From its earliest origin, Bristol has had many advantages of situation, considered as a place of commerce, and during the

rusalem, which is noticed in our last number, altogether without notes or clucidation, which would have added much to the usefulness and merit of his edition.

I. In the library of Benet Coll. Camb. No. 210. 1. Itinerarium de Bristolliâ. 2. De civitatibus, monasteriis, abbatiis, deque longitudine et latitudine eorum; rebusque "Mense Maio, 1879." 1479.

memorabilibus.

II. Gulielmi Vigorniensis de Sacramentis. “Scriptum, 1473. MSS. in Bibliothecâ Coll. Magd. Oxon." Librum hunc Dno. Fundatori inscripsit Auctor. This book had been written in 8vo. for his patron Sir John Fastolf. He has inserted an account of his present, with a date 1473. He complains in another instance, "se nullum regardum ab episcopo accepisse." Dr. Chandler, in his history of that college, remarks uncandidly, "that he probably received from Bishop Waynflete as much reward as he merited;" without a due consideration of the real state of literature in this country.

At the end of the fifteenth century, the Latin language began to emerge from the legal and conversational barbarism into which it had lapsed among lawyers and the less learned ecclesiastics; and it may be fairly acknowledged, that the Latin of William Wyrcestre is Anglicised and imperfect, yet not exclusively so.

III. Brit. Mus. Cat. Ayscough. Art. 26. A large collection of medicinal recipés, from several authors, English and Latin: "extracta de libro Bertholi Physici de Johanne Grene, Bristolliæ 9 die Octob. 1870." 1470. There is a treatise called “Dietarium Salutis," and many charms. He was a witness to William Canynge's will, dated Nov. 12, 1474. "Johanne Grene, chirurgico ejusdem villæ.”

IV. In the MS. Itinerary, omitted by Nasmith, is the following letter (MS. Cole, v. 43), written by his son, R. Botoner: "I pray you to commende me to my mother, and sister, and broder, and all my frendys. Your boke is sent to Wynchestre. Wrote on Tuesday iii weke of Lent. To W. W. to be delyveryd in haste. Lothe to offende. BOTONER."

The book mentioned was a translation of “ Cicero de Senectute," from the French of Laurence Premierfaict. Extract from the Itinerary: "die 20 Augusti, 1473, presentavi, W. Episcopo Wyntoniensi apud Esher librum Tullii de senectute, per me translatum in anglicis, sed nullum regardum recepi de episcopo." p. 368. It was printed by Caxton. Ames erroneously attributes it to Tiptoft, Earl of Worcester, who certainly translated the "De Amicitiâ." He was misled by similarity of name. W. W. expressly says, in the preface to the "De Senectute," that he translated that treatise by command of Sir J. Fastolf.

V. MSS. Cotton. 504. p. 10. Catalogus illustrium virorum, præcipue ecclesiasticorum scriptorum, a passione Christi usque ad annum 14. Theodosii, ex Diodoro Hispaliensi Genadio Massiliensi excerpt. per W. W. 10mo. mensis Septemb. 1469.

VI. MSS. 101. Benet Coll. Camb. Codex chartaccus Henrici Principis Anglorum. "Aristoxenus Musicus Oxoniensis doctissimus," mense Maii 1474.

VII. Ejusdem. 115. Excerpta e quodam libro-Vocalia Hebraica, in Latino exposita, habita in quodam Psalterio Collegii Sti. Petri Westmonasteriensis, scriptum in linguâ et literis Hebraicis, 20 die Augusti, 1471.

VIII. Mus. Brit. Catal. Ayscough. No. 169. W. W. de ordinibus religiosorum tam nomine quam regulâ, compilatus de diversis chronicis in civitate. London. ad compilationem Dni. Nicolai Ancrane, Prioris St. Leonardi prope Norwich, 1464.

IX. Ejusdem. No. 179. De diversitate linguarum et grammatices secundum Fratrem Ord. Francisci ad Papam Clementem V. per W. W. Declaratio affectus vere mathematici Roger Bacon transcript. per W. W.

