Our Archaeological Corner.

tenementum Abbatis de Oseney , Ex parte Australi , Et tenementum Johannis Arundelle , clerici , Exparteboreali , post decessum . Katerinre uxoris mesa , Johanni filio meo , habendum et tenedum praedicto Johanni et haeredibus de corpore suo legitime procreatisde capitalibus dominis feodi ilhuis pro

, servitio inde debitis et de jure consuetis ; et , pro defectu hreredum de corpore suo legitime procreatorum , volo quod prcedictum tenementum cum suis pertinentiis vendatur per meos Executores , si superstites tfuerint , vel per Executores ipsius Katerinse vol

Johannis , qiu dutius vixerit , etpecrmiainde percepta pro anima mea et pro animahus ipsorum et onmium fidelium defimctorum fidelitex et plenarie distribuatur in missas et aliss pios usus . Eesiduum vero omnium bonorum meorum do et lego Katerinse uxori meae , Johanni Cleve , et Georgio

Skydmore , ut ipsi inde ordinent et disponant pro salute animse mese pront eis videbitur melius faciendum , et eosdem E-aterinam , Johannem , et Georgium ordino , facio , et constituo meos executores per pra > sentes , ut prasens testamentum meum fideliter exequantur et compleant cum

effectu ; etlego cuilibet eorum pro lahore suo tres solidos quatuor denarios ; et Magistrum W . Bede , vicarium Magdalenas , constituo eorum supervisorem , cui lego etiam tres solidos et quatuor denarios pro labore suo . In cujus extremae mesa voluntatis

testimoMum prfesenti testamento meo sigillum meum apposui , his testibus , Eicardo Spragot , Majore vilte Oxonia ? , Eoberto , Walforde , Thoma Whithik , Johanne Fitz-Aleyne , J Eoberto atte-Wode , " alderman " Olivero Urryaltero balhvoJohanne Dolle

, , , David Penkayer , et aliis . Datum Omnias , die et anno expressatis . t fuerit , MS . t Fiit-Aleyne , MS .

Traces Of Chaucer.

TRACES OF CHAUCER .

Our hope that there might be Chaucer Ee cords at the Lord Chamberlain ' s Office is disappointed . Lord Sydney informs us that his records do not reach back to Edward III . 's time or even Edward IV ' s . But the Eecord Office in Fetter Lane has

yielded to Mr . FurMvall's search , under the courteous guidance of Mr . Selby , the Superintendent of the Search-room , the MLOAVing fresh notices of Chaucer : —1 . That on

Traces Of Chaucer.

the 1 st of March , 1360 , Edward III . gave £ 16 towards the poet's ransom , after his capture in France— "Galfn'do Chaucer , captoperininu ' cos inpartibas Francis ; in subsidium redempcwmis sue , de consimili dono Eegis , die & anno supradz ' cfa ' s , xvj . Ii , " ( This was 13 s . 4 d . less than His Majest y

gave Eobert de Clynton to buy a horse , and £ 4 less than he gave John de Beuele to buy a " cursor " or war-horse . ) 2 . That on the death of Ms Queen Philippa ( on August 16 , 1369 ) Edward III ., on 1 st Semptemher , 1369 , ordered to be given to Chaucer as . one of Ms " Esqrders " of less degree , 3 ells of black cloth , short , for mourning ( On the same day the King ordered 6 ells

of like black cloth to be given to Philippa Chaucer , probably then the poet ' s namesake , and certainly Ms v ? ife in 1374 ) 3 . That in 1369 Chaucer got a grant of £ 1 for his summer clothes . 4 . That in 1372 and 1373 he got £ 2 for Ms summer and udnter clothes each year . 5 . That in the Eecord

Office are two rolls that Chaucer must have handled in 1381 and 1385 , being the returns of Ms two collectors , over whom he was controller , of the Customs-dues received by them in those years for home and foreign wool , wool fells , and hides , such

returns being made " per visium et testimonium GalfricK Chaucer , contrarotulatoris . " Chaucer ' s own returns , Avhich he was bound to write with his own hand , are not among the extant records of the the Port of London , but further search will be made for them . —Athenceum .

FBATERSITY is the life-giving spirit of Freemasonry . It is that subtle essence which pervades all , and will a sort of magnetic attraction brings members closer together . THE eighty-first annual convocation of the Providence Royal . Arch Chapter , No . 1 , was held on Thursday evening , November 13 th . This is one of

the oldest Chaptersin the United States , and probably the largest , haA'ing a membership of nine hundred . " I HAVE ever felt it my duty to support and encourage Masonry , because it powerfully develops social and benevolent affections—because it mitigates without and annihilates within the virulence of

political and theological controversey— because it affords the only natural grounds on which all ranks and classes can meet in perfect equality and associate without degradation or mortification , whether for purposes of moral instruction or social intercourse . " —KABI . OF DUSHJJJ , Pro-Grand Blaster of tbo Grand Lodge of England ; 1834 .