enough, that which we should expect to be the finest the Easter illumination—is cut out of an older MS. and pasted in. The date of the book is easily fixed at the earlier part of the fifteenth century, not only by the dictum of experts, but by internal evidence. For first of all, in the kalendar the entry at December 4th is certainly later than the rest: which is learned from the following considerations. The red paint used is different from most of the red paint in the kalendar, as it has a gloss upon it. ; again new lines have been here ruled to guide the writing; thirdly, the new lines are narrower than the old lines. But the entry is not much later, from the similarity of the writing: it was probably the same hand that wrote it. The entry in question is "Depositio Sti. Osmundi Epi. et Confessoris. ix lectionum." Now S. Osmund, to the great satisfaction of the diocese of Sarum, was canonized in 1456. The book therefore dates before that year. This is also seen in the Sanctorale, where the service for S. Osmund's Day is at the end out of its proper order, and is succeeded by the service for the Transfiguration, which was ordained to be commemorated in 1457. The date of the book itself is about 1440. In the middle, dividing as usual the Temporale from the Sanctorale, comes the kalendar. This naturally begins on the right-hand page, and the preceding lefthand page is blank, as it was to spare. In the first column of this page the aspersio has been written. The MS. has been shown to many authorities, including the most renowned at London, Oxford, Cambridge, and Durham: and they are pretty well agreed that the date is about 14701; it cannot be later than 1490, nor earlier than 1450. If this be right, it was written about the year in which Bishop Latimer was born: he therefore could not be the author. I may mention that when I was in the British Museum with the MS., a Roman Catholic priest was present, who was very

1 Mr. Maskell (Monumenta Ritualia, vol. i., p. cciii.) has printed the aspersio with the following remark: "On a blank leaf of a most magnificent MS. breviary ad usum Sarum upon vellum in the library of the Lord Bishop of Salisbury is the following. It is noted; and the doxology is the earliest I remember to have seen in English with the notation. The writing is later than the rest of the volume, being about 1470."

angry indeed at the suggestion of so early a date. He said it was impossible. I mentioned this afterwards to a Jesuit priest, who naively remarked, "It is not wise to be positive, as you may be proved to be wrong."

I claim then for this service that it is earlier than the time of Bishop Latimer. How then was it brought to his knowledge?

From the book itself we can tell to what Church it belonged. In the kalendar there is a contemporaneous note written cursively in the margin opposite August 2nd: "Obitus Dni Walteri Longney olim Vicarii de Erlingham, qui mortem passus est anno do. мcccccijo. quarto nonas Augusti. Is me (librum) cum gradali Ecclesiæ dedit ut annuatim celebretur suum anniversarium perpetuo." Again in the illuminated border at the commencement of vespers a bird is drawn holding a label in its beak with "Sir Walter Longney written on it. I need not mention that Sir was formerly, as we find in Shakspeare,' the title of a priest. There would have been some authority for such of my brethren who lately indignantly declined to be called Reverend, to have adopted the ancient title Sir, instead of some less wise suggestions. Again, in the fine border at the beginning of the sanctorale, on a label at the bottom of the page, there is written "Orate pro animabus Walteri Retteforte et Johanne uxoris ejus.

From these data I would suggest that Walter Retteforte paid for the execution of the book, and presented it to his godson, Sir Walter Longuey, Vicar of Arlingham, in Gloucestershire, who gave it to his Church of Arlingham.

I maintain that Latimer saw the MS. at Arlingham, and it might have been presented to his notice in two ways (i) before he was bishop, and (ii) after his consecration.

(i) If a straight line be drawn from Warminster to Arlingham, and it be bisected, the point of bisection falls, if my map be right, in the parish of West Kington. In A.D. 1529 (twenty-seven years

1 Thus Viola, in Twelfth Night, act iii., sc. 4, says, "I am one that would rather go with Sir Priest, than Sir Knight." In the same play we have Sir Topaz ; in Merry Wives of Windsor, Sir Hugh; in As You Like It, Sir Oliver; in Love's Labour Lost, Sir Nathanael.

after the death of Sir Walter Longney) Hugh Latimer, well-known as an advocate of the new learning, was appointed by the king to the living of West Kington, and, contrary to the custom of the time and the wishes of the court, went himself to reside on his benefice. While he was here we are specially told by Foxe that "his diligence extended to all the country about." It may well have been that during this time he became acquainted with this interesting specimen of a vernacular service. But again after he was bishop it might have been brought to his notice.

