a translation, is to be found in Von Buggenhagen's Account of the Roman and National Antiquities, &c. discovered at Cleves. To this document are affixed thirty-six seals, all imprinted on green wax, with the exception of that of the founder, which is on red wax and in the centre of the rest, having on its right the seal of the Count de Meurs, and on its left that of Deidrich van Eyl. The insignium borne by the knights of this order on the left side of their mantles consisted of a fool, embroidered in a red and silver vest, with a cap on his head, intersected harlequinwise with red and yellow divisions and gold bells attached, with yellow stockings and black shoes: in his right hand was a cup filled with fruits, and in his left a gold key, symbolic of the affection subsisting between the different members. It is uncertain when this order ceased, although it appears to have been in existence at the commencement of the sixteenth century, when, however, its pristine spirit had become totally extinct. The latest mention that has hitherto been found of it occurs in some verses prefixed by Onofrius Brand to the German translation of his father Sebastian Brand's celebrated Navis Stultifera Mortalium,' by the learned Dr. Geiler von Kaisersberg, which was published at Strasburg in the year 1520. Two-fold was the purpose of the noble founders of this order; to relieve the wants and alleviate the miseries of their suffering fellow-creatures, and to banish ennui during the numerous festivals observed in those ages, when the unceasing routine of disports and recreations, which modern refinement has invented in the present, were unknown. During the period of its meeting, which took place annually and lasted seven days, all distinctions of rank were laid aside, and the most cordial equality reigned throughout. Each had his particular part allotted to him on those occasions, and those who supported their characters in the ablest manner contributed most to the conviviality and gaiety of the meeting. Indeed, we cannot but be strongly prepossessed in its favour, when we recur to the excellent regulations which accompanied its institution, and were admirably calculated to preserve it, at least for a great length of time, from degenerating into absurdity and extravagance. We must not confound this laudable establishment with the vulgar and absurd practices which, till of late years, existed in many places under the names of Feasts of Fools and of the Ass', &c. These were only national festivals, intended for the occasional diversion, or, as in those days they were termed, rites to promote the pious edification of the lower classes, which, not unfrequently introduced by a superstition of the lowest and most illiberal species, soon became objects of depravity and unbridled licentiousness. Of a totally different nature also, and analogous only in quaintness of appellation, were the societies established by men of letters in various parts of Italy, such as the society of the • Insensáte' at Perugia, of the Stravaganti' at Pisa, and the Eteróclyti' at Pesaro. Nor can we allow ourselves to pass over in silence, on the present occasion, the Order or Society of Fools, otherwise denominated Respublica Babinepsis,' which was founded towards the middle of the fourteenth century by some Polish noblemen, and took its name from the estate of one Psomka, the principal instigator, near Leublin. Its form was modelled after that of the constitution of Poland; like this, too, it had its king, its council, its chamberlain, its master of the hunt, and various other offices. Whoever made himself ridiculous by any singular and foolish propensity, on him was conferred an appointment befitting it. Thus, he who carried his partiality to the For an account of the Feast of the Ass, see Time's Telescope for 1822, pp. 296, 297. canine species to a ridiculous extreme, was created master of the hunt; whilst another, who constantly boasted of his valorous achievements, was raised to the dignity of field marshal. No one dared to refuse the acceptance of such a vocation, unless he wished to become a still greater object of ridicule and animadversion than before. This order soon experienced so rapid an increase of numbers, that there were few at court who were not members of it. At the same time it was expressly forbidden that any lampooner should be introduced among them. The avowed object of this institution, was to prevent the rising generation from the adoption of bad habits and licentious manners; and ridiculous as was its outward form, is not its design, at least, entitled to our esteem and veneration? Patent of Creation of the ORDer of Fools. 