ornaments very similar to those used at Leipsic in the same year.  A peculiar colophon is added in the Basle edition; and after the words “Impressum in Utopia,” a quondam possessor of the tract, probably its contemporary, has written with indignation, “Stulte mentiris!” The duplicate, which I suppose to be of Leipsic origin, concludes with “Impressum per Agrippun Panoplium, Regis Persarum Bibliopolam L. Simone Samaritano et D. Juda Schariottide Consulibus, in urbe Lacernarum, apud confluentes Rhenum et Istrum.”

Professor Ranke, referred to by Mr. Singer, was mistaken in assigning “March, 1520,” as the date of Eccius dedolatus.  The terms “Acta decimo Kalendas Marcii” are, I believe, descriptive of Tuesday, the 20th of February, in that year.

Perhaps Mr. Singer may be able to communicate some tidings respecting the Apostolic Prothonotary Simon Hess, of whom I have casually spoken.  Natalis Alexander (Hist.  Eccles., viii. 105.  Paris, 1699) attributes the humorous production which bears his name ("Lege et ridebis,” declares the original title-page) to Luther himself, amongst whose works it may be seen (tom. ii, fol. 126-185.  Witeb. 1551); and it is a disappointment to read in Seckendorf, “Hessus Simon.  Quis hic fuerit, compertum mihi non est.” (Scholia sive Supplem ad Ind. i.  Histor., sig. 1. 3. Francof. 1692.)

R.G.

* * * * *

Replies to Minor Queries.

Hiring of Servants (Vol. ii., p. 89.).—­It was provided by several old statutes, the first of which was passed in 1349, that all able-bodied persons who had no evident means of subsistence should put themselves as labourers to any that would hire them.  In the following year were passed several other acts relating to labourers, by one of which, 25 Edward III. stat. i. c. i., entitled, “The Year and Day’s Wages of Servants and Labourers in Husbandry,” it was enacted that ploughmen and all other labourers should be hired to serve for the full year, or other usual terms, and not by the day; and further,

    “That such labourers do carry openly in their hands, in market
    towns, their instruments of labour, and be there hired in a
    public place, and not privately.”

For carrying into effect these provisions, it would be necessary to have certain days, and a fixed place set apart for the hiring of servants.  In the former particular, no days would be so convenient as feast days:  they were well known, and were days commonly computed from; they were, besides, holidays, and days for which labourers were forbidden to receive wages (see 34 Edw.  III. c. 10. and 4 Henry IV. c. 14.); so that, although absent from labour, they would lose no part of the scanty pittances allowed them by act of parliament or settled by justices.  As to the latter requirement, no place was so public, or would so naturally suggest itself, or be so appropriate, as the market-place.