1825.] [521] REVIEW OF NEW PUBLICATIONS, 91. The Progresses, Processions, and magnificent Festivities of King James the First, his Royal Consort, Family, and Court. Collected from Original Manuscripts, scarce Pamphlets, Corporation Records, Parochial Registers, &c. comprising the splendid Masques exhibited at Court, the Triumphal Pageants of the City of London, numerous Original Letters, and annotated Lists of all the Knights of the Bath, Baronets, and Knights Bachelors, who received those Honours during the Reign of King James. Illustrated with Notes, Historical, Topographical, Biographical, and Bibliographical. By John Nichols, F.S.A. Lond. Edinb. and Perth. 4to. Nichols and Son. THE HE EIGHT PARTS of this entertaining Collection now in the hands of the Publick, conclude the First Volume, and contain 300 pages of the Second; and we know not whether most to admire the persevering industry of the Veteran Editor, or the multifarious interest of the articles he has collected. In particular we allude to the large assemblage of early Tracts, which are reprinted from originals of the greatest and most costly rarity, curiosities "not to be separately obtained but with great difficulty, and at an enormous expense." Amongst them, we are told, will be included more than thirty Masques, and as many of those curious productions called "London Pageants,' as the Editor has been able to procure. Nor are the intervening matters mere dry history, or dull record; the Royal and Noble correspondence, introduced in strict chronological succession, affords a living picture of the Court, its pursuits, and its amusements. There is no deficiency of sensible remark, enlivening wit, or sarcastic scandal. In this point of view, the Progresses of James the First may rank with Lodge's Illustrations (from which they have largely borrowed), the Paston Papers, or the universally-admired Memoirs of John Evelyn; with this material distinction, that, whereas works of that description have been generally the production of some one family record-room, we are here put in possession of a complete body of Court History, an assemblage from all attainGENT. MAG. December, 1825. able sources, and a selection of all that is apposite and to the purpose. From the letters of Mr. Chamberlain especially, much entertainment inay be expected. Of that gentleman's history little is known; but he appears to have always held some office under Government, and to have resided in the immediate vicinity of the Court, if not within the Palace of Whitehall. His great friend and patron was Sir Ralph Winwood, Secretary of State; and his constant correspondent during a long series of years, beginning in the reign of Elizabeth, continuing during the whole reign of Jumes, and not ceasing till far in that of Charles, was Sir Dudley Carleton, successively Ambassador at Venice and to the States, and afterwards likewise Secretary of State, and Viscount Doncaster. The pen of the communicative Chamberlain is as remarkable for its intelligence and vivacity as for its unwearied constancy. So uninterrupted a series of communication between two individuals, in any rank in life, does not frequently take place. In the absence of the yet uninvented newspaper, an Ambassador in a foreign Court must have found such a correspondent invaluable. While Sir Ralph Winwood was resident at the States, Mr. Chamberlain as constantly addressed him, as he did Sir Dudley Carleton; and those dispatches are undoubtedly the most entertaining papers printed in Winwood's Memorials. But this correspondence ceasing on Sir Ralph's return, Mr. Chamberlain became doubly attentive to his other friend, who preserved his communications with due care, and the originals are deposited in the Lambeth Library. "The indefatigable Dr. Birch," as he has frequently been styled, transcribed them with a view to publication; but this being, on his death, one of his unexecuted projects, his transcript in two quarto volumes remains still unpublished with his other collections in the British Museum. It is from this original source that Mr. Nichols promises to derive some of his most curious and interesting materials. With respect to his mode of selection, the domestic news, the solemni ties, 529 REVIEW.-Nichols's Progresses of James 1. [Dec. ties, the festivities, and the "secret "Accession" of the new Monarch. history" of the Court and of No- More than one Proclamation used on ble families, caunot fail to prove more that occasion is introduced, and a colacceptable to the public taste than lection is formed of accounts of the state affairs or conjectures on foreign proclamation ceremony at different politics. towns, at London, York, Bristol, Winchester, Leicester, Norwich, Shrewsbury, Hull, and other places, and to the army at Flushing. But whilst endeavouring to point out some of the attractions which this collection holds forth, whilst enlarging on the correct notions of antient manners which it inspires, and the light it throws on the customs of olden time, the personal history of the ancestors of many a noble family, their elevation to rank, and the reasons for that elevation; the valuable notes with which it is illustrated must not be overlooked. These are the result of an Octogenarian life of attentive research; without them the Work had lost more than half its interest, and so copious and various are they, that no person but the Editor, we may presume to affirm, could have produced an equal store of satisfactory information. After these preliminary remarks, we shall in turn examine each curious and entertaining fasciculus. Prefixed to the first Volume, the reprint of a scarce Poetical Pamphlet, bearing the quaint title of SORROWE'S JOY, forms a connecting link between the Reigns of Elizabeth and James. It is a collection of Cantabrigian effusions on the death of the former Monarch, and the accession of the latter. We have here the weeping of England for her Virgin Queen assimilated to an inundation of the Nile, because in James's reign it was to end in fertility of blessings; the arts are all attired in black (p. 2); the planets and all things march in funeral equipage," but the end of all this dolour is, that "Eliza to Elysian fields is gone," and nevertheless, "A wonder 'tis our sun is set, and yet there is no night, Darke storms were feared around about, and yet all over bright, Blest God! when we for feare scarce look't to have seen Peace's moon shine, Thou sent'st from North, past all our hopes, King James his glorious sunshine!" P. 4. To excel in pedantry was in this age esteemed the monumentum ære perennius." One Poem of this description is sufficient; but in a Picturegallery like the present, displaying the mannerisms of an æra, a specimen is desirable. The Work properly begins with the In p. 33 we have an original Letter of the King's, from the Oath Book of Berwick. It is in answer to a congratulatory address of the Town, announcing their having proclaimed him King. He assures the worthy Burgesses, in very broad Scotch, "alwaies to ffynd us a gratious and lovinge Prince, quha salbe carefull to maynteyne yr wonted liberties and privileges, and to see that the same be no wayes brangillit, or otherwayes preiudgit." James had been long in expectancy of the Crown, and when he sent Sir Roger Aston, as his Messenger to Elizabeth, lobby, the hangings being turned so, that "Sir Roger was always placed in the he might see the Queen dancing to a little fiddle; which was to no other end than that he should tell his Master, by her youthful disposition, how likely he was to come to the Crown that he so much thirsted after." P. 34. Elizabeth's dancing at seventy has been attributed to vanity; but she knew well, that there were swarms born in the noontide beam, who would go to salute the rising sun; and therefore every demonstration of health and vigour on her part was politic. But the most admirable specimen of court-craft, was an ingenious_lantern, transmitted to James by Sir John Harington, and fabricated in order to typify that the lamp of life grew dim in the frame of Elizabeth;" that James was to succeed; and that the donor preferred a prayer, begging that the royal donee would remember him, Sir John, "when he came to his kingdom.' This curious lantern is described in manner following, as "A New Year's Guift at Christmass conveyed by Captaine William Hunter," 1602. gold, silver, brass, and iron. 2. The top 1. A dark lantern, made of fowre metals, of it was a crowne of pure gold, which also did serve to cover a perfume-pan. 3. Thear was within it a shield of silver embost, to give a reflexion to the light; on one side of which (4) was the sunn, the moon, and vii starrs; 1825.] REVIEW-Britton's Beauties of Wiltshire. vii starrs; (5) on the other side the story of the birth and passion of Christ, as it is found graved by a King of Scots [David II.] that was prisoner in Nottingham, in a cell, called to this day, the King of Scotts' pri son. (6) The worde was that of the good theife Lord, remember me, when thou comest in thie Kingdom.' • Domine, memento mei cum veneris in regnum,' and a little beneath Post crucem, lucem.' (7) The wax candle to be removed at pleasure to the top, and so to make a candlestick, stoode in a foot of brass. (8) The snuffers and all the outside of the lantern, of iron and steele plate. (9) The perfume in a little silver globe, fild with musk and amber," P. 49. copy The gift was accompanied with a of verses, of which the two last lines furnish an exquisite specimen of the bathos, "With all, yet more than all, rejoice do I, To conster JAM-ES PRIMUS, et non vi.' In p. 47 we find that Sir William Browne, Lieut. Governor of Flushing and the States, all got drunk in drinking the health of the King, at the expense of the Burgomaster, and this, and other demonstrations of joy, were seemingly well founded. In the North of England, cultivation immediately took place, the country, so often desolated by war, received new inhabitants, who brought with them not only flocks and herds, but also manufactures and commerce; the works effected by peace were soon distinguished, the barren wastes were put under the ploughshares, towns and hamlets diversified the scene, and increasing population enlivened every valley, which for ages had been marked by works of hostility (Hutchinson, quoted p. 47). Nor was this the whole. All idea of the revivification of Popery, and making Scotland an ally in aid of foreign in vasion, were conceived to be utterly extinguished; so little could mankind anticipate, that this very accession would soon convulse the three kingdoms with a Civil War, more destrucup tive than the Plague, and follow it with an attempt to regenerate Popery, and two rebellions in that very country from which no more evil or invasion was to proceed. So likewise, when the French were expelled from Canada, it was thought that the American Colonies were secured to us for ever; whereas the utility of an English army in preventing aggression on the settlers, rendered them dependent on England, and kept them in allegiance. (To be continued.) 523 92. The Beauties of Wiltshire, displayed in Statistical, Historical, and Descriptive Sketches, interspersed with Anecdotes of the Arts. Royal 8vo. Vol. III. Pp. 442. Plates. THE Archæological world is under great obligations to Mr. Britton, for having been the first to introduce beautiful engravings into Topographical works, those of Buck, Grose, and preceding writers, being, though faithful, stiff and tasteless. He has also added much by peregrination to local history, in matter and curious objects, which would otherwise have remained unnoticed; and he has moreover published only books which will ever have utility and value; in short, we consider Mr. Britton to be a very industrious and meritorious writer; and, by his plates and labours, to have enlarged and improved the taste for ancient monuments, and thus to have contributed to their better preservation, and a warmer feeling of the honour which they confer upon the nation; for what would be Egypt, Greece, and Italy, if they had no ancient monuments; they would thus be destitute of a great influence upon the mind, especially with regard to taste and the arts? Besides, men would have to invent the means of improvement de novo, and be retarded for centuries. In short, the preservation of ancient monuments is like the preservation of national records. Wiltshire is a country remarkable for valuable remains, which however were never developed in any satisfactory form, until Sir Richard Colt Hoare published his "Ancient History" of this curious district of our island. The most contemptible blunders were committed, such as was 66 a small circular entrenched calling work at Bury Blounsdon a Roman Camp (see our Author, p. 4), and many other such silly affirmations. We shall, according to our custom with regard to topographical works, extract some curiosities. "In a field at Bromefarm, near Coate, a small hamlet to the south of Swindon, was formerly an upright stone, called Long Stone, measuring above ten feet in height, and in an adjoining meadow was a range of smaller stones placed in a line." P. 9. They are called Druidical; but were much more probably sepulchral cippi, of a Chieftain, and those whom he (See Encycl. of had killed in battle. Antiq. ii. 514.) Swindon 526 REVIEW.-Sharp's Coventry Pageants, &c. stone worship and tree worship are among the most remote forms of idolatry; and proved to have been so by ancient writers without end. It does not therefore follow, that because numerous authors have thought fit to speculate concerning Abury and Stonehenge, without the smallest regard to ancient learning, or to the well-known fact of various Churches having been built within them, and traditions of the people, all knowledge of their being Druidical structures has no foundation. There may have been, and probably were the following gradations; a cromlech only, the lowest rank of religious structure; a cromlech and stone circle; and a number of both, on a less or greater scale, the highest rank. Lastly, the affix of Drew to many places where there were stone circles, as Stanton Drew; or Cromlechs, as Littleton Drew, near which are tumuli and the Roman Fosse-road (see our author, p. 146), Drews-Teignton, &c. all furnish the same evidence of Druidical appropriation, as coins do of History; and it would be highly absurd to say, that there may be coins of a country, but no history, for, where there have been human beings, there must be a history, whether reduced to writing or not. Mr. Britton has collected a mass of information and speculation concerning Abury and the vicinity. He is not to blame; for it is usual, but it is injurious to Literature, because, as one joint-stock bubble makes twenty jointstock bubbles, one speculator makes twenty more, and we are not surprized to find that Stonehenge and Abury have been treated, like the man in the moon, who is in China a rabbit. If such trash were left in oblivion, the explanations of competent scientific men would be the sole objects of regard, as they ought to be; but when an excellent house is built at the cost of infinite labour, these projectors trespass upon it like ghosts, and destroy all the comfort remaining in it. To many literary men it is as unpalatable, as it would be to others to have suspicions raised that their mothers were unchaste, or that the titles of their estates were bad. Stonehenge and Abury were temples, because they could be nothing else; and are shown to have been so by circumstantial evidence of the most satisfactory kind; and they are ascribed to the Druids, because no other ancient [Dec. priests are known except Druids. It is only the petty conceit of trifling talents, or the vanity of pedantry, to offer new hypotheses; and such paltry publications should be crushed in the birth by professed literary men disdaining to notice speculations which violate circumstantial evidence, that evidence, which Paley says, cannot lie. Here we shall leave this interesting work, which is highly creditable to Mr. Britton; and shall conclude by remarking that the plates are beautiful. 93. A Dissertation on the Pageants or Dramatic Mysteries anciently performed at Coventry, by the Trading Companies of that City; chiefly with reference to the Vehicle, Characters, and Dresses of the Actors. Compiled, in a great degree, from sources hitherto unexplored. To which are added, the Pageant of the Shearmen and Taylors' Company, and other Municipal Entertainments of a public Nature. By Thomas Sharp. 4to. pp. 226. ATTACHED to the army of Literary investigators, is a company of pi oneers; who, by exploring the devious wilds of "hoar antiquity," and using their saws and hatchets in clearing away the thickets which hide from view many ambuscades of interesting objects, which, but for their labours, would never be disclosed, afford to the general body of troops an unobstructed access to their discoveries. Of these pioneers, Mr. Sharp has long been known as one of the most industrious; and the present handsome Volume bears testimony to his established character. The early History of the Stage is so entwined with that of the Pageants or Dramatic Mysteries, that any elucidation of the latter must shed a ray upon the former. The Work now before us, being no doubt already in the hands of most of our Antiquarian readers, or soon to be so, our epitome of its contents will be comparatively brief, though we shall probably resume the subject hereafter. The Frontispiece itself, may be viewed as a page of choice information, for it gives, for the first time, a distinct graphic representation of the Pageant Vehicle; which has been often thought of in the glimmerings of an uncertain twilight, but is here, clear as the day, in noontide certainty. Indeed the appropriate groupes of spectators, and the entire scene of action, are well displayed by the draughtsman (a young 1825.] REVIEW. Sharp's Coventry Pageants, &c. artist of Coventry) who appears to handle the burin, as well as the pencil, with spirit and effect, as other plates of his entire performance testify. After a Dedication to Francis Douce, esq. and an Introduction acknowledging his obligations to that gentleman, and other friends, "whose encouragement stimulated and cheered his labours;" Mr. Sharp proceeds to observe that it is remarkable while the History of the English Stage has been investigated with a perseverance and minuteness of research, which scarcely leaves an expectation of any additional facts or illustrations remaining to be discovered; our Religious Dramas or Mysteries, the unquestionable groundwork of the Stage, have been treated in a very superficial and unsatisfactory manner;" excepting in this general observation, Mr. Markland's highly ingenious Disquisition, printed for the Members of the Roxburghe Club in 1818. He then proceeds by describing the mode in which he acquired so considerable a body of recondite information, viz. by an inspection of the Ancient Documents belonging to the Corporation of Coventry, and the Account Books and other writings of the Trading Companies, whilst collecting materials for the History of his native City; a work which, notwithstanding the worthy Author's disclaimer in one of our former Volumes, we shall hope in due time to see in the hands of the public. No two writers have hitherto agreed as to the derivation of the word Pageant; but Mr. S. brings it (and with good reason) from the Greek Pegma, by a transition at once conformable to the genius of the language, and carrying conviction with it. The exhibitions of Pageants at Coventry attracted immense multitudes to the City, and even drew Royalty itself within the admiring circle; Hen. V. and other Sovereigns, partaking of what was the fashionable entertainment of their days; though upon these 527 occasions the usual routine of performance by the Trading Companies was sometimes changed, and splendid and appropriate Pageants (all of which are noticed) were prepared in honour of their Royal Visitors. The accounts of each Company are next sifted for information respecting the usual Pageant of these respective communities. "The subject of the Smiths' Pageant was the Trial, Condemnation, and Crucifixion of Christ, as will appear from the following list of Characters, Machinery, &c. collected from various entries of Pageant charges. The dialogue of the Play is lost, as in fact are the play-books of all the other Companies except the Shearmen and Taylors, whose Books of Accounts to illustrate the subject of their Play is unfortunately not in existence. "Characters in the Smith's Pageant. Heroude. Pilate's Wife [p'cula, i.e. Procula]. Judas. Peter and Malchus. 4 Tormentors. 2 Princes-[Anno 1490 only]. The Cross with a Rope to draw it a Curtain hanging before it. Gilding the Pillar and Cross. 2 Pair of Gallows. Fanes to the Pageant. Mending of Imagery.-(Occurs 1469). Iron to hold up the Streamer. "Dresses, &c. 4 Gowns and 4 Hoods for the tormentors.(These are afterwards described as Jackets of black buckram with nails and dice upon them.)—and other 4 gowns with "Viz. To Dawson Turner, esq. for much friendly advice, and the liberal contribution of two plates.-To Hudson Gurney, esq. M. P. for permission to copy the Stage-directions to the Morality of the Castle of Good Perseverance, in his possession; and to Francis Palgrave, esq. for his kind services, both in obtaining that permission, and supplying a facsimile of the original.-To James Heywood Markland, esq. for the communication of an unpublished transcript of Archdeacon Rogers' account of the Chester Plays. To the Rev. John Brickdale Blakeway, of Shrewsbury, and the Rev. James Yates, of Birmingham, for literary aid: and, lastly, to his excellent friend, William Hamper, esq. for his constant and highly-valuable assistance during the entire progress of the work." damask |