Page:Chronologies and calendars (IA chronologiescale00macdrich).pdf/63

respectively. They explain in footnotes the variances in former translations—how, for instance, the 'statute of breaking prisons' had long been attributed to the first year of Edward II., i.e., 1307, whereas its true date is 23 Edward I., being 1295.^[1] Again, one act is wrongly dated by a whole reign, viz:—Statutu sup' aportam'to armor (=a statute forbidding bearing armour). It was, until thirty years ago, placed as seventh year of Edward I., instead of 7 Edward II. To crown the chronological confusion, the revisers had actually to unravel two lists of acts of different Parliaments which had got intermingled. All this proves the chaos which had been so long handed down from generation to generation.

76. John Gower, Chaucer's friend and fellow-poet, lived between 1327 and 1408. In his prologue he says:—

     "I thenke make
A boke for Englonde's sake
The yere sixtenthe of King Richard."^[2]

And in the oldest diary of English travel (Torkington Pilgrimage) the inductive clause reads the 'ffyrst the ffryday afor mydlent,^[3] that was Seynt Cuthberdy's Day, and the XX day of Marche, in the VII yer of Kyng Herri the VIIIth, and the yer of ower Lorde God MCCCCCXVII.'^[4]

77. Resorting to numismatics, I find that Edward VI. was the first English king who issued year-dated coins.

1. Revised Statutes, vol. i, p. 63.
2. This is important, for poets usually reflect the popular way of doing things: and we may conclude that the regnal year was mostly in use at the date in question, 1392.
3. On the Friday before mid-lent, being the 20th March.
4. Or in the historical date, 1516.