chosen abbot, that is to say, on St. Thomas the apostle's day; and at Dangersweld, by the Bishop of Bath, then chancellor of England, received his benediction. This abbot having above 26 years continued in the place of authority, spinning out a long life, and wearied with griev ous sickness, in his blessed old age ended his days A. D. 1460; and in the chapel of the blessed Mary, before the image of St. Catharine, his body was recommended to ecclesiastical funerals.

After him was a man of most worthy honour, Richard Pembroke, having his grace to be Doctor of Divinity. He was chosen by the general voice of the whole convent 30th of May, 1460; and on the 8th of April in the year following, receiving his benediction by the Bishop of Hereford, was with due honour installed. He governed this monastery 7 years, and dying the 7th of May, 1467, the 7th of Edward the IVth, was buried in the body of this church.

Richard Hawkesbury, prior, was elected abbot A. D. 1467, and, being blessed by the Bishop of Lincoln, on Tuesday the 6th of Aug. was with due reverence installed. ruled this church 10 years, and died the 6th of April, 1477, the 17th of Edward the IVth.

He

William Upton, a monk of this house, and prior of Aln cester, was chosen about the 18th of April 1477, the 17th of Edward the IVth, and was consecrated by John, Bishop of Bericons, in the chapel of the rectory of St. Christopher's, London, near the stocks, the 6th of May, being Saturday before the Rogation; and the 10th of May he was honourably installed. He was abbot only 5 years; in the 5th year he died, the 11th of August, 1483, and 22d of Edward the IVth, and was buried in the church between the font and the altar.

John Norton, prior of the cloyster, was elected abbot the 4th of Sept. 1483, the 1st of Richard the IIId. was conse crated by the Bishop of and the 1st of October next following was with due honour installed. This abbot first instituted the feast of the visitation of St. Mary to be yearly celebrated, and on the vigil of the same visitation (as he earnestly desired) closed the last day of his life. He was abbot 8 years, and died the 2d of July, 1491, and the 7th of Henry the VIIth, and was buried in the body of the church, at the greeses to the altar of Jesus.

Thomas Newbold, cellarer of this monastery, was chosen

* Stairs or steps

abbot the 8th of July, 1491, and 7th of Henry the VIIth, and consecrated by the Bishop of Hereford; the 10th of September following was installed. He governed above 22 years, and died a sudden death, the 6th of December, in the night of St. Nicholas, 1513, and lieth buried in the body of the church, at the head of John Norton.

Clement Lichfield, prior of this house, was by the convent chosen abbot on St. Innocents-day, the 28th of Dec. 1513; who, receiving his benediction, by the Bishop of Assalon, on the day of St. Maurus, was installed with due reverence and honour. This man having obtained the degree of a bachelor, was endowed with singular learning. He built a school for the education of children, assigning rents for the maintenance of a school-master.

So far the writer out of whose Latin I translated this. Lichfield afterwards resigning his dignity, abbot Philip succeeded him in whose time this monastery, with the reigns of all other religious houses in England, perished. This Clement Lichfield over-lived his monastery of Evesham, which had continued, as before is specified, 826 years saw himself deprived of his house, and the sate* of the monastery given, in the 34th of King Henry VIIIth, by that sacrilegious king, to Sir Philip Hobby, who, enriched with the spoils of this and other abbies, died without Jesust. Neither yet did he leave these to his second brother, Mr. William Hobby, but conveyed all to his third brother, Sir Thomas Hobby, whose son and heir, Sir Edward Hobby, deprived all our shire by seal to others.

And now to return to Clement Lichfield. His goodly church, where so many of his predecessors lie buried (as before exactly described,) with Simon Mountfort, that mighty Earl of Leicester, is so absolutely overthrown, as that there remaineth nothing but a huge deal of rubbish overgrown with grass. He erected, in the church of All-Saints, in Evesham, a little but most curious chapel, at whose door he lieth humbled in the earth; where is mentioned, that in his time the new tower of Evesham was built, which is yet untouched. But, to shew the magnificence of this abbey, which, seated once pleasantly on the western rising bank of the river Avon, brought first to light, and nourished under her, this fair tower of Evesham, which now flourisheth, let us but guess what this monastery, now dissolved, was in former days, by the gate-house, yet remaining; which,

though deformed with age, is as large and stately as any at this time in England. This abbey of benedictine monks was immediately subordinate to the pope; and the abbot thereof a great baron of parliament.

At the end of the MS. are the four following instruments; which being already in print, we shall only give their titles, and refer the reader to the places where they may be found.

1. "The Epistle of Constantius, Bishop of Rome, to Brythwald, Archbishop of Canterbury, concerning the Vision of Egwyn, the Calling of a Council, with the Institution of a MONASTERY." See in Monast. Anglic. vol. I. p. 144. "Bullam Papæ Constantini Saxonico charactere scriptum." See also Spelman's Concilia, vol. I. p. 209. and Wilkins's Concilia, vol. I. p. 71.

2. "The History of the General Synod or Provincial Council of England, celebrated at a place called Alncester commonly, now Alcester, by Brythwald, Archbishop of Canterbury, and Wilfred, of York, wherein the Donations of the new-born Monastery of EVESHAM are confirmed." See Wilkins's Concilia, vol. I. p. 72.

