed the European church and state, with an absolute and universal sway ; with
Diaitized by
