mysdemeanors.'

In 1610 we have the following curious minute: At this Counsell the Under Barristers were by decimation put out of commons for example sake, because the whole Barre offended by not dauncing on Candlemas Day last, according unto the auncient order of this Society, when the Judges were presente; wth this, that yf the like fault be committed herehence they shalbe fined or disbarred.' Nineteen years later we have this: 'Because weomen have of late resorted to our Revells, wch disorder the Mrs of the Bench doe generally dislike; therefore for preventing the like disorder in tyme to come, It is ordered that the stayre foote doore leading up to the gallery, where they stoode, bee from henceforth kept lockt every night of Revells.' By 1649 the Puritans were strong enough to put the Revels down, and Parliament made an order to that effect. They revived with the Restoration, and King Charles was more than once an interested visitor, on one occasion knighting the Master of the Revels. The programme for Charles's first visit is in existence, and consists of a series of twelve dances in character of various nations.

The good nature and benevolence of the Society to their servants and tenants, as well as to the 'young gentlemen,' receive emphatic and repeated illustration in these pages. The fifteenth century chaplain is allowed the rare luxury of a room with a fireplace, and when he is caught playing cards there against

the rule of the house, he is let off with the fine of a ì lb. candle to burn before the image of the Virgin. His wages, too, from generation to generation were paid punctually every quarter day, and 'for a regard' he was given every second year 'iiij yardes of brode cloth to make hym a gowne for his lyverye.' We read in 1605 that the wages of Gyles, one of the turn-spits, are on his humble petition increased from 26s. 8d. to 40s. We read in 1591 that 'Richard Lutwiche, sometyme the wasshepott, whoe by casuall means ys become lame by the losse of his Legge shalbe allowed his dyett wth the butlers.' On the other hand, the proud and haughty steward may ask year by year for his salary of 3l. 6s. 8d., but he is met firmly by the rejoinder that there will be no salary while his account is 'in apparels,' i.e. while the balance is on the wrong side; surely an excellent system of dealing with public treasurers. Again, in 1727, we read that 'upon the complaint made by the cook of the Society that the dish-washer doth not come at proper times to do her business, and is very sluttish, and altho' he has reprimanded her for it, yet she still continues the same and gives him saucy language; and lately upon some difference between her and the second cook, she threw a pott at his head, and wounded him so that the surgeons could hardly stop the blood and were afraid he would loose his life, and is at present very ill'—the treasurer is ordered to inquire into the matter. Five months

later five shillings is paid to 'W Redington, to encourage him to burne the charm, and looking after the people in the kitchen '-a mysterious entry upon which the learned editor can throw no light.

XVI.

THE POETRY OF CHAUCER.

ON October 25. just five centuries ago, died Geoffrey Chaucer, the first English poet. This month [Oct. 1900] we shall all be making some effort to do honour to his memory. Some of us may ride on horseback to Canterbury along the pilgrims' way, through Dartford and Rochester and Ospringe, changing for the nonce our ordinary methods of focomotion, like Chaucer's sailor, who

Rode upon a rouncy as he could. Others of us, perhaps, performed the journey in 1885, upon the quingentenary of the original pilgrimage, and in April among the 'sweet showers,' and did not find the experience so exhilarating that we wish as yet to repeat it. For such, a four days' journey through the publications of the Chaucer Society may be recommended as an equivalent penance. Others again care little for celebrations and pilgrimages, and much for poetry; and they will probably turn to Chaucer's own book either in the sumptuous edition.

of Professor Skeat or the handy volume of Mr. Pollard. It is with the object of winning, if I may, some new readers for this great and lovable master that I this month take up my pen. I shall say nothing about his life; the few facts are admirably marshalled in Mr. Alfred Pollard's shilling primer. Nor shall I say anything of rhyme-tests, and all the many interesting questions discussed among the learned. I address myself to the unlearned, to the many readers of poetry who are rather shy of Chaucer because of his queer spelling; and I will ask leave to put before them a few passages in the ordinary spelling of to-day, so far as rhyme and rhythm will allow; treating Chaucer, in fact, as we treat Shakespeare. If I could, I would persuade them of the unique beauty of Chaucer's verse, of his fine eye for colour, his excellent faculty of storytelling, his keen and tolerant reading of human character, his winning pathos, his lambent humour. In order to do this, or something of this, I will leave aside altogether the earlier poems, which perhaps require for their enjoyment some special sympathy with medieval conventions, and speak only of the Canterbury Tales.

Our generation has been eminently fortunate, not only in the number and excellence of its own poetical writers, but in the growth of a spirit of critical appreciation of the poets of other ages. When