BOY BISHOP AT ETON.
In Heywood's edition of the Statutes of King's College, Cambridge, and Eton College (Longman, 1850), a MS. is quoted under the title of Consuetudinarium vetus Scholæ Etoniensis (sic), Harl. MSS. 7044, p. 167. From a MS. in Corpus Christi College, Cambridge.
It is a sort of Fasti Etonenses, recording in somewhat quaint terms the old customs which were then traditionary in the school. In the month of November, according to this authority, "in die
Sti Hugonis Pontificis solebat Etonæ fieri electio Episcopi Nihilensis, sed consuetudo obsolevit."
Again, in the statutes as given by Mr. Heywood, p. 560., it is provided that on the Feast of St. Nicholas, but "nullatenus in festo Sanctorum Innocentium," the Episcopus puerorum Scholarium, who was to be elected from among the boys every year for the purpose, might celebrate all the divine offices except the "missæ secreta."
Can you, or any of your correspondents, inform me—
1st. What is the date of the MS. in question, with any further particulars of its history?
2nd. What is "Pope St. Hugo's Day," and whether it was in any way connected with the election of the boy bishop in other places as well as Eton?
3rd. Whether any reason can be assigned why Holy Innocents Day, being that on which the boy bishop was usually appointed, should have been expressly excluded by the founder.
L. C. B.