^{page 314 note a} This intention of the Conqueror, has been disputed by Mr. Tyrwhitt, and Mr. G. Ellis. Their arguments however, do not seem entitled to much consideration when weighed against the direct testimony of ancient historians.

^{page 315 note a} An exposition of the claims of the Scottish Bards, may be found in Sir Walter Scott's ingenious introduction to the Metrical Romance of ‘Sir Tristrem.’

The merits and history of the Anglo-Norman poets, are most ably enlarged upon by the Abbe de la Rue, in his various communications to the Society of Antiquaries, printed in the XIIth and XIIIth Volumes of the Archaeologia.

^{page 315 note b} Preface to his Dictionary.

^{page 315 note c} goad or spur.

^{page 316 note a} History of English Poetry, Vol. I. p. 256.

^{page 317 note a} brave

^{page 318 note a} History Eng. Poetry.

^{page 318 note b} Fuller's Worthies, fol. 1662. p. 193, last part.

^{page 318 note c} Warton says (History Eng. Poetry, Vol.1, p. 256,) he flourished in the year 1349, though afterwards (p. 265, in a note) gives the year 1348, as the true date of his death. Bale in the first edition (Wasaliæ, 1549) of his ‘Summarium illustrium script. Maj. Britanniæ,’ falls into the error of stating that Hampole flourished in the year 1430. But in the subsequent edition which he lived to publish (fol. Basil. 1559,) he thus rectifies his mistake, ‘Obiit anno Christi 1349, in festo Michaelis, honorifice sepultus in Hampolensi monialium cœnobio, quod quatuor passuum milibus distat a Doncastrio, celebri. Eboracensis provinciæ oppido, in sanctos a Papistis, suæ olim doctrinæ contemptoribus, relatus ac veneratus,’ p. 432.

^{page 318 note d} Lewis, in his History of the English Versions of the Bible, (2d edit. 8° 1739, p. 12–16) speaks of Hampole, as one of the first who attempted to translate into the English then spoken, the Psalter, and other parts of the Scriptures. “He translated and wrote a gloss in English upon the Psalter.” To his version is prefixed a prologue, before which, in the imperfect copy in the King's library, (No. 1512) is the following Rubric—“Here begynnith “the prologe uppon the Sauter that Richard Hermite of Hampole translated into En “glyshe after the sentence of doetours and resoun.” Lewis then describes the design of this prologue, and quotes the conclusion of it from the MS. in Sydney Coll. Cambridge, marked K. 5. 3. &c.; and the commencement of the commentary, which is in English, together with the titles of the Hymns and Canticles which follow the Psalter. At p. 32 he gives Hampole's translation of the Magnificat.

Dr. Waterland writes much to the same effect with Lewis: see Waterland's History of the Athanasian Creed, p. 82.

Pits says, “Relationes Historicæ, 4to. 1619, (p. 465.) “Totum Psalterium ex Latino in “Anglicum sermonem vertisse dicitur.”

In a very curious passage of Usher's “Historia dogmatica Controversiæ inter orthodoxos “et pontificios de Scripturis et sacris vernaculis” (edited by Henry Wharton, London, 1690) the following words are used—“Hampul Eremita, qui Psalterium in linguam Angli “canam transtulit, &c.” p. 163. The same Henry Wharton, in his ‘Auctarium’ annexed to Usher, p. 428, after some other remarks speaks thus:

“Immo vero tandem comperi versionem Psalmorum Anglicam ab Hampolo evulgatam “fuisse ex testimonio authoris Speculi B. Virginis, (de quo infra p. 447) qui in prologo sic “scribit; Paucos admodum Psalmos translates dedi, ideo quod vobis præsto sint ex Richardi “Hampoli versione aut ex Bibliis Anglicis; modo licentiam eorum legendorum habeatis.”

Since writing the above, information has been received from Cambridge that copies of Hampole's English Psalter exist entire in the Sidney, Bene't, and Trinity libraries. At the end of the Sidney College MS. is a note, from which it appears that the Sidney MS. is the most ancient, probably as old as the time of the author; that the Bene't copy is later, but free from interpolation; and that the Trinity copy is much interpolated. There is in Trinity library another MS. entitled ‘Commentarii seu Glossæ in Psalmos,’ marked B. 1. 15.

