New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-08-12
Literary .Nese,S and Criticism,

hour. Honest burgesses. less expert in the
Use of lethal weapons, and either less
courageous or less callous In taking human
life, appear TO have shown extremely poor
sport in their involuntary matches. At
Leicester combat is recorded to have
commenced at 6 a. m. and continued till
) y. m, when II was terminated through
one OF the parties falling into a pit. The
character of the affair and the behavior
of the champions created great scandal.
Little known are the Leagues of Prayer
established in the days when English
missionaries crossed the Channel to
carry Christianity to the Germans still
plunged in the darkness Of paganism.
st. Boniface, 1.-The Apostle of the Ger
mans" established this custom early in
the eighth century when he embarked
on his perilous mission. He made a
compact with the King of the East
Angles whereby that ruler engaged that
prayers should be offered on behalf of
the missionaries in all the monasteries
of the kingdom. The league was ex-
tended to include the Archbishop of
Canterbury. the chapters and monks of
many English bishoprics, and even the
Church of Rome and the Abbey of Monte
Casino. The 'vowesses" are practically
forgotten to-day. This was an order Of
widows who vowed to remain single till
death. and who, like nuns, were re-
garded as mystically espoused to Christ,
though otherwise they continued TO live
in the world. and were not required to
accomplish outward works. There is
also a curious chapter on the "Chyld-
Bysshop." or episcOpus puerorum, who.
the author suggests. probably rose from
the playground to a position of recog-
nized authority and dignity.
In his chapters on medieval English
university life Mr. Smell notes that the
Welsh. the Irish and the Scotch were not
only considered as foreigners" but as
very undesirable foreigners at that. 1t
must be added that. according to the
evidence. they occasionally acted in n
manner to justify local prejudices. Thus,
a Welsh student stole a horse from the
stable of an oxford inn and decamped
with ii to his native mountains, leaving
the host to defend suit for damages
brought by the animals owner. Still
worse. early in the thirteenth century
the long suffering oxford townsmen set
forth in a petition TO the King that
there have been murders, feonies rob-
berries and riots. lately committed in the
counties of oxford, Berks, Willis and
Bucks, by persons coming to the town
some Of whom are the Kings lieges born
in ireland, and the others his enemies
called "Wylde freshmen: and that these
misdeeds continue daily to the scandal of
the University and the ruin of the country
round about: the indicators threaten the
Kings officers and the bailiffs of the crown.
, Pray therefore that all Irish be
turned out Of the realm between Christmas
and Candlemas next. . And that
graduates and benefited men find surety
for their good behavior.
Mr.. Smell informs us that that most re-
spectacle, conservative and staid office.
the Mayoralty Of London, originated in
the spirit of urban instruction which
spread from Italy to France, Germany
and the Low Countries. and thence to
London. even though in England the
King favored and fostered the towns. 1t
being the barons who there led the re-
volt against royal tyranny. Elsewhere
the author discourses on the origin Of
the Gods penny" as binding bargain.
connecting it with the earnest money"
given to a servant on hiring, the King
shilling and the medieval ''handclasp
bargain" which is still in vogue in the
cheese markets of Holland. But enough
has already been said TO draw the
readers attention to scholarly "popu-
lar work of much and varied interest.
The authors Of THE Kings Customs"
dealt In their first volume with an Eng
land in which. in Mr.. Parry's words
"the consumer was in a way at the
mercy of the producer, his only remedy
lying in smuggling The end of the
eighteenth century marked the begin
ming of new chapter in the history of
British fiscal policy. During the nine
teenth century the nations customs sys-
suggested by Adam Smith. The mass of
documentary material Co-ordinated in
these pages is matter Of interest to the
student Of economies. The authors
presentation of II is strictly historical. or
rather alnalstic, yet at the end they
draw a series of conclusions for the in
formation of their countrymen in this
period Of British uncertainty and ques-
tioning on the subject of free trade or
protection as the policy best suited to
the present needs of the country
The wider appeal of the book lies in its
accounts of the activities and tricks. the
daring and dangers Of the British snug
glers OF the early years of the last CEN
fury, in their high-handed proceedings
sure of the sympathy and active assist
ance Of the coastal populations in the ex-
ploits, hardships. successes and defeats
Of the customs officers and coast guards:
in tales Of informers, battle and sudden
death, Of abuse of power as well as its
exertion, in a body Of picturesque ma
terial sufficient TO equip a writer of fic-
ton of adventure for many years to
come.
A SEA CHANGE