Culture, General Things, Dictionaries, English, General Words
General Words is in English.
Culture, General Things, Dictionaries, English, General Words, Adipocere
Adipocere. A greyish waxy substance formed by the decomposition of soft tissue in dead bodies subjected to moisture.
Reliquiæ Diluvianæ. In another part (see Plate XXI.) I discovered beneath a shallow covering of six inches of earth nearly the entire left side of a human female skeleton. The skull and vertebras, and extremities of the right side were wanting; the remaining parts lay extended in the usual position of burial, and in their natural order of contact, and consisted of the humerus, radius, and ulna of the left arm, the hand being wanting; the left leg and foot entire to the extremity of the toes, part of the right foot, the pelvis, and many ribs; in the middle of the bones of the ancle was a small quantity of yellow wax-like substance resembling adipocere. All these bones appeared not to have been disturbed by the previous operations (whatever they were) that had removed the other parts of the skeleton. They were all of them stained superficially with a dark brick-red colour, and enveloped by a coating of a kind of ruddle, composed of red micaceous oxyde of iron, which stained the earth, and in some parts extended itself to the distance of about half an inch around the surface of the bones. The body must have been entirely surrounded or covered over at the time of its interment with this red substance. Close to that part of the thigh bone where the pocket is usually worn, I found laid together, and surrounded also by ruddle, about two handsfull of small shells of the nerita littoralis in a state of great decay, and falling to dust on the slightest pressure. At another part of the skeleton, viz. in contact with the ribs, I found forty or fifty fragments of small ivory rods nearly cylindrical, and varying in diameter from a quarter to three quarters of an inch, and from one to four inches in length. Their external surface was smooth in a few which were least decayed; but the greater number had undergone the same degree of decomposition with the large fragments of tusk before mentioned; most of them were also split transversely by recent fracture in digging them out, so that there are no means of knowing what was their original length, as I found none in which both extremities were unbroken; many of them also are split longitudinally by the separation of their laminae, which are evidently the laminae of the large tusk, from a portion of which they have been made. The surfaces exposed by this splitting, as well as the outer circumference where it was smooth, were covered with small clusters of minute and extremely delicate dendrites1; so also was the circumference of some small fragments of rings made of the same ivory, and found with the rods, being nearly of the size and shape of segments of a small teacup handle; the rings when complete were probably four or five inches in diameter. Both rods and rings, as well as the nerite shells, were stained superficially with red, and lay in the same red substance that enveloped the bones; they had evidently been buried at the same time with the woman. In another place were found three fragments of the same ivory, which had been cut into unmeaning forms by a rough edged instrument, probably a coarse knife, the marks of which remain on all their surfaces. One of these fragments is nearly of the shape and size of a human tongue, and its surface is smooth as if it had been applied to some use in which it became polished; its surface also is covered with dendrites like that of the rods: there was found also a rude instrument, resembling a short skewer or chop-stick, and made of the metacarpal bone of a wolf, sharp and flattened to an edge at one end, and terminated at the other by the natural rounded condyle of the bone, which the person who cut it had probably extracted, as well as the ivory tusk, from the diluvial detritus within the cave. No metallic instruments have as yet been discovered amongst these remains, which, though clearly not coeval with the antediluvian bones of the extinct species, appear to have lain there many centuries.
Note 1. A superficial stain of oxyde of iron, assuming the form of branches of trees, or extremely delicate moss; hut almost invisibly minute.
Culture, General Things, Dictionaries, English, General Words, Alate
Alate. Chiefly of insects or seeds, having wings or winglike appendages. From Latin alatus, from ala 'wing'.
Avebury by William Stukeley. Table XXXVIII. The alate Temple of the Druids at Barrow in Lincolnshire, on the banks of the Humber.
Culture, General Things, Dictionaries, English, General Words, Alveolus
Alveolus. Sockets in the jaw in which the roots of teeth are held
Wetton Near Hill. At page 83 of Vestiges, is a notice of an excavation made at one side of a barrow [Wetton Hill Barrow [Map]] on the summit of Wetton near Hill, when after having found one interment, we desisted through meeting with the natural rock in front of our cutting, Mr. Carrington thinking it probable that something might yet remain, made a cutting from the opposite side on the 23rd and 24th of May, having previously made trials in different parts of the mound, which showed that in some places the materials were large stones, and in others gravel, both favourable indications. After removing stones to the depth of about a yard, we found a skeleton accompanied by one rude flint arrow; it lay on the left side, with the knees drawn up, and was that of a strong man in full vigour. The skull, with the exception of the lefl side, which was decayed from contact with the earth, is perfect, and of a shape very unusual amongst Celtic crania, being remarkably short and elevated, like the Turkish skull. It is amongst the number selected for publication in the Crania Britannica, as an example of the acro-cephalie variety. Proceeding forward, we found another skeleton, the feet of which were very near the head of the first, deposited in the contracted posture in a cist, roughly made of large limestones, and partly covered with others of the same kind. Before the face was a very beautiful vase, 4½ inches high, with a fluted border and four perforated ears, wHch will be understood from the cut. A piece of flint and a tine of stags' horn lay close behind the skull, and a few more pieces of flint were found near. The skull, in perfect condition, is that of an old man, some of the teeth wanting, the alveoli being absorbed, the rest exceedingly worn; it is essentially square and massive in appearance, and is of the platy-cephalic variety. It is engraved and fully described in the Crania Britannica, where its internal capacity is stated to be 80 ounces. When cleaning it, on the day after its discovery, the cricoid cartilage, in a state of ossification, fell from the interior through the foramen magnum, where it had probably been conveyed by the rats which hibernated in the tumulus.
The femur measured 18 inches. The occurrence of two crania of the most opposite extremes of aberration from the ordinary Celtic type, in one tumulus, is most remarkable, and cannot fail to interest craniographers.
Culture, General Things, Dictionaries, English, General Words, Ankhylose
Ankhylose. (of bones in a joint, etc) to fuse or stiffen by ankylosis.
Long Barrows of the Cotswolds. Thurnam, writing in February, 1865, that at that date the western chamber (D) had only been partially cleared (M.A.S. i. 476) ; and the remains of five skeletons only had been found then. "Four appeared to be those of young men of from twenty to thirty years, the fifth, that of a girl about seven. One humerus, out of about three or four from this chamber which have been preserved, presents the perforation of the olecranal fossa .... Of about nine femora, three from the eastern and six from the western chamber, one measures 15.7 ; two, 16 - 16.3 ; four 17.3 to 17.7 ; and two, 18 to 18.5 inches. Two lower cervical vertebrae were anchylosed, as before found in several of the Long Barrows. No implements or other objects, except six horses' teeth, seem to have been found in either chamber."
Culture, General Things, Dictionaries, English, General Words, Antediluvian
Antediluvian. Literally, before the Flood ie Noah, meaning ancient, prehistoric.
Culture, General Things, Dictionaries, English, General Words, Apium
Apium. A genus of about 20 species of flowering plants in the family Apiaceae including Celery.
Avebury by William Stukeley. I took notice that apium grows plentifully about the spring-head of the Kennet. Pliny writes defunctorum epulis dicatum apium [beetroot dedicated to the feast of the dead]. To this day the country people have a particular regard for the herbs growing there, and a high opinion of their virtue.
