her. gaged himself as a compositor, in the office of Mr. Palmer, a printer, in Bartholomew-close; he continued there nearly a twelvemonth, and afterwards removed to Watts's printing-office, near Lincoln's-inn-fields, where he endeavoured to improve the habits of the workmen, in respect both to sobriety and industry. During his employment by Mr. Watts, he lodged at an Italian warehouse, in Duke Street, opposite to the Romish Chapel, kept by a widow lady and her daughter. The old lady was the daughter of a Protestant clergyman, but had been converted to the Catholic faith by her husband; and being confined with the gout, Franklin was frequently permitted to spend the evenings with "Our supper," he says, (in his interesting "Memoirs" of his own life,) was only half an anchovy each, on a very little slice of bread and butter, and half a pint of ale between us: but the entertainment was in her conversation." In the garret of the same house lived an old maiden lady, who had formerly been in a nunnery abroad, but the country not agreeing with her, she returned to England, where she adopted the conventual mode of life, as nearly as circumstances would allow. She had resided many years in the same room, living on water gruel only, and using no fire but to boil it. Every day a priest attended to hear her confession; and when she was once asked, "how she could possibly find so much employment for 66 * In this office he was designated the " Water American,” from always drinking water, in preference to the strong beer drank by the other workmen. a confessor," her ready answer was, "Oh, it is impossible to avoid vain thoughts." She had given all her estate to charitable purposes, reserving only twelve pounds a-year for subsistence, and even of that small pittance she gave part in charity. "I was once, says Franklin, " permitted to visit her; she was cheerful and polite, and conversed pleasantly. The room was clean, but had no other furniture than a mattress, a table, with a crucifix and a book, a stool, which she gave me to sit on, and a picture, over the chimney, of St. Veronica, displaying her handkerchief with the miraculous figure of Christ's bleeding face on it, which she explained to me with great seriousness. looked pale, but was never sick; and I give it as another instance on how small an income life and health can be supported.” She PRICES OF WEARING APPAREL IN THE REIGN OF EDWARD VI. In the year 1547, in the reign of Edward the Sixth, the famous Peter Martyr, and Bernardinus Ochin, in consequence of their zeal for the Reformed Religion, were invited into this country, from Basil, by Archbishop Cranmer; the former of whom was afterwards appointed Regius Professor of Divinity at Oxford, and the latter was nominated a Prebendary at Canterbury. In the Ashmolean Library is the original bill of their expenses, which were defrayed by the Crown; it is interesting as shewing the prices of various articles at that period in England and Basil, as also from the in formation which it affords of the costume and manners of the times. The prices of wearing apparel in EngIand will be seen from the following extracts : "Payd for two payer of hose for Bernerdinus and Petrus Marten........ pa for a payer nether stocks for ther servant .............. ...... 0 1 0" pa for two nyght cappes of vellvet for them 0 2 2 4 13 6" ST. SAVIOUR'S CHURCH, SOUTHWARK. STOW, the great luminary of our metropolitan vestiges, gives the following account of the origin of ST. SAVIOUR'S CHURCH, or, as it was anciently designated, St. Mary Overy's; which stands on the south bank of the Thames, at a short distance from the foot of Old London Bridge: Speaking of Winchester House, he says, "Directly over against it, standeth a faire church, called Saint Mary ouer the Rie, or Overy, that is, over the water. This church, or some other in place thereof, was (of old time, long before the Conquest), an House of Sisters, founded * Vide "Archæologia," vol xxi. p. 471. |