(ii) Mr. Maskell, to whom the volume was lent by Bishop Denison, its former possessor, was inclined to think that the book had belonged to some large Church in the diocese of Worcester. He was led to this conclusion from the insertion of the local feast of S. Wulstan upon June 7th. Had he observed the note of the obit of Sir Walter Longney he would have found his conjecture confirmed, for at that time Arlingham was in the diocese of Worcester. Now Hugh Latimer was made Bishop of Worcester in 1535, so that again he was brought into some near connection with our vernacular service. What more natural that now being in a position of authority he should give his sanction to the service, and at the same time add a jingle to be used at the giving of the antidoron, or blessed bread? For as there was holy water to remind Christians of their baptism, so was there holy bread handed round during or after service as a reminder to the non-communicant of the blessed sacrament of the Eucharist.

Some years ago, when I first recognized the value and interest of this service, I communicated with some courteous correspondents connected with Arlingham. Only two points of interest bearing upon the subject of this paper could be elicited. The one may be thought to have some hidden reference to a lingering attachment to holy water, the other has no doubt some connection with the former owner of the manuscript.

First, there was prevalent in Arlingham a few years ago a persuasion that the consecrated water in the font in which a child had been baptized was an infallible cure for the toothache. Next, the Vicar of Arlingham informed me that there were children of a

Walter Longney baptized in Arlingham Church about the year 1550. (the registers commence in 1539). This seems to show that the former owner of the book, who gave it to the Church which he served, was so far in favour of the Reformation as to be a married man and to have a son, or at least a grandson, of his own name, settled in the parish where he was Vicar.

It would be interesting to know how this splendid book was preserved to our own times when so much has been destroyed. But all that I can learn about it is that it was presented to Bishop Denison, who bequeathed it—a most precious legacy-to the Dean and Chapter, who no doubt value it as it deserves. There has been an attempt to evangelize the book after a fashion by a poor endeavour to change the hymn Salve Regina into a psalm of praise of our Blessed Lord, but this would not be enough to save it from destruction.

So early as 1409 the Bishop of Salisbury presented a memorial to the Council of Pisa, complaining that many of the clergy of England were thrust upon a people whose tongue they did not understand. The Italian court regarded England as a sponge that would bear squeezing. At the time of the appointment of Bishop Jewel the Dean of Sarum was an Italian, living at Rome. The Dean and dignitaries of the Cathedral had been in the habit of living abroad, and spending the money of the Cathedral abroad, so that the wail of neglected work, and of the campanale falling in ruin, followed them. Such cases as these hastened on the desire for reformation and the people of England determined to have a clergy of their own people, living among them, speaking their own language. They therefore cut off all non-residents and foreigners. They also determined to have, if possible, the services in a language they could understand, and I venture to submit that the manuscript which I have brought to your notice is the earliest known evidence of this determination being carried out into practice.

A Biographical Notice of Samuel Brewer, the Botanist.

A.D. 1670.

By THOMAS BRUGES FLOWER, F.R.C.S., F.L.S., &c.

MONG the names of the earlier botanists of Wiltshire that

of Samuel Brewer might justly call for respectful notice in the pages of the Society's Magazine, more especially, as it affords an instance of that inconquerable attachment to a favorite branch of knowledge which sometimes engrosses the minds of those who by their lot have not been exempted from labouring in the lower and mechanical offices of life.

From information which I have been able to collect I am informed he was a native of Trowbridge, being born in the year 1670.1 and had a small estate in the county. After an ordinary school education became engaged in the woollen manufactory of that town, where he proved very prosperous in business. Aubrey states2 (temp. Jacobi II.), "Mr. Brewer of Trowbridge driveth the greatest trade for Medleys of any clothier in England." After continuing for some years in his trade he became unsuccessful, and devoted the remainder of his life to the study of natural history-more especially botany-to which he was ardently attached, and although confined to business during more than twelve hours of the day, yet contrived, by early rising, to cultivate a taste for his favorite pursuit. The town in which he lived furnished no persons of congenial pursuits, with whom he could associate, but this circumstance, though it limited his progress, did not damp his ardour, and consequently led

1 The following entry occurs in the baptism registers, in the parish Church of Trowbridge: "Samuel, son of William and Abigail Brewer. Baptized March 8th, 1670."-T.B.F.

2 Aubrey, Nat. Hist Wilts, p. 113.-T.B.F.