^{page note 319 a} See fac simile specimens of the character used by the Monks of the 14th century, in Astle's work on writing, plate 27. The MS. now under consideration presents, in common with others of the same period, an example of the loose and unsettled mode of spelling which prevailed.

^{page note 321 a} Nature.

^{page note 321 b} Head.

^{page note 321 c} Easily.

^{page note 321 d} Countenance.

^{page note 322 a} Pulse.

^{page note 322 b} The “slye,” or observant people of this period, had likewise discovered a remarkable circumstance attending the birth of the human species, which is thus set forth by our author:

^{page 322 note c} Dropped.

^{page 322 note d} Belly.

^{page 324 note a} Is called. From this Limbo of the Schoolmen our great Poet has adopted (with variations) his idea of the “Paradise of Fools,“as given in the 3d Book of the “Paradise Lost.”

^{page 324 note b} Hurt.

^{page 324 note c} Leprosy.

^{page 325 note a} M.S. penes me. h. 2.

^{page 325 note b} Sic: probably intended for ‘Amazone.’

^{page 326 note a} Sign. K. 3. verso.

^{page 326 note b} sorrow.

^{page 326 note c} remission.

^{page 326 note d} cease.

^{page 326 note e} describe.

^{page 327 note a} Be sprinkled.

^{page 328 note a} greatest.

^{page 328 note b} The idea that the punishment of the wicked in the infernal Regions would consist in a great degree in their exposure alternately to excessive heat and excessive cold, was very general in ancient times. According to the Greeks and Romans, the Cocytus, which was frozen (and is therefore called in Seneca, Here. Œtæus. 1. 1960, “rigens Cocytus,”) and the Puriphlegethon, which was a river of fire, were the instruments of this torture. Corresponding to the heathen Tartarus, was the Gehenna of the Jews. “The water on this side,” says the book Zohar, “and the fire on that, form the punishment of Gehenna.” The “treasures of snow” mentioned in the book of Job (ch. xxxviii.v. 22.) are supposed by the Chaldee Paraphrast, to mean “the snow reserved in Gehenna for the punishment of the wicked.” The 19th verse of the 24th chapter of Job, which describes the fate of the sinner, is thus translated by Jerome, who professes to follow the authority of the Jewish Rabbis, “Ad nimium calorem transeat ab aquis nivium;” and he afterwards explains it as describing the torments of Gehenna. We are thus able to trace the origin of Hampole's description.

Dante introduces the same circumstance—Charon says

“I'vegno per menarvi all'altra riva

“Nelle tenebre eterne in caldo e'n gielo.” Inferno. Canto III 1. 86 & 87.

^{page 329 note a} Is shivered into hail.

^{page 329 note b} dissolve.

^{page 329 note c} seen.

^{page 330 note a} true.

^{page 330 note b} measured.

^{page 330 note c} ascended.

^{page 331 note a} were in existence there.

^{page 332 note a} old age.

^{page 332 note b} wield, manage.

^{page 332 note c} labour.

^{page 332 note d} pleasure.

^{page 332 note e} deck or fit up our dwelling.

^{page 332 note f} sure.

^{page 332 note g} possibly, from the Saxon verb “dwine,” to waste.

^{page 333 note a} unity.

^{page 333 note b} bowing.

^{page 333 note c} acquiescence.

^{page 333 note d} chose.

^{page 333 note e} She.

^{page 334 note a} Hist. E. Poetry, Vol. I. p. 265.

^{page 334 note b} MS. penes me. q. 3. verso.

^{page 334 note a} Pitseus Relationes historicæ, 4to. 1619, p. 465.

^{page 334 note b} Warton's Hist. E. Poetry, Vol. 1. p. 262.

^{page 334 note c} MS. penes me. O. 1 verso.

^{page 334 note d} MS. i. 2 verso.