X. MSS. Laud. Bodl. Lib. Oxon. Tabulæ Alphonsi Regis, scriptæ satis eleganter per manum W. W.

XI. MSS. Ejusdem. Stellæ versificatæ pro anno 1440, ad instantiam J. Falstolfe, militis. A very early performance.

XII. MSS. Cotton. Julius F. vij. 5. W. Botoner registrarium seu excerptio versuum^^ proverbiarum, de libro Ovidii de arte amandi, de fastis, et de epistolis. A.D. 1462.

XIII. Annales, annexed to Hearne's Lib. Nig. Scaccarii, printed from a MS., No. 49, in the Library of the Heralds' College.

lapse of several centuries, it has ranked as the metropolis of the

west.

The site of the ancient town lies in a deep valley of an oval shape; in the centre of which runs a high ridge. It is then intersected by the river Avon, in its course from Bath to the grand estuary called the Bristol Channel; and the small river Frome, before it was partly filled up, surrounded the town walls on the east and north sides, where it united itself to the Avon. During the earlier centuries of the Norman dynasty, there were three chief divisions: that of the town within the walls; the castle with its demesnes, which were extended over the parishes of St. James, greater and less, and St. Michael. Crossing the river, the knights templars had a preceptory, with a very large fee or demesne; and the other part was parcel of the manor of Bedminster, held for many descents by the Barons of Berkeley, which third division was fortified, likewise, by lofty walls and

towers1.

XIV. MSS. Soc. Antiquar. Lond. No. 41. A paper volume, in 4to., compiled by William of Wyrcestre, and addressed by his son to King Edward IV. A collection of state papers, chiefly relating to the regency of John, Duke of Bedford, in France, Sir J. Fastolf, &c., 32 articles. It is supposed to have been transcribed, t. Hen. 8vi. Notices of William Wyrcestre occur in Bale, Pitts, and Tanner. Warton's Hist. of Poetry, v. ii. p. 62. 119. Lewis's Life of Caxton, p. 55; and Archæologia, v. ix. p. 257. 259.

As a specimen of Wyreestre's familiar Latin, the following is added: "Dominicâ, 10 die Septembris, equitavi ad Collegium Westbury, et locutus fui cum Johanne Gryffyth de Bristol, merchant, ibi

morante.

“Item equitavi usque Shyrehampton, loquendo cum Thomâ Yong, armigero, pro ii libris meis recuperandum, uno de libro magno ethicorum, alium de libro vocato “le myrrour de dames," co-operto rubro corio, et jentavi secum. Dedit mihi lætum vultum, pro amore patris sui, cum uxore ejus favore." p. 275.

Points.

"Sunday, September 10, Irode to Westbury College, and spoke to John Gryffyth, a merchant of Bristol, dwelling there.

"Likewise, I rode as far as Shirehampton, and spoke to Thomas Young, Esq. about recovering two books of mine, one a great book of Ethics, and another a book called "The Myrrour of Dames," covered with red leather, and I breakfasted with him. He gave me a cheerful countenance for the love his father bore me, and his wife welcomed me. 99

1 From WYRCESTRE'S Survey of BRISTOW, 1470-1480.

Churches.

Convents, Chapels, and
Hospitals.

Streets.

Page.

We will now proceed to arrange the extracts, and the translation of the Itinerary, as the streets are geographically placed below.

"The length of Wynch-street, opposite to the Pillory, going directly from the top of the Pittray to St. John's Gate, contains 410 paces, passing through a lane or byeway two yards broad." P. 209. The length of three very large and lofty houses in the street called Maryport with a vault beneath, arched with stone of the depth of 40 steps or stairs, is, from the shambles in front, 18 yards." P. 186. "Coming from Newgate as far as the second lane, directly enter into Defence-lane, from the street called St. Peter's, before a fountain of stone, lately erected from a legacy bequeathed by William Canynge." P. 136.

"Le veyl mercate, the length of the old market to Lawford's Gate, is 660 paces." P. 2091.

"The street on the north-side of the Market-place is not built upon." P. 210.

"The street from the cross (before the Castle-wall) to Lawford's Gate, called the Old Market, by the church of the hospital of the Holy Trinity, founded by Barstaple, is 600 paces long."

King's-street, where the cooks and sellers of victuals (1217) usually dwelt, near the old market, on the east side of the choir of the church of the Friars-preachers." P. 182.