Culture, General Things, Dictionaries, English, General Words, Argillaceous
Argillaceous. Containing clay.
Culture, General Things, Dictionaries, English, General Words, Armilla
Armilla. Armband.
Castern. The large barrow at Castern [Map], near Wetton, first opened on the 14th of June, 1845, was again investigated on the evenings of the 5th, 6th, and 11th of June. On the former occasion, a trench was dug from the south-west side, towards the middle, and on the present a supplementary cutting was made parallel with each side of it. In the western one were no signs of any interment; some human bones, evidently removed from another situation, and some chippings of flint, alone being observed. In the other trench we found the disturbed skeletons of two persons, the skull of one exhibiting the frontal suture, and the usual fragments of flint, pottery, charcoal, and rats' bones. The advancing shades of evening now compelled us to relinquish our labour, and the want of success induced us to fill up the cutting; but on after consideration we determined to make another attempt in the same direction as where we left off, as that part of the mound was stony to the summit, and mingled with charcoal and detached human bones, whilst elsewhere the superstructure was of earth, resting on a foundation of stone. Hence the inference that a later interment had taken place, the stone dug up in making the grave being thrown in again above it. Accordingly, on the 11th June, we resumed our labours, and were soon rewarded by the discovery of a skeleton upon the floor of the barrow, accompanied by several instruments of flint, three of which lay under the head and shoulders. A more uncommon article, a bronze armilla, was found beneath the edge of a stone that lay upon the skeleton, and in contact with the pelvis, into which it was slightly forced by the pressure, which had likewise broken it into two pieces. It is made of a flat ribbon of bronze, half an inch broad, with over-lapping ends to preserve elasticity, ornamented outside with a neatly engraved lozengy pattern, and has a span of 2⅜ inches diameter. The body appeared to have been laid on its back, with the head to the west, but the bones were so imperfect as to render this not quite certain. Wherever we dug in the barrow there were broken human bones and numerous remains of rats.
Culture, General Things, Dictionaries, English, General Words, Arras
Arras. A tapestry or wall-hanging.
On 01 Apr 1495 Cecily "Rose of Raby" Neville Duchess York (age 79) made her last will. It was proved 27 Aug 1495.
Source: A Selection From the Wills of Eminent Persons by Camden Society (Great Britain). Published 1838. Transcribed by John Gough Nichols and John Bruce.
IN the name of allmyghty God, the blessed Trinite, fader and son and the holigost, trusting in the meanes and mediacions of oure blessed Lady Moder, of oure most blessed Saviour Jh'u Crist, and by the intercession of holy Saint John Baptist, and all the saintes of heven: I, CECILLE, wife unto the right noble prince Richard late Duke of Yorke, fader unto the most cristen prince my Lord and son King Edward the iiij th, the first day of Aprill the yere of our Lord M.CCCC.lxxxxv. after the computacion of the Church of Englond, of hole mynde and body, loving therfore be it to Jh'u, make and ordeigne my testament in fourme and maner ensuyng.
Furst, I bequeath and surrendour my soule in to the mercifull handes of allmyghty God my maker, and in to protecion of the blessed yrgin our lady Saint Mary, and suffrage of Saint John Baptist, and of all other saintes of heven. Also my body to be buried beside the body of my moost entierly best beloved Lord and housbond, fader unto my said lorde and son, and in his tumbe within the collegiate church of Fodringhay [Map], a if myn executours by the sufferaunce of the King (age 38) finde goode sufficient therto; and elles at the Kinges pleasure. And I will that after my deceasse all my dettes sufficiently appering and proved be paid, thanking oure Lord at this tyme of making of this my testament to the knolege of my conscience I am not muche in dett; and if it happen, as I trust to God it shalnot, that there be not found sufficient money aswell to pay my dettes as to enture my body, than in advoiding such charges as myght growe for the same, the whiche God defende, I lymytte and assigne all such parcelles of plate as belongith to my chapell, pantry, cellour, ewry, and squillery, to the perfourmyng of the same, as apperith in the inventary, except such plate as I have bequeithed. Also I geve and bequeith to the Kinges noble grace all such money as is owing to me of the customes, and two cuppes of gold.
Also I geve and bequeith to the Quene (age 29) a crosse croslette of diamantes, a sawter with claspes of silver and guilte enameled covered with grene clothe of golde, and a pix with the fleshe of Saint Cristofer.
Also I bequeith to my lady the Kinges moder (age 51) a portuos with claspes of gold covered with blacke cloth of golde.
Also I geve to my lord Prince (age 8) a bedde of arres of the Whele of Fortune and testour of the same, a counterpoint of arras and a tappett of arres with the pope.
Also I geve to my lord Henry Duke of Yorke (age 3) b three tappettes of arres, oon of them of the life of Saint John Baptist, another of Mary Maudeleyn, and the thirde of the passion of our Lord and Saint George.
And if my body be buried at Fodringhay [Map] in the colege there with my most entierly best beloved lord and housbond, than I geve to the said colege a square canapie of crymeson clothe of gold with iiij. staves, twoo auter clothes of crymeson clothe of gold, twoo copes of crymeson cloth of gold, a chesibull and twoo tenucles of cryinyson clothe of golcrvith iij. abes, c twoo auter clothes of crymeson damask browdered, a chesibull, twoo tenucles, and iij. copes of blewe velwett brodered, with iij. abes, thre masse bokes, thre grayles, and vij. processioners.
Also I geve to the colege of Stoke Clare [Map] a chesibull and twoo tenucles of playn crymyson cloth of gold with iij. abes, twoo auter clothes, a chesibull, twoo tenucles, and fyve coopes of white damaske browdered, with iij. abes, twoo awter clothes of crymeson velwett upon the velwete (sic), a vestement of crymeson playne velvet, iiij. antiphoners, iiij. grayles, and sixe processioners.
Also I geve to the house of Sion [Map] two of the best coopes of crymyson clothe of gold.
Note. These next four people refer to her grand-daughters, children of Edward IV.
Also I geve to my doughter Brigitte (age 14) the boke of Legenda Aurea in velem, a boke of the life of Saint Kateryn of Sene, a boke of Saint Matilde.
Also I geve to my doughter Cecill (age 26) a portuous with claspes silver and gilte covered with purple velvet, and a grete portuous without note.
Also I geve to my doughter Anne (age 19) the largest bedde of bawdekyn, withe countrepoint of the same, the barge with bailies, tilde, and ores belonging to the same.
Also I geve to my doughter Kateryn (age 15) a traves of blewe satten.
Also I geve to my doughter of Suffolke (age 50) a the chare with the coveryng, all the quoshons, horses, and harneys belonging to the same, and all my palfreys.
Note. The next people are her grand-children, children of her daughter Elizabeth York Duchess Suffolk.
Also I geve to my son of Suffolke (age 24) b a clothe of estate and iij. quoschons of purpull damaske cloth of gold.
Also I geve to my son Humfrey (age 20) c two awter clothes of blewe damaske brawdered and a vestyment of crymeson satten for Jh'us masse.
Also I geve to my son William (age 17) d a traves of white sarcenet, twoo beddes of downe, and twoo bolsters to the same.
Also I geve to my doughter Anne priores of Sion, a boke of Bonaventure and Hilton in the same in Englishe, and a boke of the Revelacions of Saint Burgitte.
