The Three Great Plagues, in the reign of Edward the Third.

HE following note concerning the three great plagues in the reign of Edward the Third will be found in a manuscript in the British Museum [Lansdowne MS. 863 f. 147 b.]

"A note for the computation and account of Charters, "Evidences and other Records not very ufual, and therefore of few to be understood; dating them from the first, " fecond and third Peftilence. I" [Sir Richard St. George Clarenceux, King of Arms in the reign of Charles the Firft] "have therefore for the more plainer under"standing hereof, set down the date to every Peftilence, " as I have found it out of ancient Records."

23 Edw. III. {

35

and Ed. III.

31 May to 29 September 1349

15 Aug. 1361 3rd to

36

3rd May, 1362

July to 29

(Peftilencia prima et magna, The first and great Pestilence, A.D. 1349, a fefto Scă Petronilla, ufque ad feftum Sci Michaelis.

Peftilencia fecunda, The fecond Peftilence, A. D. 1361 to 1362 A.D., a fefto affumptio Beatæ Mariæ ufque ad feftum Inventionis Sca Crucis. (Peftilencia tertia, The third Pesti

43 Edw. III. {September, 136, lence, A.D. 1369, a fefto Sci Swithini

Edw.III.

ufque ad feftum Scĩ Michaelis.

Canonical Hours.

HE twenty-four hours of the day were divided into seven parts by the Catholic Church, to each of which fervices were

affigned; and as thefe divifions, together with others called "Watches," are fometimes to be met with in Chronicles &c. in place of the ufual hours of the day, an explanation of the terms will be useful.

I. Matins, and Lauds; from midnight until Prime, commencing about 3 A.M.

II. Prime, from 6 A.M. until Tierce. ["If the office of Lauds be "finished by daybreak, as is fit, let them begin Prime; if not, let them wait for daylight."]

66

III. Tierce, from 9 A.M. to Sext.
IV. Sext, from 12 (or noon) to None.
V. None, from 2 or 3 P.M. to Vefpers.
VI. Vefpers, from 4 P.M. to Compline.
VII. Compline, about 7 P.M.

Note. The term Undern was fometimes ufed in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries for 9 A.M.

Appendix

to the

Handy-Book for verifying Dates.

By John J. Bond,

Afiftant Keeper of the Public Records.