LETTER FROM STEPHEN, THE PRIOR OF ST. JOHN OF PONTEFRACT, TO PETER, ABBOT OF CLUNI, EXPLANATORY OF THE CAUSES WHICH HINDERED HIS UNDERTAKING THE VISITATION OF THE CLUNIAC ORDER IN ENGLAND.

Communicated by Sir G. F. DUCKETT, Bart.

THE following record, the date of which is apparent from the contents, is transcribed from the original parchment document among the Cluni muniments at the National Library at Paris. In point of time it is somewhat subsequent to the execution of Thomas, Earl of Lancaster, and we infer from the particulars related, that it was written at Easter of the year (probably) following that on which the Earl was beheaded. As a contemporaneous composition it is of value, not only in certifying the presence of Edward II. and his queen, and their whole Court in 1322 at Pontefract,1 but illustrative of the constant intercourse and control kept up between the Cluniac foundations and the mother-community. The visitation of the subordinate houses of the Order, which the Prior of Pontefract had been ordered to undertake in conjunction with the Prior of Prittlewell in Essex,2 had been hindered by the disturbed state of the kingdom, but more especially by the then recent events at Pontefract, requiring the Prior's constant presence and attendance at his Priory during the sojourn of the Court at that time.

The Order of Cluni, it may be observed, was exempted by Papal authority from the episcopal visitation of the diocesan Bishops, which accounts for the selection of certain heads of its foundations being entrusted with this duty. From such periodical visitations, of which the records of

1 This is apparent also by reference to the Fœdera, &c., from the number of instruments issued by the king at Pontefract, during March and April of 1322.

Prittlewell was a cell of Lewes, and dedicated to St. Mary; founded temp. H. II. by Robert FitzSwaine.

LETTER FROM STEPHEN, PRIOR OF ST. JOHN OF PONTEFRACT. 439 Cluni afford several examples, an insight is often gained into the domestic concerns, habits and customs of monastic communities, not otherwise attainable from the usual documentary evidence relating to them.

The present document affords no further evidence than what is already known as to the execution of the Earl of Lancaster, details of which had probably already been sent to Cluni, the chief burden of the Prior's complaint being the loss and ultimate recovery of the oblations offered on the spot where the Earl was beheaded. It corrects, however, an error as to the Priory church, which is generally but wrongly spoken of as dedicated to St. Nicholas, the latter being a college and hospital. The monastic institutions at Pontefract were numerous. The Cluniac Priory of St. John the Evangelist was founded by Robert de Lacy, temp. King Rufus; the convent of Carmelites was founded by Edmund Lacey, E. of Lincoln, in 1257, and that of the Dominicans or Blackfriars somewhat later in 1266. There were besides two hospitals, one dedicated to St. Mary Magdelene.

[Extended copy.]

Reverendo in Christo patri ac domino Domino P., miseratione divina abbati Cluniacensi, suus humilis et devotus frater Stephanus, prior humilis domus sancti Johannis apostoli et evangeliste de Pontefracto, obedientiam usque ad mortem debitam tanto patri. Cum vestra reverenda paternitas officium exercendum in domibus Anglie ordinis Cluniacensis existentibus, priori de Putrewell [Prittlewell] et michi per vestras nuper patentes litteras commisissetis, dignemini pie pater intelligere, quod a die commissionis vestre nobis facte ad exercendum vestrum officium supradictum, usque in crastinum dominice palmarum, dominus Rex Anglie, cum domina regina, episcopis, comitibus, baronibus, proceribus et magnatibus, ac aliis regni peritis, de negociis arduis ipsum et suum regnum contingentibus tractando, ad Pontefractum continue perhendinavit. Unde domus de Pontefracto oppressiones et gravamina non mediocra sustinuit, largifluas necessario effudit et expensas, nec me tunc potui salvo domus mee statu aliqualiter absentare. Ita similiter tunc temporis contigit, quod quidam non recto ducti spiritu, jura domus et libertates infringere nitebautur, quos mea presentia, ut Deo placuit, restringebat. Quidam eciam in regis presencia, contra personam meam litem injuste moverunt, quos devicit injuria propria, et me veritas liberavit. Et quod cor meum in dies doloris jaculo intimius penetravit, quidam laici omnes oblationes que fiebant in monte ubi decollatus fuerat Thomas, comes Lancastrie, infra parochiam meam de Pontefracto notorie existente, a die qua obiit idem comes ibidem, et a die qua domus de Pontefracto administrationem suscepi, per commissiones regis et regine ac Henrici comitis Lancastrie, hucusque totaliter perceperunt, de eis

440 LETTER FROM STEPHEN, PRIOR OF ST. JOHN OF PONTEFRACT.

disponendo pro sue libito voluntatis, in sancte ecclesie nostreque domus prejudicum et juris lesionem, quas oblationes, resistentibus pluribus regni dominis et magnatibus, quali jure colorato potuerunt ad valorem annuum centum librarum argenti et ultra, coram rege omnes commissiones et litteras in contrarium ab eo in hac parte preconcessas cum effectu revocante, et jus nostrum ad dictas oblationes, sub suo magno sigillo approbante, recuperavimus, non sine magnis laboribus et expensis, et mee presencie exhibitionem quominus alicui visitationi potui aliqualiter interesse. Quare, pater reverendissime, premissis attentis super visitatione predicta, ut vestrum mandatum exegit, non expedita me habere dignemini excusatum, et super hiis, que penes me humilem vestrum volueritis michi demandetis, si libeat velle vestrum in dierum longitudine vestra vigeat paternitas veneranda. Datum London', die sabbati in septimana pasche.