Also I woll that all my plate not bequeithed be sold, and the money thereof be putte to the use of my burying, that is to sey, in discharging of suche costes and expensis as shalbe for carying of my body from the castell of Barkehampstede [Map] unto the colege of Fodringhey [Map]. And if any of the said plate be lefte unexpended I woll the said colege have it.
Also I geve to the colege of saint Antonies in London an antiphoner with the ruelles of musik in the later ynd.
Also I geve unto Master Richard Lessy all suche money as is owing unto me by obligations what soever they be, and also all such money as is owing unto me by the Shirfe of Yorkeshire, to helpe to bere his charges which he has to pay to the Kinges grace, trusting he shall the rather nyghe the said dettes by the help and socour of his said grace.
Also I geve to Master William Croxston a chesibull, stoles, and fanons of blake velwett, with an abe.
Also I geve to Master Richard Henmershe a chesibill, stoles, and fanons of crymyson damaske, with an abe; and a chesibill, stoles and fanons of crymeson saten, with an abe.
Also I geve to Sir John More a frontell of purpull cloth of gold, a legend boke, and a colett boke.
Also I give to Sir Kandall Brantingham a chesibill, stoles, and fanons of white damaske, orfreys of crymson velvet, with an abe, the better of bothe.
Also I geve to Sir William Grave a chesibill, stoles, and fanons of white damaske, orfreys of crymeson velvett, with an abe; a masse-boke that servith for the closett, a prymour with claspes silver and gilt, covered with blewe velvett, and a sawter that servith for the closett covered with white ledder.
Also I geve to Sir John Blotte a gospell boke, a pistill covered with ledder, and a case for a corporax of grene playne velvett. Also I geve to Sir Thomas Clerk a chesibill, twoo tenucles, stoles, fanons, of rede bawdeken, with iij. abes.
Also I geve to Sir William Tiler twoo coopes of rede bawdekyn.
Also I geve to Robert Claver iij. copes of white damaske brawdered, and a gowne of the Duchie b facion of playne blake velvett furred with ermyns.
Also I geve to John Bury twoo old copes of crymysyn satten cloth of gold, a frontell of white bawdekyn, twoo curteyns of rede sarcenett fringed, twoo curteyns of whit sarcenet fringed, a feder bed, a bolstour to the same, the best of feders, and two whit spervers of lynyn.
Also I geve to John Poule twoo auter clothes, a chesibull, twoo tenucles, stoles, and fanons of white bawdekyn, with iij. abes; a short gowne of purple playne velvett furred with ermyns, the better of ij. and a kirtill of damaske with andelettes of silver and gilt furred.
Also I geve to John Smyth twoo auter clothes, a chesibill, twoo tenucles, stoles, and fanons of blew bawdekyn, with iij. abes. Also I geve to John Bury twoo copes of crymysyn clothe of gold that servith for Sondays.
Also I geve to John Walter a case for corporax of purple playne velvett, twoo cases for corporax of blewe bawdekyn, twoo auter clothes, a chesibill of rede and grene bawdekyn, a canapie of white sarcenett, iij. abes for children, and iiij. pair of parrours of white bawdekyn, twoo pair parrours of crymsyn velvett, twoo pair parrours of rede bawdekyn, a housling towell that servith for my selfe, twoo corteyns of blewe sarcenett fringed, a sudory of crymy-syn and white, the egges blak, a crose cloth and a cloth of Saint John Baptist of sarcenett painted, a long lantorn, a dext standing doble, twoo grete stondardes and ij. litill cofers.
Also I geve to John Peit-wynne twoo vestimentes of white damaske, a white bedde of lynnyn, a federbedde and a bolstour, and a short gowne of purple playne velvet furred with sabilles. Also I geve to Thomas Lentall six auter clothes of white sarcenett, with crosses of crymsyn velvet.
Also I geve to John Long iij. peces of bawdekyn of the lengur sorte. Also I geve to Sir [John] Verney knighte and Margarett his wiffe a a crosse [of] silver and guilte and berall, and in the same a pece of the holy crosse and other diverse reliques.
Also I geve to Dame Jane Pesemershe, widue, myne Inne that is called the George in Grauntham, during terme of her life; and after her decesse I woll that the reversion therof be unto the college of Fodringhay [Map] for evermore, to find a prest to pray for my Lord my housbond and me.
Also I geve to Nicholas Talbott and Jane his wife a spone of gold with a sharp diamount in the ende, a dymy-sent of gold with a collumbine and a diamont in the same, a guirdill of blewe tissue harnessed with gold, a guirdill of gold with a bokull and a pendaunt and iiij. barres of gold, a hoke of gold with iij. roses, a pomeamber of gold garnesshed with a diamont, sex rubies and sex perles, and the surnap and towell to the same.
Also I geve to Richard Boyvile and Gresild his wife my charrett and the horses with the harnes that belongith therunto, a gowne with a dymy trayn of purpull saten furred with ermyns, a shorte gowne of purple saten furred with jennetes, a kirtill of white damaske with aunde lettes silver and gilte, a spone of gold, a dymysynt of gold with a columbyne garnesshed with a diainant, a saphour, an amatist, and viij. perles, a pomeamber of gold enameled, a litell boxe with a cover of gold and a diamant in the toppe.
Also I geve to Richard Brocas and Jane his wife a long gown of purpull velvett upon velvet furred with ermyns, a greate Agnus of gold with the Trinite, Saint Erasmus, and the Salutacion of our Lady; an Agnus of gold with our Lady and Saint Barbara; a litell goblett with a cover silver and part guild; a pair of bedes of white amber gauded with vj. grete stones of gold, part aneled, with a pair of bedes of x. stones of gold and v. of corall; a cofor with a rounde lidde bonde with iron, which the said Jane hath in her keping, and all other thinges that she hath in charge of keping.
Also I geve to Anne Pinchbeke all other myne Agnus unbequeithed, that is to sey, ten of the Trinite, a litell malmesey pott with a cover silver and parte guilte, a possenett with a cover of silver, a short gowne of playne russett velvett furred with sabilles, a short gowne of playne blewe velvett furred with sabilles, a short gowne of purple playn velvet furred with grey, a tester, a siler, and a countrepoint of bawdekyn, the lesser of ij.
Also I geve to Jane Lessy a dymysent of gold with a roos, garnisshed with twoo rubies, a guirdell of purple tissue with a broken bokull, and a broken pendaunt silver and guilte, a guirdill of white riband with twoo claspes of gold with a columbyne, a guirdell of blewe riband with a bokell and a pendaunt of gold, a litell pair of bedes of white amber gaudied with vij. stones of gold, an haliwater stope with a strynkkill silver and gilte, and a laier silver and part guilte.
Also I geve to John Metcalfe and Alice his wife all the ringes that I have, except such as hang by my bedes and Agnus, and also except my signet, a litell boxe of golde with a cover of golde, a pair of bedes of Ixj. rounde stones of golde gaudied with sex square stones of golde enemeled, with a crosse of golde, twoo other stones, and a scalop shele of geete honging by.
Also I geve to Anne Lownde a litell bokull and a litell pendaunt of golde for a guirdill, a litell guirdell of golde and silke with a bokill and a pendaunt of golde, a guirdell of white riband with aggelettes of golde enameled, a hoke of golde playne, a broken hoke of golde enameled, and a litell rounde bottumed basyn of silver.
