In erecting their buildings, as well as orna- meiii ing t lieir i-huvuhes and sluiues, they geoerally employed die most skilful woibnen tD.i( were to be found in Europe, and tiughl and jc-escrved many ar^s, which without their cai«, would have been entirely losL The fiequent visiis w!iicli the ciergy and monies made io the court of Rome, were Uie means of impoiiing all the aris of civilized life, and gaining instructions in com- merce, manufactures, aud agriciiltuie.

The religious houses were a kind of fo'tixisses, to wiiich the neighiwuring iu'ialiitaiits retired iu times of public danger, anu lodged their most valuable effects. So tliat, if they soMCiimes pro- tected such as fled from jusiice, they seciied others from violence and oppres!,°oii. Such as resorted hither on these accounts were commonly retained by the abbots, and employed in the capacity of laboureis or soldiers. In the abbey of Croylaud the number of these fugitives once amounted to two bundled. And the power whiih the abbots possessed, of imiirisoiiiag and trying offeuders within their jurisdiction, enabled ihem to keep such a numerous and licentious body in some degree of orde-. The power of llie elegy in those times, was usually laid out for their own aggrandizement, was in this instance of public service, and by opening sanciuarics, afforded a

Elace of refuge to the distressed lommons. It as been observed, that the church hussomeiimes restrained the violence of the monarch, add put bounds to his tyranny ; and in those barbaious ages, the right of sanctuary most have been of equal utility, and almost necessary.

1385. In the will of the celebiuted ciiizen of London, Sir William Walworth,* amongst oiber bequests is the following " Books of Divinity to three several religious communities, and some law books to his brother."

1390. In the accounts of the treasurer of Charles VI., King of France, the following article occurs : — " Paid fifty-sis shillings of Paris, to Jaquenin Griengonneur the painter, for three packs of cards, gilded with gold, and painted with divers colours and divers devices, to be carried to the king for his amusement."

• Sir William Walworth was the person who slew Wat Tyler, in Smlthfleld, Jane 16, 1381. Ho had assembled an army of 100,000 men. On the iSth of Jane, John Ball, an itinerant preacher, to be chanceUoVf g^ve them a sermon on BlacUieath. On the death ot Tyler, his followers re- turned to their homes.

There is abundant proof that playing cuds were used in Italy, Spain, and Germany, for at lea -It a century preceding the reign of Chvla VI. and at this period, )iat<, no doiibH become tlx common amusement of the noble and wealthj. The cards, like the rnissdls, called foiih the an of ihe limner ; aud the kiiig, the knight, and the knave, (the chanu-ters of tlte early cards) »«« rich widi crim.son and puiple, oftentimes painted on a golden ground. Gambling, like mtiny oiLer vices and follies, desiend fi-om the grcjt to thote below them in the social scale; and it is easy, theiefo'e, to conceive that the followers of coiuti and of camps, and the artisans aud dealers in the towns, seeing the amusement which tlieii superiors derived from these painted bi^of paiwt or patxihment, woiild be anxious to possess the same means of excitement in their hours of idle- ness. The art of wood engrat ing was I'eaxiy to supply the r.Tteiidcii demand fur pkying-ouds. Tlie outline of the figure was cut in relief upon a block ; and the i-oluured parts were afterwards added by the pencil. In Mr. Singer's elaborate and interesting work, entitled Retearcha i^ the History of Playing Cards, there are man; file similies of the early cards. Subjoined is t specimen of the knave of bells.

The argtmient which has been drawn from this lact, in support of their having been engraved, is grounded upon the prices paid being wholly in- adequate, even io those days, unless they were first printed from outline engravings, and after- wards gilt and coloured by hand; although no doubt, with more than an ordinary depee of care, as they were for the king's use.

Heinecken, and some other writers, ascribe the invention of engraving to the manufacture of playing cards ; but this opinion is not supported by any satisfactory or conclusive evidence.

Mr. Ottley argues, that we received the art