King's-street begins at the tower of Monken-bridge, and towards

The apparent discrepancy which not unfrequently occurs, in the various notices in the Itinerary, has given rise to the charge of general inaccuracy and contradiction, which a stricter investigation would, in a great degree, obviate and reconcile. In a comparison to be made of the different mode of measurement, his " gressus meos" and steppys" may be best considered by a collation of instances, at twenty inches; and when Wyrcestre gives the dimensions of the same place, at one time by steps and at another by yards, they will be found to correspond with that computation, though sometimes above it. In these cases, the measure by rule, which he used for the interior of buildings, was probably the more exact; and that having first measured conjecturally, or by his own steps or paces, he entered it in his memoranda, with several corrections, subsequently added. When the terms “virgas, yerdys, and vethym" occur, they are the real measure. In the MS., the half eight, or Arabic 4 (8) is often used, which is mistaken by Nasmith for a cipher, as 188-108 feet for 148, which would make the measure altogether erroneous. The fairest test is a comparison with the modern dimensions, as given in Barrett's History of Bristol, 4to. 1789; but without entering into a detail of proofs which our limits will not allow, the following instance may be cited:

Total length of St. Augustine's, or Cathedral church: Wyrcestre, 180 feet; Barrett, 175. Width, with the aisles, W. 72 feet; Barrett, 73.

the style, at the corner of St. James's Church-yard, and on to the Barrs, towards Earl's Mead, 100 paces." P. 192.

"

“The Barrs, at the end of Broad-mead, going towards Marshalstreet, where there is a prison for prostitutes (fatuæ mulieres). Les Barres (probably the licensed stews), ubi metrices morantur,' near the south side of St. James's church-yard." Pp. 168. 236.

"From the Pithay-gate, ascending towards the pillory, there is a very deep well, over which is a building of freestone to protect the drawers from the rain." P. 194.

"Pithay-street, by the well to the old gate in Tower-street-wall, ascending the hill, is 130 paces; entering Tower-street, near St. John Baptist's church-yard, under a very ancient gateway." P. 236.

Wynch-street was more anciently Tower-street." P. 182. "It is one of the quadrivial ways from the cross." P. 175. "The broadest part is 22, and the narrowest 16 paces." P. 216. "The length of Wynch-street, opposite to the pillory, by the top of the Pithay-hill to St. John's Gate, and by the church-yard, is 400 paces."

"The course of the Wear-water, going by the convent of the Dominicans or Friars-preachers, and the bridge to the end of the way, called Broad-mead, is 224 paces." P. 167.

"The width of Lewyns-mead from the beginning, opposite St. James's church, going towards Froome-gate, is eight paces." P. 192. "From Froome-gate to the corner of St. James's church-yard, 480 paces." P. 232.

"Le Bak, in the parish of St. James." P. 277.

"The north-side of St. James's church-yard is 220 steps; and the east, 124." P. 116.

"There is in the church-yard of St. James's, near the Franciscan convent, a fair, square chapel of freestone, with a roof and windows of stone, and contains on each side of the square 10 feet, with eight buttresses." P. 246. 253.

"St. James's Barton or Granary."

1

We give Wyrcestre's account of the castle in his own language.

Robert the Consul, or the Red, Earl of Gloucester, illegitimate son of King Henry I., built or re-built the castle of Bristowe, about the year 1110; but it does not appear that he had completed it before 1138, when he received his half sister, the Empress Maud. The great tower, or keep, was exactly on the model of the Tower of London, not much inferior in its dimensions, and is said to have been faced, at least, with stone brought from Caen in Normandy. It commanded the military possession of the west of England, and was the royal residence whenever the sovereign made a voyage to Dublin, before the conquest of North Wales. Edward II. escaped from incarceration there, but was retaken, and suffered a violent death at Berkeley Castle. Richard II. held his court at Bristol. This castle was divided into two large wards, which occupied three acres of ground. The upper of them was entirely military, and the lower palatial, as in the castles of Carnarvon and Conway. There were a hall, spacious apartments, and other appendages. After the reign of Richard II. it fell into a rapid decay, from desertion both by the court and garrison; a circumstance which is noticed by Wyrcestre, and farther confirmed by Leland. Scarcely a vestige of it now remains; and the spacious site is known only by the names of streets, which are so designated.

The length of the hall is 36 yards, breadth 18. the windows, 14 fect; in a state of ruin. To the

Height of the external walls above left of the royal hall was the royal