the _Liber Etymologiarum_ by St Isidore of Seville, who flourished A.D.
601. The book is a general summary of knowledge in Isidore's day, and
few religious houses in England were without a copy.

I like the facts in the region of domestic economy which are given. For
instance, that in 1229 Richard of Muntfichet was ordered by Henry III. to
give "six leafless oaks for the hospital fire." We want to know whether
they were the King's oaks, or was Muntfichet forced to supply the wood?
If Dr R. W. Darwin (father of Charles Darwin) had then been King of
England he would have ordered apple-trees, for these he considered much
superior to all other fuel. The reader is constantly meeting interesting
stories. Thus Bishop Roger Niger was, in the year 1230, celebrating mass
in St Paul's when a great thunderstorm burst over the church and the
congregation fled in terror. But Roger and one deacon were not to be
frightened, and went on with the Mass.

In the 13th Century John of Marsham (i., p. 390) made oath that he would
carry through the affairs of Alan of Culing at the Court of Rome. Did
John die on his journey, or did he fail in his suit? He never claimed
the charter which he left at the hospital, where it may still be seen.

A charter recording a grant by the Master of St Bartholomew's to the
Bishop of Bath is preserved in St Paul's; Sir Norman Moore says (i., p.
392), "It was pleasant to find this original document in the charter room
of the cathedral, where mine was probably the first hand from St
Bartholomew's Hospital which had touched it since it received the seal of
William the master and the brethren, six hundred and seventy years ago."

I cannot resist quoting (i., p. 412) one more of the many touching and
interesting episodes with which the history of St Bartholomew's
abounds:--

Cecilia, a widow, devoted herself to the altar of St Edmund and received
a wedding ring. When she was dying (1251), a Dominican father, giving
her the last sacrament, noticed the ring and said, "Take off that ring,
lest she die so decked out." Cecilia roused herself and said she would
offer the ring "before the judgement seat of God my betrothed."

It is interesting to find that surnames were beginning to be established
in the reign of Henry III. Thus a certain Thomas Niger is described as
the son of Walter Niger. {141}

There are innumerable facts given in the history of St Bartholomew which
illustrate the permanence of the Lo