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for searching only. election, "hoc tempore." Johnson assures the boys that at this time he needs to be as busy as they. Neither labor, nor the heat of summer, nor the foul stench of the school will hinder him. So in order that he and the boys may make a rich harvest, their diligence in study should correspond to his in teaching. The third dictate of the group exhorts to diligence (162r), the fourth against negligence (r62v), the fifth likewise (x63r). The seventh warns the town-boys (oppidani) against attending the fair (04r). The ninth (165r) returns to the theme of growing pale in nocturnal studies (Persius, V, 62), and there are other hints of impending fate. Clearly, this is "in the time of election," and this year Johnson is himself in charge. One wonders why at the end of the period he has a series of dictates against detractors.
This series of fourteen dictates should represent the work of at least fourteen weeks, so extending from July 15 to August 12 for the beginning of the post-election holiday. If school began on Monday preceding Michaelmas as in the year before, we should have a six week vacation from August 12 to September z3, 1566.
It will be noticed that our series gives quite uniform results. In 1564, election pretty clearly began Monday, August 14. In 1565, it was either Monday, August 6, or Monday, August 13. In 1566, it was pretty clearly August 12. We happen to know that in 1546, the "time of election" was between August S and August 3 01 The rule would appear, therefore, to be in these years that election began on Monday preceding August x5, thus conforming to the limit set at Eton. The vacation would then seem to have been approximately five weeks in length as at Eton, ending upon or shortly before the Monday preceding Michaelmas each time. This would be five weeks, plus any fragment of election week, minus any time back before dictates began on Monday preceding Michaelmas. These results are at least approximately correct; and check with the Eton vacation of five weeks.
These dates also determine approximately the beginning of this term. The time of election began July 3, 1564, July 2, 1565, July x, 1566. Thus the beginning of intensive preparation for election and the beginning of the Midsummer term began on the Monday preceding St. Andrew's Day, July 7. The notices would have been posted in the preceding week, so about the Monday following Midsummer day, June 24, which was quarter day. Therefore, the division line is apparently not here determined with reference to quarter day, though it falls near it.
Thus this Midsummer term began about the Monday preceding St. Andrew's Day, July 7, and continued six weeks till election. After election vacation, the boys came back about the Monday preceding Michaelmas for three more weeks of dictates to round out the nine-week term. Then came repetitions for the year, followed without a break by the Post-Michaelmas term. Apparently, these repetitions occupied only one week. For from Mon-day before Michaelmas to Monday after Innocents Day is a period of four-teen weeks. But in 1564 there were ten dictates belonging to Midsummer
U Kirby, Winchester College, p. 265.
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