1252.--Great tempests upon the sea, and fearful; and this year the king (Henry III.) granted, that wheretofore the citizens of London were to present the maior before the king, wheresoeuer he were, that now barons of the exchequer should serue. 1292.--The Jewes corrupting England with vsury, had first a badge giuen them to weare, that they might be knowne, and after were banished to the number of 150,000 persons. 1313.--This yeare the king of France burned all his leporous and pocky people, as well men as women: for that he supposed they had poysoned the waters, which caused his leprosie. About this time, also, the Jews had a purpose to poyson all the Christians, by poysoning all their springs. 1361.--Men and beasts perished in diuers places with thunder and lightning, and fiends were seene speake unto men as they trauelled. 1372.--The first bailiffes, in Shrewsbury. 1386.--The making of gunnes found; and rebels in Kent and Essex, who entred London, beheaded all lawyers, and burnt houses and all bookes of law. 1388.--Picked shooes, tyed to their knees with siluer chaines were vsed. And women with long gownes rode in side-saddles, like the queene, that brought side-saddles first to England; for before they rode astrid. 1401.--Pride exceeding in monstrous apparrell. 1411.--Guildhall in London begun. 1417.--A decree for lantherne and candle-light in London. 1427.--Rain from the 1st of Aprill to Hollontide. 1510.--St. John's College in Cambridge being an ancient hostell, was conuerted to a college by the executors of the Countesse of Richmond and Derby, and mother of Henry VII., in this yeare, as her will was. 1552.--The new service book in English. 1555.--The first use of coaches in England. 1606.--The cawsies about London taken down. 1610.--Britaines Bursse builded. Hix Hall builded. Aldgate builded new. Sutton's Hospitall founded. Moore fields new railed and planted with trees. Westminster palace paued. COCK-FIGHTING AT SCHOOLS. Many years ago the scholars at our large schools had regular cock-fights, which would appear to have been an affair of the school, recognised by the masters, and the charges for which were defrayed by them, to be afterwards paid by the parents, just as some innocent excursions and festivities are managed now a days. The credit of the school was, without doubt, often involved in the proper issue of the fight. Sir James Mackintosh, when at school at Fortrose in 1776-7, had this entry in his account, in which books were charged 3s. 6d.:-- To cocks'-fight dues for 2 years, 2s. 6d. each, 5s.