72 A MEDIAEVAL CITY

visited England. Referring to his visit to this
country in 1505-6 he wrote : " There are in London
live or" six men who are thorough masters of both
Latin and Greek; even in Italy I doubt that you
would find their equals." England's position was,
therefore, in this respect a good one.

ARCHERY.

F. ENTERTAINMENTS

In the Middle Ages holidays were taken at festivals
marked in the Church calendar. Some feasts, like
that of Whitsuntide, were universally observed.
The ordinary length of a festival was eight days,
that is, the full week—the octave. Apart from
pilgrimages, the ordinary people travelled little.
Moreover the life and property of travellers were
not altogether secure in the forest land, with the
result that treasure and distinguished people travelled
under the care of an armed escort. A large city like
York was practically self-supporting in public
amusements. ŁThe fifteenth century saw the' full
development of the religious mystery plays, and
the allegorical morality plays, which with their
comic interludes had become popular' from the
thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. The feast