3. "The Charter of King Kenred and King Offa for the Lands wherein the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to Bishop Egwyn, with very much more conferred on the Monastery of EVESHAM in the Lateran Church, being all confirmed by Pope Constantine." See Monast. Angl. vol. I. p. 145.

4. "The Charter of Egwyn, Bishop of Wiccians (or Worcestershire,) wherein he mentioneth his Vision, with the foundation and Donations of his Monastery." Monast. Angl. vol. I. p. 145.

1778, Oct.

See

LXXXVI. Curious Questions answered by T. Row.

MR. URBAN,

I SHALL esteem myself fortunate, if, by inserting this letter in your truly useful Miscellany, I should gain informa tion upon three or four articles that I have long and in vain sought. I am confident that the learned Mr. Row, who has so ably illustrated many valuable and curious parts of ancient learning, can gratify me in this request, if the following inquiries can claim his notice.

How long has the rose been part of the Clerical habit ; and is it peculiar to the English Clergy?

Why is Maunday-Thursday called Shier-Thursday in Collier's Eccles. Hist. v. ii. p. 197?

Are the letters N. or M. in our Catechism, initials of Christian names? If not, why are they selected in preference to all others?

I have frequently met with allusions to a ceremony in the Conclave, that of opening and shutting the mouth of a newmade Cardinal; and wish much to see a circumstantial account of this singular rite. It reminds me of the seven years' silence enjoined to learners by Pythagoras, and of the one year's silence observed by our advocates in Ecclesiastical Courts.

I remain, Sir, with many thanks for the obligations received from your labours,

1779, April

MR. URBAN,

Your most devoted servant,

CANTIANUS.

YOUR correspondent Cantianus entertains a higher opinion of my petty performances in your Magazine than they can possibly deserve; however, as he has thought fit to mention my name, I will try to give some sort of answer to his queries, though far, as I fear, from satisfactory.

Q. "How long has the rose been part of the clerical habit; and is it peculiar to the English clergy?"

A. The rose was anciently thought an emblem of secrecy, as sacred to amours, or to Venus. Potter's Antiq. II. p. 385. Charles Howard, now Duke of Norfolk, p. 96 of Anecdotes, Now, in this view, one would suppose the rose to come into use when auricular confession was practised here, i. e. before the Reformation, the father confessor being ever obligated to the strictest silence, as to all matters revealed to him, though he did not always think himself so in fact, but would sometimes abuse his trust, Fox, Martyrolog, II. p. 237, Hence however, I presume, came the expression, under the rose be it spoken; unless you will suppose it derived from the rose placed in entertaining rooms above the table, formerly, to signify that what was there spoken should be kept private. See Archbishop Potter, J. c. The rose, I apprehend, is peculiar to the English clergy, (of this, however, I am not eertain,) but is now going more and more into disuse, even amongst them.

Q"Why is Maunday-Thursday called Shier-Thursday in Collier?"

A. Cotgrave calls it, by a word of the same sound and

import, Sheere-Thursday. Perhaps, for I can only go upon conjecture, as Shee means purus, mundus, it may allude to the washing of the disciples' feet, John xii. 5, seq. and be tantamount to clean. See v. 10; and Lye's Dict. v. scir. If this does not please, the Saxon sciran signifies dividere, and the name may come from the distribution of alms upon that day. For which see Archæol. Soc. Antiq I. p. 7, seq. Spelman. Gloss. v. Mandatum; et Du Fresne, IV. p. 400. Please to observe, too, that on that day they also washed the altars; so that the term in question may allude to the business. See Collier's Eccl. Hist. II. p. 197.-Cantianus may chuse any of these he pleases; or he has my leave to reject them all.

Q."Are the letters N. or M. in our Catechism, initials of Christian names? if not, why are they selected in preference to all others?"

A. They represent Christian names (and accidentally may prove initials of them), for so Archbishop Wake, and Dr. S. Clarke, to mention no more, understand them. Dr. Duport gives, divadeira, i. e. such or such.-N. I have observed, for Nonten, is commonly inserted in forms or precedents, in the place where the name of the party is to be mentioned, and therefore obviously occurred; as to M. it is arbitrary, and was owing to mere chance. It would have been as well to have put it M. or N. or A. or B. as either of these would be plainer, and have forestalled all doubt.

Q. "I have met with allusions to a ceremony in the conclave, that of opening and shutting the mouth of a newmade Cardinal; and wish much to see a circumstantial account of this singular rite."

A. The best account I have seen of this business is p. 75. of a fol. book, entitled, Il Cardinalismo di Santa Chiesa, printed anno 1670; where, after the Cardinal is nominated, and indeed created, he stays at home till the next public consistory; to which he marches with a very great train, to receive the red cap from the hands of his holiness. Now, please to observe, "In the first private consistory after the public, the Pope did use to stop up the mouths, as it were, of the new Cardinals, by putting his finger upon them; by that ceremony forbidding them to speak their opinion in the consistories or congregations for some time, and depriving them both of their active and passive voices," &c. See there what follows about opening the mouths of the young Cardinals by Pope Pius Quintus, A. 1571.

This, Sir, I hope, may prove sufficient for the information of your friends; I, however, can proceed no further than