Obrázky na stránke
PDF
ePub

sure, the luxury and expence attending them. They have now been discontinued upwards of seventy years (the last Reader being Sir William Whitlocke, 1684); but there is a Reader still appointed every year, and some small Treat, at the expence of the Society, of Venison, &c.; and the Arms of the Reader are put up in a Panuel in the Hall.

Mr. Bohun, the Writer of several excellent Books in different branches of the Law, having, when he was Reader at New Inn, put up a question tending to Blasphemy, (I think it was, whether the Person of our Saviour was God,) was excommoned by the Society; that is, he was denied the privilege of coming into the Hall, and at the same time obliged to pay for full Commons. They judged expulsion too mild a punishment.

The Old Hall stood on the South side of Pump Court, which, upon building a new one, was converted into Sets of Chambers; and which, by Order of Queen Elizabeth, were not to exceed eight in number. This was soon after pulled down, and Chambers built in its stead.

Library.-Left by Will to the Society, by Astley, a Bencher of it. It contains about Nine Thousand Volumes. Besides this, he left a Set of Chambers, value three hundred pounds, for the maintenance of a Librarian, who at first was a Barrister; but, not being thought worth their acceptance, it is now in the Butler.

Present Hall.-Built by Plowden, who was seven years in perfecting it. He was three years Treasurer successively; and after he quitted the Treasurership, he still continued the direction of the Building.

The Temple Organ was made by Smith. The Societies, being resolved to have a good Organ, employed one Smith and one Harris to make each of them an Organ, value five hundred pounds; and promised that they would give seven hundred pounds for that which proved the best. This was accordingly done, and Smith's was preferred and purchased. The other, made by Harris, was

sold to Christ-Church in Dublin; but, being afterwards exchanged for another made by Byfield for four hundred pounds difference, it was sold by Byfield to the Church at Woolwich *.

Inns of Chancery, like the Halls at Oxford.

New-Inn belongs to the Middle Temple ; and at the expiration of a long lease, the Fee Simple will be vested in us.

* Mr. Snetzler.

Simnel.

"Simnel.-Siminellus from the Latin Simila, which signifies the Finest Part of the Flour. Panis similageneus, Simnel Bread. It is mentioned in 'Assisa Panis ;' and is still in use, especially in Lent. Bread made into a Simnel shall weigh two shillings less than Wastell Bread." Stat. 51 Henry III.

The Statute, intituled Assisa Panis et Cervisiæ, made Anno 51 Hen. III. Stat. I. ; and Anno Dom. 1266. Cotton MS. Claudius, D. 2.

Panis verò de siminello ponderabit minus de Wastello de duobus solidis, quia bis coctus est.

For the Ordinance for the Assise and Weight of Bread in the City of London, see Stowe's Survey, p. 740, Edit. 1633.

[ocr errors]

It was sometime called Simnellus, as in the Annals of the Church of Winchester, under the year 1042. "Rex Edwardus instituit, et cartâ confirmavit, ut quoties ipse

vel aliquis Successorum suorum Regum Angliæ diadema portaret Wintoniæ vel Wigorniæ vel Westmonasterii; Præcentor loci recipiet de fisco ipsâ die dimidiam marcam, et conventus centum Sumnellos et unun modium vini." But, indeed, the true reading is Siminel.

The English Simnel was the purest White Bread, as in the Book of Battle Abbey. "Panem Regiæ Mensæ aptam, qui Simenel vulgò vocatur *.

Simula. A Manchet, a White Loaf. Among the Customs of the Abbey of Glastonbury: “In diebus solemnibus, cum Fratres fuerunt in cappis, Medonem habuerunt in Justis, et Simulas super mensam, et vinum ad caritatem, et tria generalia." Chartular. Abbat. Glaston. MS. fol. 10.

For the use of Saffron, now used for colouring the Crust of the Simnel, see Shakespear's Winter's Tale; where the Clown (Act iv.) says, "Then I must have Saffron to colour the Warden Pyes."

* Cowell's Interpreter. See also Blount's Glossary,

in voce.

« PredošláPokračovať »