[Footnote 250: "This yere deyd thomas archbisohop of york and gyralde was archebishop after him; a lecherous man, a wytch and euyl doer, as the fame tellyth, for under his pyle whan he deyde in an erber was founde a book of curyous craftes, the book hight Julius frumeus. In that booke he radde pryuely in the under tydes, therefor unnethe the clerkes of his chirche would suffre him be buryed under heuene without hooly chirche," _Polychronicon: Caxton's edit._, sign. 43., 4 rect. (fol. cccxlij.) Godwyn says that "he was laide at the entrance of the church porch." "Bayle chargeth him (continues he) with sorcery and coniuration, because, forsooth, that, after his death, there was found in his chamber a volume of Firmicus: who writ of astrology indeed, but of coniuration nothing that ever I heard." _Catalogue of the Bishops of England_, p. 453--edit. 1601. Concerning Girard's favourite author, consult Fabricius's _Bibl. Lat.: cura Ernesti_, vol. iii., p. 114, &c., edit. 1773.] [Footnote 251: Leland tells us that Herman erected "a noble library at Sailsbury, having got together some of the best and most ancient works of illustrious authors:" _de Scriptor. Britan._, vol. i., 174: and Dugdale, according to Warton (_Monasticon Anglican._; vol. iii., p. 375), says that "he was so fond of letters that he did not disdain to bind and illuminate books."] LOREN. If you proceed thus systematically, my good Lysander, the morning cock will crow 'ere we arrive at the book-annals even of the Reformation. LYSAND. It is true; I am proceeding rather too methodically. And yet I suppose I should not obtain Lisardo's forgiveness if, in arriving at the period of HENRY THE SECOND,[252] I did not notice that extraordinary student and politician, BECKET! [Footnote 252: I make no apology to the reader for presenting him with the following original character of our once highly and justly celebrated monarch, Henry II.--by the able pen of Trevisa. "This HENRY II. was somewhat reddish, with large face and breast; and yellow eyen and a dim voice; and fleshy of body; and took but scarcely of meat and drink: and for to _alledge_ the fatness, he travailed his body with business; with hunting, with standing, with wandering: he was of mean stature, renable of speech, and well y lettered; noble and _orped_ in knighthood; and wise in counsel and in battle; and dread and doubtfull destiny; more manly and courteous to a Knight when he was dead than when he was alive!" _Polychronicon_, Caxton's edit., fol. cccliij., rev.] LIS. At your peril omit him! I think (although my black-letter reading be very limited) that Bale, in his _English Votaries_, has a curious description of this renowned archbishop; whose attachment to books, in his boyish years, must on all sides be admitted.