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those clergymen ejected by Queen Mary on her accession as a 'reforming' minister and, presumedly, for having married. Even if alive at the time of his daughter's wedding, and this is doubtful, the disgowned priest might not have been dissatisfied to see his child become the wife of a respectable tradesman. By birth or by apprenticeship, John Marlowe the younger had evidently already acquired the freedom of the city, whilst later on he became a member of the Guild of Shoemakers and Tanners, a guild to which other members of the family had already been admitted, a proof that they were not without some standing in the city of Canterbury.

In accordance with an old decree of Burghmote it was enacted, 'That if any of the seide fraternite Guild of Shoemakers dwelling in the liberties of the seide citie, intende to be married, then he shall give knowledge of hit to the wardeyns of the seide fraternyte three daies before the marriage, and then the seide wardens to give a commandment to the bedill of the same fraternite to name the brethren in due time to go with him from his dwelling place unto the parisshe church where the matrimony shall be solemnised, and to offer with him'; 19 and as John Marlowe, although evidently a very young man, is seen in various ways complying with his civic obligations, it may be assumed that he readily carried out this instruction of his guild, evidently a highly prosperous and important body of citizens.

In May following the year of the young couple's

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THE FONT AT ST. GEORGE'S CHURCH, CANTERBURY, AT WHICH CHRISTOPHER MARLOWE WAS CHRISTENED

PLATE IV.

marriage their first child, Mary, was christened at St. George's, and on February 6, 1564, their eldest son was born.20 He was christened Christofer, on the 26th of the same month, at the church of St. George the Martyr," and apparently by the rector, Mr. Sweetinge, at a font still doing service in the old parish church. Several other sons and daughters were born to the young couple, were christened, some married, and in due course all were buried; but although the parish registers record these events, history only concerns itself with the first-born boywith Christopher.

On the 20th April, 1564, being the sixth year of Queen Elizabeth's reign, the poet's father is thus referred to in the city's records: 'John M'lyn of Canter. Shomaker, was admitted and sworn to ye lib'ty of ys citte for ye whitche he pd, but IIIIS. Id. becaus he was inrowlyd w'thyn ys citte acordyng to ye customes of ye same.' 22 Having by birth or apprenticeship already acquired the freedom of the city, John Marlowe, in accordance with ancient custom, was now enabled by payment of the customary reduced fee to become a duly recognised citizen, empowered to start in business on his own account. Apparently he had only just reached manhood, but he had powerful incentives to become a burgher and to acquire a right to be a masterman, in consequence of his marriage and a rapidly increasing young family.

Although John Marlowe may never have been a wealthy man, he was a freeman and a member of an

influential guild; from time to time he took apprentices, and was evidently in decent circumstances. For several years, it is seen from civic records, he was deemed a man of substance. He, or perhaps still more his wife, was ambitious enough to obtain for the first-born son educational advantages not generally attainable in those days, save by children of the higher classes. It would, indeed, be interesting to trace the earliest development of the boy's mind, and, were it possible, to behold the foreshadowings of his genius; but as there is no guide to such knowledge, whence and how his poetic temperament and aspiring spirit grew can only be surmised.

Christopher Marlowe entered the world at a stirring period, when the old times were rapidly passing away and a new era of mingled hope and doubt was dawning upon his country. England was just recovering from internal and foreign conflicts, and during the lull a partial truce was patched up between followers of the rival creeds. The rapid diffusion of printed books was creating a revolution in every branch of learning, and the new knowledge thus gained aroused men to dare in thought and deed things hitherto undreamt of. A feeling of new-born hope permeated the nation. The time was ripe for thinkers and actors. There was a stir and excitement in the mental atmosphere of the age, influencing and moulding the minds of the new generation, which seethed in a turmoil of speculative thought, and by its aspirations and actions reacted upon and controlled

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