Also I geve to the house of Asshe-rugge a chesibull and ij. tenucles of crymysyn damaske embrawdered, with thre abes.
Also I geve to the house of Saint Margaretes twoo auter clothes with a crucifix and a vestiment of grete velvet.
Also I geve to the parish church of Stoundon a coope of blewe bawdekyn, the orffreys embrawdered.
Also I geve to the parishe church of Much Barkehampstede a coope of blewe bawdekyn, the orffreys embrawdered.
Also I geve to the parish church of Compton by sides Guilford a eorporax case of blake cloth of gold and iiij. auter clothes of white sarcenett embrawdered with garters.
Also I geve to Alisaunder Cressener my best bedde of downe and a bolster to the same.
Also I geve to Sir Henry Haidon knyght a tablett and a cristall garnesshed with ix. stones and xxvij. perles, lacking a stone and iij. perles.
Also I geve to Gervase Cressy a long gown of playn blewe velvet furred with sabilles.
Also I geve to Edward Delahay twoo gownes of musterdevilers furred with mynckes, and iiij u of money.
Also I geve to Thomas Manory a short gowne of crymesyn playn velvet lyned, purfilled with blake velvet, and iiij ll in money.
Also I geve to John Broune all such stuf as belongith to the kechyn in his keping at my place at Baynardcastell in London, and iiij u in money.
Also I geve to William Whitington a short gown of russett cloth furred with matrons and calabour wombes, a kirtill of purpull silke chamblett with awndelettes silver and gilte, all such floures of brawdery werke and the cofer that they be kept in, and xls. in money.
Also I geve to all other gentilmen that be daily a waiting in my houshold with Mr. Richard Cressy and Robert Lichingham everich of theime iiij u in money.
Also I geve to every yoman that be daily ad waiting in my houshold with John Otley xls. in money.
Also I geve to every grome of myne xxvj s. viij d. in money. And to every page of myne xiij s. iiij d. in money.
Also I geve to Robert Harison xls. in money and all the gootes.
And if ther be no money founde in my cofers to perfourme this my will and bequest, than I will that myne executours, that is to sey the reverend fader in God Master Olyver King bisshop of Bath (age 63), Sir Reignolde Bray (age 55) knight, Sir Thomas Lovell, councellours to the Kinges grace, Master William Pikinham doctour in degrees dean of the colege of Stoke Clare, Master William Felde master of the colege of Fodringhey, and Master Richard Lessy dean of my chapell, havyng God in reverence and drede, unto whome I geve full power and auctorite to execute this my will and testament, make money of such goodes as I have not geven and bequeithed, and with the same to content my dettes and perfourme this my will and testament.
And the foresaid reverend fader in God, Sir Rignold Bray knyght, Sir Thomas Lovell knyght, Master William Pikenham, and Master William Felde, to be rewarded of suche thinges as shalbe delivered unto theme by my commaundement by the hondes of Sir Henry Haidon knyght stieward of my houshold and Master Richard Lessy, humbly beseching the Kinges habundant grace in whome is my singuler trust to name such supervisour as shalbe willing and favorabull diligently to se that this my present testament and will be perfittely executed and perfourmyd, gevyng full power also to my said executours to levey and receyve all my dettes due and owing unto me at the day of my dethe, as well of my receyvours as of all other officers, except such dettes as I have geven and bequeathed unto Master Richard Lessy aforesaid, as is above specified in this present will and testament.
And if that Master Richard Lessy cannot recover such money as I have geven to hym of the Shirffes of Yorkeshire and of my obligacions, than I will he be recompensed of the revenues of my landes to the sume of v c. marcs at the leest.
IN WITTENESSE HEROF I have setto my signet and signemanuell at my castell of Berkehamstede [Map] the last day of May the yere of our Lord abovesaid, being present Master Richard Lessy, Sir William Grant my confessour, Richard Brocas clerc of my kechyn, and Gervays Cressy. Proved at "Lamehithe" the 27 th day of August, A.D. 1495, and commission granted to Master Richard Lessy the executor in the said will mentioned to administer, &c. &c.
Henry Machyn's Diary. 25 Mar 1556. The xxv day of Marche was owre Lady day, the Annunsyasyon, at Bow chyrche in London was hangyd with cloth of gold, and with ryche hares [arras] and cossens for the commyng of my lord cardenall Polle (age 56); ther dyd the bysshope of Vosseter dyd synge he masse mytyred; and ther wher dyver bysshopes, as the bysshope of Ely (age 50), bysshope of London (age 56), and bysshope of Lynkkolne (age 46), and the yerle of Penbroke (age 55), and ser Edward Hastynges (age 35), the master of horsse, and dyvers odur nobuls, and after masse done to my lord (unfinished).
Henry Machyn's Diary. 05 Oct 1559. [The] v day of October cam to [London by Ald]gatt the prynse of Sweythen (age 25), and [so to Leadenhall], and done [down] Gracyous-strett [Map] corner in a howse stod [the lord] marques of Northamtun (age 47) and my lord Ambros Dudley (age 29) [and other gentlemen and] lades; and my lord of Oxford (age 43) browth (him) from Col[chester] [Map] and my lord Robart Dudley (age 27), the master of the quen('s) horse; and trumpettes bloyng in dyvers places; and thay had [a great] nombur of gentyllmen ryd with cheynes a-for them, and after them a ij C [200] of yomen rydyng, and so rydyng over the bryge unto the bysshope of Wynchastur plasse [Map], for [it] was rychely hangyd with ryche cloth of arres, wrought with gold and sylver and sylke, and ther he remanyth.
Evelyn's Diary. 08 Oct 1641. Being the morning I came away, I went to see the Prince's Court, an ancient, confused building, not much unlike the Hofft, at the Hague: there is here likewise a very large Hall, where they vend all sorts of wares. Through this we passed by the chapel, which is indeed rarely arched, and in the middle of it was the hearse, or catafalco, of the late Archduchess, the wise and pious Clara Eugenia. Out of this we were conducted to the lodgings, tapestried with incomparable arras, and adorned with many excellent pieces of Rubens, old and young Breugel, Titian, and Stenwick, with stories of most of the late actions in the Netherlands.
Evelyn's Diary. 14 Sep 1644. We took post for Richelieu, passing by l'Isle Bouchard, a village in the way. The next day, we arrived, and went to see the Cardinal's Palace, near it. The town is built in a low, marshy ground, having a narrow river cut by hand, very even and straight, capable of bringing up a small vessel. It consists of only one considerable street, the houses on both sides (as indeed throughout the town) built exactly uniform, after a modern handsome design. It has a large goodly market house and place, opposite to which is the church built of freestone, having two pyramids of stone, which stand hollow from the towers. The church is well built, and of a well-ordered architecture, within handsomely paved and adorned. To this place belongs an Academy, where, besides the exercise of the horse, arms, dancing, etc., all the sciences are taught in the vulgar French by Professors stipendiated by the great Cardinal, who by this, the cheap living there, and divers privileges, not only designed the improvement of the vulgar language, but to draw people and strangers to the town; but since the Cardinal's death, it is thinly inhabited; standing so much out of the way, and in a place not well situated for health, or pleasure. He was allured to build by the name of the place, and an old house there belonging to his ancestors. This pretty town is handsomely walled about and moated, with a kind of slight fortification, two fair gates and drawbridges. Before the gate, toward the palace, is a spacious circle, where the fair is annually kept. About a flight-shot from the town is the Cardinal's house, a princely pile, though on an old design, not altogether Gothic, but mixed, and environed by a clear moat. The rooms are stately, most richly furnished with tissue, damask, arras, and velvet, pictures, statues, vases, and all sorts of antiquities, especially the Cæsars, in oriental alabaster. The long gallery is painted with the famous acts of the Founder; the roof with the life of Julius Cæsar; at the end of it is a cupola, or singing theatre, supported by very stately pillars of black marble. The chapel anciently belonged to the family of the Founder. The court is very ample. The gardens without are very large, and the parterres of excellent embroidery, set with many statues of brass and marble; the groves, meadows, and walks are a real Paradise.
