“It is nowe x yeres, since I (seeing the confuse order of our late englishe Chronicles, and the ignorant handling of aunciet affaires) leaning myne own peculiar gains, coscerated my selfe to the searche of our famous antiquities.”

Stowe was born in 1525; he was then 40 years of age when he gave up his “peculiar gains,” and devoted himself entirely to antiquarian labours.  There had already appeared his edition of Chaucer in 1561, also the commencement of the Summaries; but his greater works, the Annals, Survey of London, &c., were not published till several years after.

In his old age he was reduced to poverty, or rather to actual beggary; for shortly before his death, when fourscore years old, he was permitted, by royal letters patent, to become a mendicant.  This curious document is printed in Mr. Bolton Corney’s Curiosities of Literature Illustrated, and sets forth, that

“Whereas our louing Subject, John Stowe, this fine & forty yeers hath to his great charge, & with neglect of his ordinary meanes of maintenance (for the generall good as well of posteritie, as of the present age) compiled and published diuerse necessary bookes & Chronicles; and therefore we, in recompense of these his painfull laboures, & for the encouragement to the like, haue in our royall inclination ben pleased to graunt our Letters Patents &c. &c.; thereby authorizing him and his deputies to collect amongst our louing subjects, theyr voluntary contributions & kinde gratuities.”

The whole preface to this edition of the Summarie is curious, and is followed by a List of “Authors out of whom this Summary is collected.”

In Hearne’s Robert of Gloster, preface, p. lxi., allusion is made to these Summaries.  He says:—­

    “I have not yet met with a copy of this Summary in which we
    have an account of his authors.”

After a panegyric on Stowe’s incredible industry he says:—­

“Sir Roger Lestrange, talking some years before his death with a very ingenious and learned Gentleman about our Historians, was pleased to say, that it was always a wonder to him, that the very best that had penn’d our History in English should be a poor Taylour, honest John Stowe.  Sir Roger said a Taylour, because Stowe, as is reported, was bred a cap-maker.  The trade of Cap-making was then much in fashion, Hats being not at that time much in request.”

J.E.N.

* * * * *

TRANSPOSITION OF LETTERS.

The only reason, I imagine, which can be given for the transposition of letters spoken of by Mr. Williams (No. 12. p. 184.), is that it was done on “phonetic” principles—­for the sake of euphony:—­the new way was felt or fancied to be easier to the organs of speech, or (which is nearly the same) pleasanter to those of hearing.  Such alterations have at all times been made,—­as is well known to those versed in the earlier stages of the language,—­and often most arbitrarily.  It is needless to say that “provincial and vulgar” usage throws much light on the changes in the forms of words; and perhaps a little attention to the manner in which words are altered by the peasantry would illustrate the point in question more than a learned comment.