Dedication, largefl fpace in this volume. The fifteenth century forms again a diftinft period in the hillory of fociety — it was that of the dechne and breaking up of feudalifm, the clofe of the middle ages. At the Reformation, we come to a new tranfition period — the tranfition from mediaeval to modern fociety. This, for feveral reafons, I regard rather as a conclufion, than as an integral part, of the hillory contained in the following pages, and I therefore give only a flight iketch of it, noticing fome of its prominent charaderiftics. The materials, at this late period, become fo extenfive, and fo full of intereft, that its hillory admits of feveral divifions, each of which is fufficient for an important book, and I leave them to future refearches. One period, that of the Englifli Commonwealth, is perhaps of greater intereft to us at the prefent time than any other, becaufe it was that which totally overthrew the traditions of the middle ages, and inaugurated Englilh fociety as it now exifts. I know that the hiflory of fociety at that period has been ftudied moft profoundly by a friend who is, in all refpefts, far more capable of treating it than myfelf, Mr. Hepworth Dixon, and from whom I trull we may look forward to a work on the fubjeft, which will be a moft valuable addition to the hiftorical literature of our time. Knowing that he has been working on this interefting fubjeft, I have treated this period very flightly. I fliould be forry to let my weeds grow upon his flowers. A portion of the matter contained in this volume has already appeared in a feries of papers in the Art-Journal, but this portion has not only been carefully revifed and partly re-written, but lb much addition has been made, that I believe that more than half the prefent volume is entirely new, and the whole may fairly be confidered as a new book. I ought to add that one chapter, that on mediaeval cookery (chapter xvi.) and the brief notices of the hiftory of the horfe in the middle ages, firft appeared in papers, contributed by the author to the London Review. It muft be ftated, too, that the illuftrations to my chapter on mediaeval minftrelfles were originally engraved for a feries of papers on the min- ftrels, by the Rev. E. L. Cutis, publiflied in the Art-Journal, and that I have to thank that gentleman for the ready wiUingnefs with which he has allowed me to ufe them. h In