A storm was coming, but the winds were still,
And in the wild woods of Broceliande,
Before an oak, so hollow, huge and old
It looked a tower of ivied masonwork,
At Merlin's feet the wily Vivien lay.
For he that always bare in bitter grudge
The slights of Arthur and his Table, Mark
The Cornish King, had heard a wandering voice,
A minstrel of Caerleon by strong storm
Blown into shelter at Tintagil, say
That out of naked knightlike purity
Sir Lancelot worshipt no unmarried girl
But the great Queen herself, fought in her name,
Sware by her-vows like theirs, that high in heaven
Love most, but neither marry, nor are given
In marriage, angels of our Lord's report.
He ceased, and then-for Vivien sweetly said
(She sat beside the banquet nearest Mark),
"And is the fair example followed, Sir,
In Arthur's household?"-answered innocently:
"Ay, by some few-ay, truly-youths that hold
It more beseems the perfect virgin knight
To worship woman as true wife beyond
All hopes of gaining, than as maiden girl.
They place their pride in Lancelot and the Queen.
So passionate for an utter purity
Beyond the limit of their bond, are these,
For Arthur bound them not to singleness.
Brave hearts and clean! and yet-God guide them-young."
Then Mark was half in heart to hurl his cup
Straight at the speaker, but forbore: he rose
To leave the hall, and, Vivien following him,
Turned to her. "Here are snakes within the grass;
And you methinks, O Vivien, save ye fear
The monkish manhood, and the mask of pure
Worn by this court, can stir them till they sting."
And Vivien answered, smiling scornfully,
"Why fear? because that fostered at thy court
I savour of thy-virtues? fear them? no.
As Love, if Love is perfect, casts out fear,
So Hate, if Hate is perfect, casts out fear.
My father died in battle against the King,
My mother on his corpse in open field;
She bore me there, for born from death was I
Among the dead and sown upon the wind-
And then on thee! and shown the truth betimes,
That old true filth, and bottom of the well
Where Truth is hidden. Gracious lessons thine
And maxims of the mud! 'This Arthur pure!
Great Nature through the flesh herself hath made
Gives him the lie! There is no being pure,
My cherub; saith not Holy Writ the same?'-
If I were Arthur, I would have thy blood.
Thy blessing, stainless King! I bring thee back,
When I have ferreted out their burrowings,
The hearts of all this Order in mine hand-
Ay-so that fate and craft and folly close,
Perchance, one curl of Arthur's golden beard.
To me this narrow grizzled fork of thine
Is cleaner-fashioned-Well, I loved thee first,
That warps the wit."
Loud laughed the graceless Mark,
But Vivien, into Camelot stealing, lodged
Low in the city, and on a festal day
When Guinevere was crossing the great hall
Cast herself down, knelt to the Queen, and wailed.
"Why kneel ye there? What evil hath ye wrought?
Rise!" and the damsel bidden rise arose
And stood with folded hands and downward eyes
Of glancing corner, and all meekly said,
"None wrought, but suffered much, an orphan maid!
My father died in battle for thy King,
My mother on his corpse-in open field,
The sad sea-sounding wastes of Lyonnesse-
Poor wretch-no friend!-and now by Mark the King
For that small charm of feature mine, pursued-
If any such be mine-I fly to thee.
Save, save me thou-Woman of women-thine
The wreath of beauty, thine the crown of power,
Be thine the balm of pity, O Heaven's own white
Earth-angel, stainless bride of stainless King-
Help, for he follows! take me to thyself!
O yield me shelter for mine innocency
Among thy maidens!
Here her slow sweet eyes
Fear-tremulous, but humbly hopeful, rose
Fixt on her hearer's, while the Queen who stood
All glittering like May sunshine on May leaves
In green and gold, and plumed with green replied,
"Peace, child! of overpraise and overblame
We choose the last. Our noble Arthur, him
Ye scarce can overpraise, will hear and know.
Nay-we believe all evil of thy Mark-
Well, we shall test thee farther; but this hour
We ride a-hawking with Sir Lancelot.
He hath given us a fair falcon which he trained;
We go to prove it. Bide ye here the while."
She past; and Vivien murmured after "Go!
I bide the while." Then through the portal-arch
Peering askance, and muttering broken-wise,
As one that labours with an evil dream,
Beheld the Queen and Lancelot get to horse.
"Is that the Lancelot? goodly-ay, but gaunt:
Courteous-amends for gauntness-takes her hand-
That glance of theirs, but for the street, had been
A clinging kiss-how hand lingers in hand!
Let go at last!-they ride away-to hawk
For waterfowl. Royaller game is mine.
For such a supersensual sensual bond
As that gray cricket chirpt of at our hearth-
Touch flax with flame-a glance will serve-the liars!
Ah little rat that borest in the dyke
Thy hole by night to let the boundless deep
Down upon far-off cities while they dance-
Or dream-of thee they dreamed not-nor of me
These-ay, but each of either: ride, and dream
The mortal dream that never yet was mine-
Ride, ride and dream until ye wake-to me!
Then, narrow court and lubber King, farewell!
For Lancelot will be gracious to the rat,
And our wise Queen, if knowing that I know,
Will hate, loathe, fear-but honour me the more."
Yet while they rode together down the plain,
Their talk was all of training, terms of art,
Diet and seeling, jesses, leash and lure.
"She is too noble" he said "to check at pies,
Nor will she rake: there is no baseness in her."
Here when the Queen demanded as by chance
"Know ye the stranger woman?. "Let her be,"
Said Lancelot and unhooded casting off
The goodly falcon free; she towered; her bells,
Tone under tone, shrilled; and they lifted up
Their eager faces, wondering at the strength,
Boldness and royal knighthood of the bird
Who pounced her quarry and slew it. Many a time
As once-of old-among the flowers-they rode.
But Vivien half-forgotten of the Queen
Among her damsels broidering sat, heard, watched
And whispered: through the peaceful court she crept
And whispered: then as Arthur in the highest
Leavened the world, so Vivien in the lowest,
Arriving at a time of golden rest,
And sowing one ill hint from ear to ear,
While all the heathen lay at Arthur's feet,
And no quest came, but all was joust and play,
Leavened his hall. They heard and let her be.
Thereafter as an enemy that has left
Death in the living waters, and withdrawn,
The wily Vivien stole from Arthur's court.
She hated all the knights, and heard in thought
Their lavish comment when her name was named.
