, 1873-02-02


studies for the priesthood. A similar feeling
existed among the poorer peasantry Of the pre-
Reformation age, and, where there were two
boys in family ono might grow up to be the
"poor pareon OF town, u rich Of holy thought
and work" and
~. also learned nasn, : clerk
That Christs gospel truly would preach"
while the other remained
a p1ouRhuaan, hin htother,-'
That had 5-laid Of dung full many fotter.''
To every monastery and cathedral Was at
tached school, or at least person competent
to instruct In grammar and church music. The
son Of tho ploWman could thero obtain such in
Btruction as WAS given, free Of expense, and the
law we have cited protected him in hia effort tc
acquire learning. The servants Of the Church
Of the altar in thia way, it being generally un-
derBtood, although no obligation to that effect
WAS imposed, that the pupils Of tho mouas-
tic schools should become servants of the
Church in some capacity. II tho boy proved an
his protectors, lie was sent in due time to the
Universities OF Oxford and Cambridge which
were mainly attended by poor mems Sons,
though occasionally the aon Of q rich noble
sought education there. without greatly dis
tinguishing himself by the result.
The struggles OF the "poor scholars" at the
universities are recalled by the experience OF
students at come OF the Western colleges, who
support themselves, while going through their
collegiate course, BY l; performing manual
during college vacations, and pinching their
atomachs and backs to furnish thor heads.
The chief point OF diTeren.e is, that the poor
scholars Of Oxford or Canterbury begged q
maintenance, which the student OF iii ai1a7;;-
tho old poem, "God Speed the Plough" com
plains, in the namo Of the husbandman, that, in
addition to other burdens on him.
Then cometh clerks Of Oxford, and make their
To their aehool-hlre they must have money"
the Chancellor to tho students, and sif Thomas
Moro shows tho degrading shifts to which the
embryo priests and future mon Of learning
were sometimes reduced by saying that then
may We yet, like poor scholars Of Oxford, 60
@ Rsga Sa @ Z 1ss mans Il one
time the commonalty OF Oxford set aside
yearly payment to furnish one hundred poor
scholars with - meal Of bread, ale, and pot
tage, with one large ID dish Of neah or hsh every
most blessed IN the poor fellows calendar,
nnd the recurrence OF his festival anxiously
and hungrily looked forward to: Tho author
Of "Piers Plouman's Vision" warned mer-
s.eotting scholars to school," aud Cheucer's
poor clerk of O1enford" prayed busily for the
souls of those who gave him money that he
might study, while his "poor scholars two +" of
Canterbury thought it no shame to take their
sacks OF conege-wheat to the mill for grinding.
numbers to the universities, and edged the
children Of the poor toward tho doors. Even
those Of the "poor scholars" who remained,
and passed throu sh the prescribed course Of
they had studied and struggled. The church
liyings were given or sold to rich mems sona or
favoritcs, and the poor scholar, wLo begged that
he might learn, was turned ont, graduste who
had to beg for the remainder OF bis life-
While the sons Of the rich are beng trained in
arms and courtesy to fit them for the kctghtly
p1ofeBaion, and the Sons Of the country poor
were picking up with painful labor tho knowl-
edge fitting them for the church, the Sons OF the
citizens and townsmen we're cared for by en-
dowed grammar-schools, Of which there were
many in the principal cities and towns in Eng
land London schools wore held in high repute.
The sons OF prosperous ''cits" md the smaller
r. o: "boIn gentry" attended them.
md benefactors Of the school made liberal
provision for tho maintenance and education
Of tho poorer youth. Tho life Of scholar at
thcso schools has been pictured BY several wlo
smarting recollection Of the pains and sorrovs
Of him that getteth learning.
Fitzstephcn, as carly as 4. D. l174, speaks ct
three schools connected with leading churches,
at which, festival days, the scholars held pub
wore manifold, and are described with minute
ness and evident enjoyment By tho
who profaces his acoount
with the remark that Eve have ell
been boys At shrove-tide tho boys brought
each fighting to tho mnster, and the fore
noon was spont in seeing the cooks fight in the
Dinner followed tho cock-fght,
and, after dinner, thoro vas football in the
fields Every Sunday in Lent there Was sham
fight in the fields, and on Easter holida;s
summer holidays the boys exercised themselves
IN sspesf = sanS{ sfsnSF{ szdf sd En- ana n aa
ter holidays thero vero atattng-matches
on tho leo In tho :. marbles to- tho
bull aud boar-baiting, Is morning diversions
Lydgate toward the close Of the fourteenth
century, confessed, In his '.Testament,' y to
shortcomings that could be
3 1uthfglly pleaded by many T. aa.a sshoo3'Poy %
fore hia fifteenth year, he was ':disposed to
many unbridled PASSIONS" full OF wilfulneas,
10th to study, and fond Of play over-ready for
and fighting, but standing in awe OF
the masters rod. Like ShakBpeare's school
boy i
".... with his satchel
And shining morning face, creeping Like snatl
Unwtningly to school p i
Lydgate "had In custom' to come to school 1eto
and, when there, to spend his time in idle gossip
and quarrel, instead Of ia study to lie, in order
his back was tuInsd. The fruit in other mems
GARDENS tempted him, a. it has tempted
many school-boys siuee, and he climbed I
hedges and walls to steA apples and
51aPcs. The innate spirit Of mischief |
nat incites boys to mock and annoy their elders,
md to laugh at their rnsfortunes, is not peculiar
o tho present generation; Lydgate's chief de- |
lire, when school-boy, VAS
n:.:....-to scorn and tape,
shrewd turns evar among to use " 81