MEMORIALS OF OLD SUFFOLK.
Memorials of Old Suffolk. Edited by Vincent B. Redstone. (Bemrose and Sons. 15e. net.)—This volume is vrell kept up to the high standard of the series to which it belongs. Of course it is impossible to be absolutely exhaustive whore space is limited, but we have not observed any important omission. One of the most valuable chapters is that which deals with the great Benedictine house of Bury St. Edmunds. Dr. Charles Cox is quite at home in such a subject, and gives a very interesting account. He is, as might be supposed, not unfavourable to the monks. Apparently he sees no harm in the exemption from episcopal visitation. Can it be supposed that the visitation of the General Provincial Chapter of the Order was of much value ? Could the Oxford Colleges be adequately visited by the University, which is naturally an aggregation of the Colleges P It would be well to read what the editor says in "Riots and Ruin" :—" Nowhere was there greater cause for discontent among the 'clerks' than at Bury St. Edmunds : there the Benedictine monks lived in the
midst of ease and luxury At times the younger burgesses would rise against the tyrannical rule of the Abbey." The riots are mentioned, but only mentioned, by Dr. Cox. As to the luxury, the working expenees of the Abbey came to £1,407 lie. 2d. in the year. Multiply this by twenty to get the present purchasing. power, and we have 428,151. If there were a hundred monks, this would give a high average of expenditure.
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