For once, when Arthur walking all alone,
Vext at a rumour issued from herself
Of some corruption crept among his knights,
Had met her, Vivien, being greeted fair,
Would fain have wrought upon his cloudy mood
With reverent eyes mock-loyal, shaken voice,
And fluttered adoration, and at last
With dark sweet hints of some who prized him more
Than who should prize him most; at which the King
Had gazed upon her blankly and gone by:
But one had watched, and had not held his peace:
It made the laughter of an afternoon
That Vivien should attempt the blameless King.
And after that, she set herself to gain
Him, the most famous man of all those times,
Merlin, who knew the range of all their arts,
Had built the King his havens, ships, and halls,
Was also Bard, and knew the starry heavens;
The people called him Wizard; whom at first
She played about with slight and sprightly talk,
And vivid smiles, and faintly-venomed points
Of slander, glancing here and grazing there;
And yielding to his kindlier moods, the Seer
Would watch her at her petulance, and play,
Even when they seemed unloveable, and laugh
As those that watch a kitten; thus he grew
Tolerant of what he half disdained, and she,
Perceiving that she was but half disdained,
Began to break her sports with graver fits,
Turn red or pale, would often when they met
Sigh fully, or all-silent gaze upon him
With such a fixt devotion, that the old man,
Though doubtful, felt the flattery, and at times
Would flatter his own wish in age for love,
And half believe her true: for thus at times
He wavered; but that other clung to him,
Fixt in her will, and so the seasons went.
Then fell on Merlin a great melancholy;
He walked with dreams and darkness, and he found
A doom that ever poised itself to fall,
An ever-moaning battle in the mist,
World-war of dying flesh against the life,
Death in all life and lying in all love,
The meanest having power upon the highest,
And the high purpose broken by the worm.
So leaving Arthur's court he gained the beach;
There found a little boat, and stept into it;
And Vivien followed, but he marked her not.
She took the helm and he the sail; the boat
Drave with a sudden wind across the deeps,
And touching Breton sands, they disembarked.
And then she followed Merlin all the way,
Even to the wild woods of Broceliande.
For Merlin once had told her of a charm,
The which if any wrought on anyone
With woven paces and with waving arms,
The man so wrought on ever seemed to lie
Closed in the four walls of a hollow tower,
From which was no escape for evermore;
And none could find that man for evermore,
Nor could he see but him who wrought the charm
Coming and going, and he lay as dead
And lost to life and use and name and fame.
And Vivien ever sought to work the charm
Upon the great Enchanter of the Time,
As fancying that her glory would be great
According to his greatness whom she quenched.
There lay she all her length and kissed his feet,
As if in deepest reverence and in love.
A twist of gold was round her hair; a robe
Of samite without price, that more exprest
Than hid her, clung about her lissome limbs,
In colour like the satin-shining palm
On sallows in the windy gleams of March:
And while she kissed them, crying, "Trample me,
Dear feet, that I have followed through the world,
And I will pay you worship; tread me down
And I will kiss you for it;" he was mute:
So dark a forethought rolled about his brain,
As on a dull day in an Ocean cave
The blind wave feeling round his long sea-hall
In silence: wherefore, when she lifted up
A face of sad appeal, and spake and said,
"O Merlin, do ye love me?" and again,
"O Merlin, do ye love me?" and once more,
"Great Master, do ye love me?" he was mute.
And lissome Vivien, holding by his heel,
Writhed toward him, slided up his knee and sat,
Behind his ankle twined her hollow feet
Together, curved an arm about his neck,
Clung like a snake; and letting her left hand
Droop from his mighty shoulder, as a leaf,
Made with her right a comb of pearl to part
The lists of such a board as youth gone out
Had left in ashes: then he spoke and said,
Not looking at her, "Who are wise in love
Love most, say least," and Vivien answered quick,
"I saw the little elf-god eyeless once
In Arthur's arras hall at Camelot:
But neither eyes nor tongue-O stupid child!
Yet you are wise who say it; let me think
Silence is wisdom: I am silent then,
And ask no kiss;" then adding all at once,
"And lo, I clothe myself with wisdom," drew
The vast and shaggy mantle of his beard
Across her neck and bosom to her knee,
And called herself a gilded summer fly
Caught in a great old tyrant spider's web,
Who meant to eat her up in that wild wood
Without one word. So Vivien called herself,
But rather seemed a lovely baleful star
Veiled in gray vapour; till he sadly smiled:
"To what request for what strange boon," he said,
"Are these your pretty tricks and fooleries,
O Vivien, the preamble? yet my thanks,
For these have broken up my melancholy."
And Vivien answered smiling saucily,
"What, O my Master, have ye found your voice?
I bid the stranger welcome. Thanks at last!
But yesterday you never opened lip,
Except indeed to drink: no cup had we:
In mine own lady palms I culled the spring
That gathered trickling dropwise from the cleft,
And made a pretty cup of both my hands
And offered you it kneeling: then you drank
And knew no more, nor gave me one poor word;
O no more thanks than might a goat have given
With no more sign of reverence than a beard.
And when we halted at that other well,
And I was faint to swooning, and you lay
Foot-gilt with all the blossom-dust of those
Deep meadows we had traversed, did you know
That Vivien bathed your feet before her own?
And yet no thanks: and all through this wild wood
And all this morning when I fondled you:
Boon, ay, there was a boon, one not so strange-
How had I wronged you? surely ye are wise,
But such a silence is more wise than kind."
And Merlin locked his hand in hers and said:
"O did ye never lie upon the shore,
And watch the curled white of the coming wave
Glassed in the slippery sand before it breaks?
Even such a wave, but not so pleasurable,
Dark in the glass of some presageful mood,
Had I for three days seen, ready to fall.
And then I rose and fled from Arthur's court
To break the mood. You followed me unasked;
And when I looked, and saw you following me still,
My mind involved yourself the nearest thing
In that mind-mist: for shall I tell you truth?
You seemed that wave about to break upon me
And sweep me from my hold upon the world,
My use and name and fame. Your pardon, child.
Your pretty sports have brightened all again.
And ask your boon, for boon I owe you thrice,
Once for wrong done you by confusion, next
For thanks it seems till now neglected, last
For these your dainty gambols: wherefore ask;
And take this boon so strange and not so strange."
And Vivien answered smiling mournfully:
"O not so strange as my long asking it,
Not yet so strange as you yourself are strange,
Nor half so strange as that dark mood of yours.
I ever feared ye were not wholly mine;
And see, yourself have owned ye did me wrong.
The people call you prophet: let it be:
But not of those that can expound themselves.
Take Vivien for expounder; she will call
That three-days-long presageful gloom of yours
No presage, but the same mistrustful mood
That makes you seem less noble than yourself,
Whenever I have asked this very boon,
Now asked again: for see you not, dear love,
That such a mood as that, which lately gloomed
Your fancy when ye saw me following you,
Must make me fear still more you are not mine,
Must make me yearn still more to prove you mine,
And make me wish still more to learn this charm
Of woven paces and of waving hands,
As proof of trust. O Merlin, teach it me.
The charm so taught will charm us both to rest.
For, grant me some slight power upon your fate,
I, feeling that you felt me worthy trust,
Should rest and let you rest, knowing you mine.
And therefore be as great as ye are named,
Not muffled round with selfish reticence.
How hard you look and how denyingly!
