What is more particularly to be remarked, is this. In the year 1391, 14 R. II. he obtained a licence of the abbot, to go to Rome. This, no doubt, he performed between that and the year 1397. Thus bishop Nicolson, in his English historical library, p. 65. “Nor have I any more to say, of _Richard of Chichester_ (he means our _Cirencester_) than what John Pitts has told me, fol. 438, that he was a monk of Westminster, A. D. 1348; that he travelled to most of the libraries in England, and out of his collections thence, compiled a notable history of this kingdom, from the coming in of the Saxons, down to his own time. “But it seems (says the bishop) he treated too of much higher times.” Hence we gather an exact idea of our author’s genius; a lover of learning, a lover of his country; which he studied to adorn. We learn his indefatigable diligence, in search of what might contribute to its history. He travelled all over England, to study in the monastic libraries: his eager thirst prompted him to visit Rome; and he probably spent some years there. But his chief attention was to the history of his own country. It will give you pleasure to read the original licence, still preserved in the archives of the Abbey, as Mr. Widmore transcribed it, omitting the contractions. _E veteri scripto membranaceo, in Archivis Ecclesiæ Westmonasterii._ _Universis Sanctæ Matris Ecclesiæ filiis, ad quorum notitiam presentes literæ pervenerint. Willielmus permissione divina Abbas Monasterii beati Petri Westmonasterii juxta London, apostolicæ sedi immediate subjecti, Salutem, in eo quem peperit uterus virginalis. Cum dilectus nobis in Christo filius et commonachus noster, frater Ricardus de Cirencestria, cum instantia nobis humiliter supplicaverit; quatenús eidem limina Apostolorum et alia loca sacra in Urbe Romana, et in partibus aliis transmarinis gratia, visitandi licentiam concedere dignaremur. Nos verò prædicti fratris Ricardi devotionem considerantes, deque ipsius fratris Ricardi morum honestate, vitæ puritate, perfectaque ac sincera, religionis observantia, quibus hactenùs lucidè insignitur; prout experimentaliter per triginta annos et ampliùs, experti sumus, pleniùs confidentes; Universitati vestræ et vestrum cuilibet notificamus, per præsentes: eidem filio nostro et commonacho, ad dictam peregrinationem peragendam, in suorum augmentum meritorum, Licensiam concessisse specialem. unde vestram caritatem benigniùs imploramus, quatenùs huic testimonio nostro fidem indubiam adhibentes, eidem filio nostro et commonacho, cum penes vestrum aliquem quicquam habuerit faciendum, sinum pietatis largiùs aperientes, vestrum auxilium, consilium, et favorem eidem, in Domino libenter volueritis impertiri._ _In cujus rei testimonium, sigillum nostrum authenticum præsentibus apposuimus. Datum apud Westmonasterium prædictum in festo sancti Thomæ Apostoli, Anno Domini Millesimo trecentesimo nonagesimo primo._ _In dorso._