REYNOLD PECOCK.

THIS prelate is said to have been born somewhere in Wales, which, however, is inferred only from the circumstance of his having been a presbyter of the diocese of St. David's. Of his parentage, as well as of the exact place and time of his birth, we are ignorant; but as he is supposed to have died about the year 1460, at the age of 70, his birth will fall about the year 1390.

He was educated at Oriel College, Oxford, where he particularly applied himself to rhetoric and moral philosophy, though it is said, chiefly with the view of rendering them subservient to the study of theology. He became fellow of Oriel, in 1417, and in 1420, was ordained deacon and priest. In 1425, he took his batchelor's degree, and quitted the university. His reputation for learning and eloquence, now recommended him to the notice of Humphry, duke of Gloucester, then protector of the kingdom, who invited him to

uncunning sheep scattered would been lost, renning1 to wilderness, and to deserts draw, or else woulden put hemself to the swallowing wolf; yet shall tho shepherd, by business and travail, so put him forth, that he shall not let hem be lost by no way. A good shepherd putteth rather his life to been lost for his sheep.

But, for thou shalt not wene? me, being of worse condition, truly for everich of my folk, and for all tho that to me ward, be knit in any condition, I woll rather die than suffer hem through error to been spilt3. For me list, and it me liketh, of all mine a shepherdess to be cleaped,

The Parson's Tale concludes the celebrated collection of "The Canterbury Tales,”-productions to which Chaucer is principally indebted for his fame as a poet and a scholar. The parson is introduced in a very appropriate manner, inveighing against the vices of the age; whence we collect some particulars with respect to its manners and usages.

Alas! may not a man see as in our days, the sinful

3 lost.

Costlew array of clothing, and namely, in too much superfluity, or else into disordinate scantness.

As to the first sin in superfluity of clothing, such that maketh it so dear, to the harm of the people, nat only the cost of enbraudering, the disguised endenting, or barring, ounding, paling, winding, or bending, and semblable waste of cloth in vanity. But there is also the costlewe furring in her gowns, 60 much pounsing* of chescll3 to make holes, so much dagging of sheers forche, with the superfluity in length of the foresaid gownes trailing in the dung and in the mire, on horse and also on foot, as well of man as of woman. That all that trailing is verily

6

as in effect wasted, consumed, threadbare, and rotten with dung, rather than it is yeve to the poor, to great dommage of the foresaid poor folk, and that in sundry wise, this is to say, that the more the cloth is wasted, the more must it cost to the poor people for the scarceness. And moreover, if so be that they would yeve such pounced and dagged clothing to the poor people, it is not convenient to wear for her estate, ne sufficient to her necessity, to keep hem from the distemperance of the firmament. * * * * * *

Now as to the outrageous array of women, God wot, that though the visages of some of hem seem full chaste and debonair, yet notify in her array or attire,

costly.

? not.

3 guarding, like waves.
5 chissel, bodkin.

4 punching with a bodkin.
6 slitting, cutting into slips.

7 given.

licorousness and pride. I say not that honesty in clothing of man or woman is uncovenable2; but certes the superfluity of disordinate quantity of clothing is reprovable. Also the sin of ornament or of apparel, is in things that appertain to riding, as in company, delicate horses that ben holden for delight, that been so fair, fat and costlewe, and also in many a nice knaves that is sustained because of hem, in curious harness, as in saddle, cruppers, peitrels, and bridles, covered with precious clothing, and rich bars of plates of gold and of silver. For which God saith by Zacharie, the prophet, I woll confound the riders of such horses. Those folk take little regard of the riding of God's Son of heaven, and of his harness, when he rode upon the ass, and had none other harness but the poor clothes of his disciples; ne we read not that ever he rode on other beast. I speak this for the sin of superfluity, and not for reasonable honesty, when reason it requireth.

****

Pride of the table appeareth also full oft: for certes, rich men be called to feasts, and poor folk been put away, and rebuked. And also in excess of divers meats and drinks, and namely such manner bake meats and dish meats, brenning" of wild fire: painted and castled with paper, and semblable waste, so that

1 licorishness.

3 a male, a servant, a lacquey.

5 burning.

2 unbecoming.

4 breast-plates for horses.

it is abusion to think. And also into great preciousness of vessels, and curiosity of minstrelsy, by which a man is stirred more to delices' of lechery; if so be that he set his heart the less upon our Lord Jesu Christ, certainly it is a sin. And certainly the delices might be so great in this case, that a man might lightly fall by hem into a deadly sin.

I think it needless to give any extract from the "Conclusions of the Astrolabie," as there can obviously be little to interest the general reader in directions for the application of an astronomical instrument. It was drawn up for the benefit of" little Louis," his son, a youth of ten years of age.

Caxton stiles Chaucer " the worshipful father and first founder and embellisher of ornate eloquence in our English." And Mr. Godwin observes, that "he fixed and naturalized the genuine art of poetry in our island. But what (says he,) is most memorable in his eulogy, is, that he is the father of our language, the idiom of which was, by the Norman conquest, ba

1 delights.