The York Fabric Rolls.

pentarius , qui pro tempore fuerint , debent predictas consnotudines fideliter observare in virfcnte juramenti pi'estiti , ac per ceteros cemcntarios et operarios ibidem operantes facient , sub pena amocionis , observari . Et si quis operari noluerit in forma predieta , statim amoveatur nee postmodo act dictam . fabricam recipiatur quoadusciue eas voluerit in omnibus et singulis suis periculis observare .

[ Translation . /] " It is ordered by the Chapter that ancient customs the workmen were wont to use shall be observed in the customary manner . First and second Masons , who are called Masters and the Carpenter , shall make oath before tho Chapter that they will cause the same to be observed , viz .: —The work to begin in summer from the Feast of Easter until the Feast of S . Michael at sunrise , and work until the bell of the B . V . M ., then to set at breakfast within the Fabric Lodge , provided they shall not have tarried , for the space of half-an-hour , and

then the Masters , or one of them , shall knock at the door of the Lodge , and forthwith all shall go to work again until the hoar of noon and then go to dinner . In winter from Feast of S . Michael until Feast of Easter , at daybreak shall come to work , and so continue until noon . After dinner from the Feast of Finding the Holy Rood ( May 3 rd ) until Feast of S . Peter in Chains ( August 1 st ) , they shall sleep within the Lodge , and when the Vicars come from the Canon's table after dinner M . Mason or his substitute shall cause them to rise from sloop and return to their work , and shall be required to work until the ringing of the first bell for Vespers , and then shall sit to drink until the end of third bell both in winter

and summer . From the Feast of S . Peter in Chains until the Finding of the Holy Bood , immediately after taking their own dinners at a fitting hour , they shall return to work , not waiting for the return of the Vicars from the Canon ' s tables , and shall continue to work until the first bell for Vespers , aud shall drink in the Lodge until ending of the third hell , and shall return to work and so continue until ringing of bell of S . Mary ' s Abbey , which is called the Le Lange Bell , that is to say on every working day from the Feast of S' . Peter ' s Chain ( Jan . ISth ) until Feast of S . Michael , and from Feast of S . Michael to said Feast of S . Peter so long as they can see bdayliht fchey shall continue their work yearly . In

y g winter each Mason shall receive less than in summer by one day ' s wage , to wit , from S . Michael to Easter . When two fast days occur in one week , each Mason forfeits one day ' s wage , and when three feasts occur in one week , a forfeit of one-half of that week ' s wage . Moreover , on Vigils and on Saturdays when they shall rest in the afternoon on account of the solemnity of the following day , they shall work until the hour of noon . The Master Mason and Carpenter to be present at each drinking time , aiid notify to the keeper of the fabric and to the controller all failures , and absences , and deductions to be made from the salary of each absentee , according as shall be equitable in the matter . "

We shall continue these extracts for a few numbers of the magazine , to give our brethren a good idea of a very interesting hook . The Fabric Rolls , a short account of building and other expenses , begin in 1360 and end in 1639 . The illustrations from the Dean and Chapter Records begin in 1340 and end in 1704 .

The Ancient Cities Of Troy And Pergamos.

THE ANCIENT CITIES OF TROY AND PERGAMOS .

A LECTURE was delivered a short time hack , by Dr . Phene , at a meeting - £ » - of the Societ y for the Encouragement of the Fine Arts , in their rooms at Conduit Street , on " Travels in Asia Minor . " Mr . Cnthbert Becle presided . The lecturer dwelt chiefl y on the recent discoveries made at the sites of Troy and Perganios , and his observations on visiting these sites . He referred to the peculiar custom of the earl y dwellers in Asia Minor of levelling down the

hilltops to form sites for cities . This , he said , opened up to us half their manners , civic and reli gious . B y this means they were secured from attack from wild beasts or man ; they were freed from the miasma of the marshes of the low ground ; and they had a commanding view over their pastures . They attained , in fact , what we now attain b y systems of drainage , a vigilant police , and strong armies . Proceeding to describe the district of Troy , it was remarked that ancient writers specially noted that towns on the plains were