This document is endorsed :-Reverendo in Christo patri Domino P. Dei gratia abbati Cluniacensi.

"Visites d'Angleterre.”

[Original à la Bibliothèque Nationale; fonds des nouv. acq. latines, 2280; pièce 17 du tome xvi. des Chartes de Cluni.]

REMARKS ON THE ZODIACAL VIRGO, IN CONNEXION WITH A REPRESENTATION OF THE CONSTELLATION UPON THE PORCH OF S. MARGARET'S CHURCH, YORK.

By ROBERT BROWN, Jun., F.S.A.

I.

It is now many years since Ideler and Guigniaut, contrary to the views of Letronne, arrived at the correct conclusion that our familiar signs of the zodiac came, with so much else of archaic thought and civilization, from the Euphrates Valley; and having firmly established themselves in Hellenic usage, were afterwards carried by Greek conquerors as far as India in the east and Egypt in the south. Adopted as of course by the Romans, they have been handed down by the Empire to modern European civilization; and thus it comes to pass that from the Ganges westward to the Pacific, we are now under the sway of the famous Twelve Signs. One, indeed, of the original fraternity has perished in the course of ages; and I have elsewhere given reasons for believing that the original Euphratean Sign, afterwards represented in the earlier Greek astronomy as Chelai, “the Claws" (of the Scorpion), and the place of which is now occupied by Libra," the Balance," was a circular Altar grasped by the claws of a scorpion. The circle or other representation of an altar was omitted as the use of the sign advanced westward, whether by sea or across Asia Minor, and the Chelai alone remained when the shores of the Ægaean were reached.

Thus we have not now in investigations into the origin and meaning of the zodiacal signs to consider the late Egyptian zodiacs of Esneh and Denderah, which belong to Greek and Roman times, and were formerly so much descanted upon, and supposed to be of great antiquity. The archaic constellations of Egypt were not those with which

1 The Heavenly Display (a translation of the Phainomena of Aratos), 65, note 1.

we are familiar, but another set of signs originated in the country, amongst which were the Lute-bearer, the Hippopotamus, the Thigh, the Leg, etc. In India the Greek names of ten signs, Krios, Tauros, Didymoi, Leôn, Parthenos, Skorpios, Toxotés, Aigokerôs, Hydrochoös, and Ichthyes, reappear transliterated as Kriya, Tavuri, Jituma, Leya, Pathona, Kaurpya, Taukshika, Akokera, Hridroga, and Ittha. Karkinos, the Crab, becomes Kulira, a transliteration of Kolouros, the term used by Proklos for the great circle passing through the solstitial points, and hence equivalent to Cancer; whilst the Scales, considered as a yoke placed upon something, and hence called Zugon, reappear as Juka. In Persia, again, the signs were adopted and their names translated; and they accordingly reappear as Varak ("the Ram" or Lamb'), Tôrd ("the Bull"), Dô-patkar ("the Two Figures), Kalakang ("the Crab"), Ser ("the Lion"), Khûsak ("the Virgin"), Tarázûk (“ the Balance"), Gazdum ("the Scorpion"), Nimâsp (“the Sagittary"), Vahik ("the Sea-goat"), Dûl ("the Waterpot"), and Mahik ("the Fish").

On the general question of the character and origin of the zodiacal signs I must refer the student to the writers above mentioned as supplemented by the brilliant modern investigations of the late François Lenormant ; to the invaluable labours of Prof. Sayce, and to my own previous studies upon the subject; and shall here limit my remarks to a single zodiacal constellation-Virgo, in connexion with the very interesting representation of this (so-called) Virgin upon the porch of S. Margaret's Church in the city of York.

II.

England does not furnish us with medieval zodiacal representations comparatively as numerous and important

Les Origines de l'Histoire, cap. VI. 3 The Astronomy and Astrology of the Babylonians (reprinted from the Transactions of the Society of Biblical Archæology, vol. iii. pt. i.); The Babylonian Astronomy (reprinted from the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical So

ciety, vol. xl., No. 3).

4 R. B. Jr., On the Origin of the Signs of the Zodiac (in the Archeologia, xlvii. pt. ii.); The Law of Kosmic Order; and Eridanus, River and Constellation (London, Longmans & Co.).