O, if you think this wickedness in me,
That I should prove it on you unawares,
That makes me passing wrathful; then our bond
Had best be loosed for ever: but think or not,
By Heaven that hears I tell you the clean truth,
As clean as blood of babes, as white as milk:
O Merlin, may this earth, if ever I,
If these unwitty wandering wits of mine,
Even in the jumbled rubbish of a dream,
Have tript on such conjectural treachery-
May this hard earth cleave to the Nadir hell
Down, down, and close again, and nip me flat,
If I be such a traitress. Yield my boon,
Till which I scarce can yield you all I am;
And grant my re-reiterated wish,
The great proof of your love: because I think,
However wise, ye hardly know me yet."
And Merlin loosed his hand from hers and said,
"I never was less wise, however wise,
Too curious Vivien, though you talk of trust,
Than when I told you first of such a charm.
Yea, if ye talk of trust I tell you this,
Too much I trusted when I told you that,
And stirred this vice in you which ruined man
Through woman the first hour; for howsoe'er
In children a great curiousness be well,
Who have to learn themselves and all the world,
In you, that are no child, for still I find
Your face is practised when I spell the lines,
I call it,-well, I will not call it vice:
But since you name yourself the summer fly,
I well could wish a cobweb for the gnat,
That settles, beaten back, and beaten back
Settles, till one could yield for weariness:
But since I will not yield to give you power
Upon my life and use and name and fame,
Why will ye never ask some other boon?
Yea, by God's rood, I trusted you too much."
And Vivien, like the tenderest-hearted maid
That ever bided tryst at village stile,
Made answer, either eyelid wet with tears:
"Nay, Master, be not wrathful with your maid;
Caress her: let her feel herself forgiven
Who feels no heart to ask another boon.
I think ye hardly know the tender rhyme
Of 'trust me not at all or all in all.'
I heard the great Sir Lancelot sing it once,
And it shall answer for me. Listen to it.
'In Love, if Love be Love, if Love be ours,
Faith and unfaith can ne'er be equal powers:
Unfaith in aught is want of faith in all.
'It is the little rift within the lute,
That by and by will make the music mute,
And ever widening slowly silence all.
'The little rift within the lover's lute
Or little pitted speck in garnered fruit,
That rotting inward slowly moulders all.
'It is not worth the keeping: let it go:
But shall it? answer, darling, answer, no.
And trust me not at all or all in all.'
O Master, do ye love my tender rhyme?"
And Merlin looked and half believed her true,
So tender was her voice, so fair her face,
So sweetly gleamed her eyes behind her tears
Like sunlight on the plain behind a shower:
And yet he answered half indignantly:
"Far other was the song that once I heard
By this huge oak, sung nearly where we sit:
For here we met, some ten or twelve of us,
To chase a creature that was current then
In these wild woods, the hart with golden horns.
It was the time when first the question rose
About the founding of a Table Round,
That was to be, for love of God and men
And noble deeds, the flower of all the world.
And each incited each to noble deeds.
And while we waited, one, the youngest of us,
We could not keep him silent, out he flashed,
And into such a song, such fire for fame,
Such trumpet-glowings in it, coming down
To such a stern and iron-clashing close,
That when he stopt we longed to hurl together,
And should have done it; but the beauteous beast
Scared by the noise upstarted at our feet,
And like a silver shadow slipt away
Through the dim land; and all day long we rode
Through the dim land against a rushing wind,
That glorious roundel echoing in our ears,
And chased the flashes of his golden horns
Till they vanished by the fairy well
That laughs at iron-as our warriors did-
Where children cast their pins and nails, and cry,
'Laugh, little well!' but touch it with a sword,
It buzzes fiercely round the point; and there
We lost him: such a noble song was that.
But, Vivien, when you sang me that sweet rhyme,
I felt as though you knew this cursed charm,
Were proving it on me, and that I lay
And felt them slowly ebbing, name and fame."
And Vivien answered smiling mournfully:
"O mine have ebbed away for evermore,
And all through following you to this wild wood,
Because I saw you sad, to comfort you.
Lo now, what hearts have men! they never mount
As high as woman in her selfless mood.
And touching fame, howe'er ye scorn my song,
Take one verse more-the lady speaks it-this:
"'My name, once mine, now thine, is closelier mine,
For fame, could fame be mine, that fame were thine,
And shame, could shame be thine, that shame were mine.
So trust me not at all or all in all.'
"Says she not well? and there is more-this rhyme
Is like the fair pearl-necklace of the Queen,
That burst in dancing, and the pearls were spilt;
Some lost, some stolen, some as relics kept.
But nevermore the same two sister pearls
Ran down the silken thread to kiss each other
On her white neck-so is it with this rhyme:
It lives dispersedly in many hands,
And every minstrel sings it differently;
Yet is there one true line, the pearl of pearls:
'Man dreams of Fame while woman wakes to love.'
Yea! Love, though Love were of the grossest, carves
A portion from the solid present, eats
And uses, careless of the rest; but Fame,
The Fame that follows death is nothing to us;
And what is Fame in life but half-disfame,
And counterchanged with darkness? ye yourself
Know well that Envy calls you Devil's son,
And since ye seem the Master of all Art,
They fain would make you Master of all vice."
And Merlin locked his hand in hers and said,
"I once was looking for a magic weed,
And found a fair young squire who sat alone,
Had carved himself a knightly shield of wood,
And then was painting on it fancied arms,
Azure, an Eagle rising or, the Sun
In dexter chief; the scroll 'I follow fame.'
And speaking not, but leaning over him
I took his brush and blotted out the bird,
And made a Gardener putting in a graff,
With this for motto, 'Rather use than fame.'
You should have seen him blush; but afterwards
He made a stalwart knight. O Vivien,
For you, methinks you think you love me well;
For me, I love you somewhat; rest: and Love
Should have some rest and pleasure in himself,
Not ever be too curious for a boon,
Too prurient for a proof against the grain
Of him ye say ye love: but Fame with men,
Being but ampler means to serve mankind,
Should have small rest or pleasure in herself,
But work as vassal to the larger love,
That dwarfs the petty love of one to one.
Use gave me Fame at first, and Fame again
Increasing gave me use. Lo, there my boon!
What other? for men sought to prove me vile,
Because I fain had given them greater wits:
And then did Envy call me Devil's son:
The sick weak beast seeking to help herself
By striking at her better, missed, and brought
Her own claw back, and wounded her own heart.
Sweet were the days when I was all unknown,
But when my name was lifted up, the storm
Brake on the mountain and I cared not for it.
Right well know I that Fame is half-disfame,
Yet needs must work my work. That other fame,
To one at least, who hath not children, vague,
The cackle of the unborn about the grave,
I cared not for it: a single misty star,
Which is the second in a line of stars
That seem a sword beneath a belt of three,
I never gazed upon it but I dreamt
Of some vast charm concluded in that star
To make fame nothing. Wherefore, if I fear,
Giving you power upon me through this charm,
That you might play me falsely, having power,
However well ye think ye love me now
(As sons of kings loving in pupilage
Have turned to tyrants when they came to power)
I rather dread the loss of use than fame;
If you-and not so much from wickedness,
As some wild turn of anger, or a mood
Of overstrained affection, it may be,
To keep me all to your own self,-or else
A sudden spurt of woman's jealousy,-
Should try this charm on whom ye say ye love."
And Vivien answered smiling as in wrath:
"Have I not sworn? I am not trusted. Good!
Well, hide it, hide it; I shall find it out;
And being found take heed of Vivien.
