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.
"¶ SPECULUM CHRISTIANORUM MULTA BONA CONTINENS."
I have a small black-letter tract which bears the above title: I am desirous of learning the author's name, and that of the printer, together with the date and place of its production. It extends from signature A 1 to G 8, and ends abruptly on the verso of G 8 without any colophon. On the verso of the title page is a small woodcut representing the Holy Dove hovering over the Virgin, who is surrounded by nine kneeling figures, all under a depressed arch, supported by two pillars whose shafts have a kind of chevron ornament worked on them, somewhat similar to the pillars of the crypt of Canterbury Cathedral. Perhaps if I give the title-page of this curious little tract in extenso, it will be more easily identified: