the reign of Stephen (Plate XVII. No. 6). At this period, and throughout the twelfth century, the Roman character, which appeared in the decorative capital letters in the reign of Charlemagne, became, to a certain extent, superseded; but not all at once, for many transition stages might be cited; and among others, the remarkable one which prevailed in the south of France, splendid specimen of which, from a Provençal MS. of the eleventh century, I have copied from Count Bastard's great work. (Plate XIII.) This capital L exhibits in its ornamentation many of the characteristics which distinguish the Italian illuminations of a later period (the fourteenth century); but combines also the curious interlacings of the Lombardic and Hibernian MSS., which were used in a modified manner in the style, known as the school of Aix-laChapelle, in the reign of Charlemagne.

The transitions from the Carlovingian style of illumination were eventually succeeded by a florid and original taste, which, though to a certain extent founded on a reminiscence of the acanthus scroll-work of the Romans, was yet so intricate in its character, and so bold and novel in its elaborations, as to claim the rank of a new and original style of ornament, which, in architecture, stained glass, and all kinds of jewellery, displayed its capacity for splendour of effect. The magnificent capital I (No. 1, Plate XIV.), grouped with N and smaller letters to form the words " In principio" (commencing the Gospel of St. John), will convey an excellent general idea of this style; of which the U in Plate XXIII., marked twelfth century, is another example.

In the reign of Richard I. the cursive hand of French and Italian deeds appears to have been adopted in England; which is strongly indicated in the example (No. 8, Plate XVI.) by the more flowing general style, strongly resembling similar documents executed in France and Normandy.

The next specimen (No. 9, Plate XVI.), from a charter or deed of the reign of John, exhibits still more strongly the usual characters of the long-tailed letters as they are found in French charters, and bulls of the Popes, of that and an earlier period. In this example, it will be seen that the sharpness of the character of the modern "Gothic," as it is termed, is nearly complete. The charter commences with a recitation of the royal and other titles, at full length, as they eventually appeared on the coins of Edward I., and were long afterwards retained, "Rex Angliæ, Dominus Hiberniæ, Dux Normanniæ, Acquitaniæ, et Comes Ardigaviæ." The Magna Charta, of which an original copy exists in the Record-house at Westminster, exhibits a similar character of writing to that of the present deed.

The set writing used for books at this period is well exemplified by the specimen No. 1, Plate XVI., from a French MS. of the romance of Lancelot, which is evidently of a somewhat later period than that supposed by Astle (eleventh century). It may be read, "Quand il orent mangae, Lanceloz," &c., which is from the passage, "When he had eaten, Lancelot begged the king that he would cause his arms to be brought to him."

That the national language-a compound of the Saxon with other ingredients, which afterwards blended itself with the Norman-French of the invaders, and so formed a peculiar and distinct tongue-began to be used at an early period of Anglo-Norman rule, not only as the spoken language of the country, but also as a written, though as yet unsettled language, is shewn by the specimen of writing, No. 7, Plate XVI., which is in the English language of the time, reign of Henry II.

The specimens, No. 10 and 13, Plate XVI., are of the reigns of Edward I. and Edward II., and exhibit the marked peculiarities found in similar legal documents of the time written in France and Italy, where the corporations or guilds of writers had never been dissolved, and where the official scribes were a race descending lineally from those of Roman times, but which in England were only just beginning to be formed. I shall have to shew that this lawhand was very distinct from that of calligraphers, who wrote in a more regular and more ornamental style for books. The former is more distinctly tachyography, or rapid writing, as implied by the name; in which, nevertheless, certain embellishments, of a nature to be rapidly executed, were aimed at, such as strong and greatly-extended extremities to the tailed letters, and certain flourishes that could be easily thrown off currente calamo. The book-scribes, on the other hand, aimed, above all, at legibility and regularity, forming their letters in that careful and regular manner, which afterwards formed the model for the first printing-types.

In the specimens from deeds executed in the reigns of Edward I. and Edward II. we have seen the style of writing assume all the characteristics of the regular modern Gothic, except that extreme regularity and completeness of style which are displayed in the best specimens of writing during the succeeding reign.

The

The Scots appear to have been at this time as advanced as the English in the art of writing; though their earlier monuments are not so numerous. earliest charter of which Anderson gives a specimen is one of Duncan, the son of Malcolm, in a style of writing similar to the English manner of the period. It begins, "Ego Dunecanus," &c.; at the foot of the deed are the crosses of ten attesting witnesses besides that of the king, to which the words "crux Dunecani regis" are attached. One of the other crosses is that of the writer himself, to which is appended his name and profession-Scribtor Grentonis-proving that it was not always the inability to write which caused the sign of the cross to be used instead of the name, but that after a time the sacred character of that sign was deemed necessary even in addition to it.

The next specimens given by Anderson are, a charter of Edgar, and one of Alexander, after which period such monuments become common. One of the most interesting of the specimens which follow is a charter or grant of the celebrated William Wallace, as governor of the kingdom and leader of the armies for John Baliol, dated the 8th day of March, 1298, granting to one Alexander,