"Nec faciat milites nifi in facra vefte Chrifti, in qua parvulos fufcipere mo defte caveat. Maturos autem feu difcretos tam clericos quam laices provide fufcipiat." This paffage is likewife cited by Selden in his notes upon Eadmer, p. 206, and to illuftrate the word "clericos" he refers to Mathew Paris for an account of a prieft called John Gatefdene, who was created a knight by Henry III. but not until after he had refigned all his bene. fices, as he ought to have done," fays the historian, who in another place relating the difgrace of Peter de Rivallis, Treasurer to Henry III. (See p. 405, edit. 1640,) has clearly shown how incompatible it was that the clergy should bear arms, as the profession of a knight required; and as a further proof may be added the well known ftory, related by the fame historian, of Richard I. and the warlike Bishop of Beauvais. I conceive then that the word "clericos" refers to fuch of the clergy who should apply for the order of knighthood under the usual restriction of quitting their former profeflion; and from Selden's note upon the paffage it may be collected that this was his own opinion; or it may poffibly allude to thofe -particular knights who were confidered as religious or ecclefiaftical, fuch as the knights of the order of St. John of Jerufalem, &c. concerning whom fee Afhmole's Order of the Garter, p. 49. 51.

With refpect to the custom of ecclefiaftics conferring the order of knighthood, it certainly prevailed in this country before the conqueft, as appears from Ingulphus, and was extremely difliked by the Normans; and therefore at a Council held at Westminster in the third year of Henry I. it was ordained, "Ne Abbates faciant milites." See Eadmeri Hift. 68. and Selden's note, p. 207. However it appears that notwithstanding this prohibition, which may at the fame time ferve to show the great improbability that the order of knighthood was conferred upon ecclefiaftics, fome of the ceremonies at the creation of knights still continued to be performed by Abbots, as the taking the sword from the altar, &c. which may be feen at large in Selden's Titles of Honour, Part II. chap. v. and Dugd. Warw. 531, and accordingly this charter, which is dated twenty-three years after the Council at Westminster, amongst other things directs the Abbot," Nec faciat milites nifi in facra vefte Chrifti," &c. Lord Coke's acquiefcence in Popham's opinion is founded upon a fimilar mifconception, and his quaint remark "que fueront milites cæleftes & milites terreftres," can only excite a finile. The marginal quotation from Fuller's Church History, B. VI. P. 352. "Moe Sirs than knights" referred to in a former note by Sir J. Hawkins, certainly means that thefe Sirs were not knights," and Fuller accounts for the title by fuppofing them ungraduated Priests.

Before I difm fs this comment upon the opinions of the learned Judges, I am bound to obferve that Popham's opinion is alfo referred to, but in a very careless manner, in Godbolt's Reports, p. 399, in these words: "Popham once Chief Juftice of this court faid that he had feen a commiffion directed unto a bishop to knight all the parfons within his diocese, and that was the caufe that they were called Sir John, Sir Thomas, and fo they continued to be called until the reign of Elizabeth." The idea of knighting all the parfons in a diocefe is too ludicrous to need a ferious refutation; and the inaccuracy of the allertion, that the title of Sir lafted till

the

the reign of Elizabeth, thereby implying that it then ceafed, is fufficiently obvious, not only from the words of Popham in the other quotation" que eft done al afcuns clerks ceft jour," but from the proof given by Sir John Hawkins of its existence at a much later period.

Having thus, I trust, refuted the opinion that the title of Sir was given to priefts in confequence of their being knights, I thall venture to account for it in another manner.

This cuftom then was most probably borrowed from the French, among whom the title Domnus is often appropriated to ecclefiaftics, more particularly to the Benedictines, Carthufians, and Ciftercians. It appears to have been originally a title of honour and refpect, and was perhaps at firft, in this kingdom as in France, applied to particular orders, and became afterwards general as well among the fecular as the regular clergy. The reafon of preferring Domnus, to Dominus was, that the latter belonged to the fupreme Being, and the other was confidered as a subordinate title, according to an old verfe :

"Cæleftem Dominum, terreftrem dicito Domnum.”

Hence, Dom, Damp, Dan, Sire, and, laftly Sir; for authorities are not wanting to show that all the fe titles were given to ecclefiaftics: but I shail forbear to produce them, having, I fear, already trefpafled too far upon the reader's patience with this long note. DoucE.

TWELFTH-NIGHT:

OR,

WHAT YOU WILL.

TWELFTH-NIGHT.] There is great reafon to believe, that the ferious part of this Comedy is founded on fome old translation of the feventh history in the fourth volume of Belleforeft's Hiftoires Tragiques. Belleforest took the story, as ufual, from Bandello. The comic Icenes appear to have been entirely the production of Shakspeare. It is not impoffible, however, that the circumftances of the Duke fending his Page to plead his caufe with the Lady, and of the Lady's falling in love with the Page, &c. might be borrowed from the Fifth Eglog of Barnaby Googe, published with his other original Poems in 1563:

"A worthy Knygbt dyd love her longe,

"And for her fake dyd feale
"The panges of love, that happen styl
"By frowning fortune's wheale.
He had a Page, Valerius named,
"Whom fo muche he dyd truste,
"That all the fecrets of his hart
To hym declare he mufte.
"And made hym all the onely meanes
To fue for his redreffe,

"And to entreate for grace to her
"That caufed his diftreffe.

She whan as firft fhe faw his page
Was ftraight with bym in love,
"That nothinge coulde Valerius face
"From Claudia's mynde remove.
By hym was Fauftus often harde,
By hym his futes toke place,
"By hym he often dyd afpyre
To fe his Ladyes face.

This paffed well, tyll at the length
"Valerius fore did fewe,

"With many teares befechynge her
"His mayfter's gryefe to rewe.
"And tolde her that yf fhe wolde not

"Release his mafter's payne,

"He never wilde attempte ber more

Nor fe ber ones agayne," &c.

Thus alfo concludes the firft fcene of the third act of the Play before us : "And fo adieu, good madam; never more

"Will I my master's tears to you deplore," &c.

I offer no apology for the length of the foregoing extract, the book from which it is taken, being fo uncommon, that only one copy, except that in my own poffeffion, has hitherto occurred. Even Dr. Farmer, the late Rev. T. Warton, Mr. Reed, and Mr. Malone, were unacquainted with this Collection of Googe's Poetry.

Auguft