'We all, who have hereunto affixed our seals, make known unto all men, and declare, that after full and mature consideration, both on our own behalf and on account of the singular good-will and friendship which we all bear, and will continue to bear towards one another, we have instituted a society of Fools, according to the form and manner hereunto subjoined : 'Be it therefore known, that each member shall wear a fool, either made of silver, or embroidered, on his coat. And such member as shall not daily wear this fool, him shall and may any one of us, as often as he shall see it, punish with a mulct of three old great tournois (livres tournois, about four-pence halfpenny), which three tournois shall be appropriated to the relief of the poor in the Lord! Further, will we Fools yearly meet, and hold a conventicle and court, and assemble ourselves, to wit at Cleves, every year on the Sunday after Michaelmas-day; and no one of us shall depart out of the city, nor mount his horse to quit the place where we may be met together, without previous notice, and his having defrayed that part of the expences of the court which he is bound to bear. And none of us shall remain away on any pretence or for any other reason whatsoever than this, namely, that he is labouring under very great infirmity; excepting moreover those only who may be in a foreign country, and at six days' journey from their customary place of residence. If it should happen that any one of the society is at enmity with another, then must the whole society use their utmost endeavours to adjust their differences and reconcile them; and such members and all their abettors shall be excluded from appearing at the court on the Friday morning when it commences its sitting at sun-rise, until it breaks up on the same Friday at sun-set. And we will further at the royal court yearly elect one of the members to be king of our society, and six to be counsellors; which king with his six counsellors shall regulate and settle all the concerns of the society, and in particular appoint and affix the court of the ensuing year; they shall also procure, and cause to be procured, all things necessary for the said court, of which they shall keep an exact accouut. These expences shall be alike both to knights and squires, and a third part more shall fall upon the lords than upon the knights and squires; but the counts shall be subject to a third part more than the lords. 'And early on the Tuesday morning (during the period of the court's sitting) all of us members shall go to the church of the Holy Virgin at Cleves, to pray for the repose of all those of the society who may have died; and there shall each bring his separate offering. And each of us has mutually pledged his good faith, and solemnly engaged to fulfil faithfully, undeviatingly, and inviolably, all things which are above enumerated, &c. • Done at Cleves, 1381, on the day of St. Cunibert.' 13. SAINT BRITIUS. Britius, or Brice, succeeded St. Martin in the bishopric of Tours in the year 399. He died in 444. 17.-SAINT HUGH. Our saint was a native of Burgundy, or Gratianopolis, and made Bishop of Lincoln by Henry II. In this see he obtained great fame, not only for his extraordinary austerity of life and excellent economy, but for his rebuilding the cathedral from the foundation. Hugh died on this day, in the year 1200, of an ague. In 1220, he was canonized at Rome, and his remains were taken up October 7, 1282, and deposited in a silver shrine. *17. 1821.-REAR ADM. BURNEY, F.R.S. DIED, ÆT. 72, Eldest son of the learned and elegant historian of Music, and brother to two very distinguished persons of the present age, Madame D'Arblay, the justly celebrated novelist; and the late Dr.Charles Burney, a member of that triumvirate of profound scholars which has adorned our own immediate times. Admiral Burney accompanied Capt. Cook in the two last of his enterprising voyages. He was one of the most scientific and best geographers that this country has produced; of which his laborious, accurate, and voluminous History of Voyages of Discovery,' 'Account of the Eastern Navigations of the Russians,' and other works, afford ample proof. The following honourable testimony to the character of Admiral (then Capt.) Burney, is from the pen of Dr. Johnson, who, upon his appointment to the command of the Bristol, in the year 1781, thus writes to Mrs. Thrale: I am willing, however, to hear that there is happiness in the world, and delight to think on the pleasure diffused among the Burneys. I question if any ship upon the ocean goes out attended with more good wishes than that which carries the fate of Burney. I love all of that breed whom I can be said to know, and one or two whom I hardly know I love upon credit, and love them because they love each other.' - 20.-EDMUND, KING AND MARTYR. Edmund, King of the East-Angles, having been attacked by the Danes in 870, and unable to resist them, heroically offered to surrender himself a prisoner, provided they would spare his subjects. The Danes, however, having seized him, used their utmost endeavours to induce Edmund to renounce his religion; but, refusing to comply, they first beat him with clubs, then scourged him with whips, and afterwards, binding him to a stake, killed him with their arrows. 22.-SAINT CECILIA. Cecilia was a Roman lady, who, refusing to renounce her religion, was thrown into a furnace of boiling water, and scalded to death. Others say that she was stifled in a bath, a punishment frequently inflicted, at that time, on female criminals of rank. She suffered martyrdom about the year 225. Cecilia |