the reign of Edward IV . William the Conqueror directed anew survey to be made in 1081, which was finished in 1087,and is called the Book of Domesday j it was directed to bekept in the Chapter House of the Abbey of Westminster,under the custody of the Chancellor and two Chamberlains ofthe Exchequer, and any one may consult it on paying a smallfee.

DOWER. This provision for the widow was first or-dained by Swein, king of Denmark , father of our Canute the Great , out of gratitude to the Danish ladies, who sold theirjewels to ransom him when taken prisoner by the Vandals,and was brought into this country by the Danes.

DOXOLOGY. The Gloria Patri was introduced in thechurch service, by the Catholics of Antioch called Eusta-thians, about the middle of the fourth century.

DRAGOONS. This term was formerly given to suchregiments of cavalry, as were also exercised in the Infantry movements, and occasionally fought on foot 5 they are firstnoticed in England in the commencement of the seventeenthcentury, when they had buff coats and gambado boots. Thefirst regular regiment of dragoons was raised in 1683, andcalled the Scotch Greys.

DRAMA. The first dramatic representations were exhi-bited by Susarion on his stage, about 580 B. C. j and Thespis on his cart, who performed the tragedy of Alcestes , 536 B. C.

Heddin informs us that the word tragedy, is derived fromthe Greek tragos, a goat, and odee, a song, and originallyconsisted of an hymn, sung by several persons in honour ofBacchus, to whom the goat was sacrificed.

Thespis , in order to ease the chorus, introduced a personaor actor, to recite, as occasion required, something to amuse