A woman and not trusted, doubtless I
Might feel some sudden turn of anger born
Of your misfaith; and your fine epithet
Is accurate too, for this full love of mine
Without the full heart back may merit well
Your term of overstrained. So used as I,
My daily wonder is, I love at all.
And as to woman's jealousy, O why not?
O to what end, except a jealous one,
And one to make me jealous if I love,
Was this fair charm invented by yourself?
I well believe that all about this world
Ye cage a buxom captive here and there,
Closed in the four walls of a hollow tower
From which is no escape for evermore."
Then the great Master merrily answered her:
"Full many a love in loving youth was mine;
I needed then no charm to keep them mine
But youth and love; and that full heart of yours
Whereof ye prattle, may now assure you mine;
So live uncharmed. For those who wrought it first,
The wrist is parted from the hand that waved,
The feet unmortised from their ankle-bones
Who paced it, ages back: but will ye hear
The legend as in guerdon for your rhyme?
"There lived a king in the most Eastern East,
Less old than I, yet older, for my blood
Hath earnest in it of far springs to be.
A tawny pirate anchored in his port,
Whose bark had plundered twenty nameless isles;
And passing one, at the high peep of dawn,
He saw two cities in a thousand boats
All fighting for a woman on the sea.
And pushing his black craft among them all,
He lightly scattered theirs and brought her off,
With loss of half his people arrow-slain;
A maid so smooth, so white, so wonderful,
They said a light came from her when she moved:
And since the pirate would not yield her up,
The King impaled him for his piracy;
Then made her Queen: but those isle-nurtured eyes
Waged such unwilling though successful war
On all the youth, they sickened; councils thinned,
And armies waned, for magnet-like she drew
The rustiest iron of old fighters' hearts;
And beasts themselves would worship; camels knelt
Unbidden, and the brutes of mountain back
That carry kings in castles, bowed black knees
Of homage, ringing with their serpent hands,
To make her smile, her golden ankle-bells.
What wonder, being jealous, that he sent
His horns of proclamation out through all
The hundred under-kingdoms that he swayed
To find a wizard who might teach the King
Some charm, which being wrought upon the Queen
Might keep her all his own: to such a one
He promised more than ever king has given,
A league of mountain full of golden mines,
A province with a hundred miles of coast,
A palace and a princess, all for him:
But on all those who tried and failed, the King
Pronounced a dismal sentence, meaning by it
To keep the list low and pretenders back,
Or like a king, not to be trifled with-
Their heads should moulder on the city gates.
And many tried and failed, because the charm
Of nature in her overbore their own:
And many a wizard brow bleached on the walls:
And many weeks a troop of carrion crows
Hung like a cloud above the gateway towers."
And Vivien breaking in upon him, said:
"I sit and gather honey; yet, methinks,
Thy tongue has tript a little: ask thyself.
The lady never made unwilling war
With those fine eyes: she had her pleasure in it,
And made her good man jealous with good cause.
And lived there neither dame nor damsel then
Wroth at a lover's loss? were all as tame,
I mean, as noble, as the Queen was fair?
Not one to flirt a venom at her eyes,
Or pinch a murderous dust into her drink,
Or make her paler with a poisoned rose?
Well, those were not our days: but did they find
A wizard? Tell me, was he like to thee?
She ceased, and made her lithe arm round his neck
Tighten, and then drew back, and let her eyes
Speak for her, glowing on him, like a bride's
On her new lord, her own, the first of men.
He answered laughing, "Nay, not like to me.
At last they found-his foragers for charms-
A little glassy-headed hairless man,
Who lived alone in a great wild on grass;
Read but one book, and ever reading grew
So grated down and filed away with thought,
So lean his eyes were monstrous; while the skin
Clung but to crate and basket, ribs and spine.
And since he kept his mind on one sole aim,
Nor ever touched fierce wine, nor tasted flesh,
Nor owned a sensual wish, to him the wall
That sunders ghosts and shadow-casting men
Became a crystal, and he saw them through it,
And heard their voices talk behind the wall,
And learnt their elemental secrets, powers
And forces; often o'er the sun's bright eye
Drew the vast eyelid of an inky cloud,
And lashed it at the base with slanting storm;
Or in the noon of mist and driving rain,
When the lake whitened and the pinewood roared,
And the cairned mountain was a shadow, sunned
The world to peace again: here was the man.
And so by force they dragged him to the King.
And then he taught the King to charm the Queen
In such-wise, that no man could see her more,
Nor saw she save the King, who wrought the charm,
Coming and going, and she lay as dead,
And lost all use of life: but when the King
Made proffer of the league of golden mines,
The province with a hundred miles of coast,
The palace and the princess, that old man
Went back to his old wild, and lived on grass,
And vanished, and his book came down to me."
And Vivien answered smiling saucily:
"Ye have the book: the charm is written in it:
Good: take my counsel: let me know it at once:
For keep it like a puzzle chest in chest,
With each chest locked and padlocked thirty-fold,
And whelm all this beneath as vast a mound
As after furious battle turfs the slain
On some wild down above the windy deep,
I yet should strike upon a sudden means
To dig, pick, open, find and read the charm:
Then, if I tried it, who should blame me then?"
And smiling as a master smiles at one
That is not of his school, nor any school
But that where blind and naked Ignorance
Delivers brawling judgments, unashamed,
On all things all day long, he answered her:
"Thou read the book, my pretty Vivien!
O ay, it is but twenty pages long,
But every page having an ample marge,
And every marge enclosing in the midst
A square of text that looks a little blot,
The text no larger than the limbs of fleas;
And every square of text an awful charm,
Writ in a language that has long gone by.
So long, that mountains have arisen since
With cities on their flanks-thou read the book!
And ever margin scribbled, crost, and crammed
With comment, densest condensation, hard
To mind and eye; but the long sleepless nights
Of my long life have made it easy to me.
And none can read the text, not even I;
And none can read the comment but myself;
And in the comment did I find the charm.
O, the results are simple; a mere child
Might use it to the harm of anyone,
And never could undo it: ask no more:
For though you should not prove it upon me,
But keep that oath ye sware, ye might, perchance,
Assay it on some one of the Table Round,
And all because ye dream they babble of you."
And Vivien, frowning in true anger, said:
"What dare the full-fed liars say of me?
They ride abroad redressing human wrongs!
They sit with knife in meat and wine in horn!
They bound to holy vows of chastity!
Were I not woman, I could tell a tale.
But you are man, you well can understand
The shame that cannot be explained for shame.
Not one of all the drove should touch me: swine!"
Then answered Merlin careless of her words:
"You breathe but accusation vast and vague,
Spleen-born, I think, and proofless. If ye know,
Set up the charge ye know, to stand or fall!"
And Vivien answered frowning wrathfully:
"O ay, what say ye to Sir Valence, him
Whose kinsman left him watcher o'er his wife
And two fair babes, and went to distant lands;
Was one year gone, and on returning found
Not two but three? there lay the reckling, one
But one hour old! What said the happy sire?"
A seven-months' babe had been a truer gift.
Those twelve sweet moons confused his fatherhood."
Then answered Merlin, "Nay, I know the tale.
Sir Valence wedded with an outland dame:
Some cause had kept him sundered from his wife:
One child they had: it lived with her: she died:
His kinsman travelling on his own affair
Was charged by Valence to bring home the child.
He brought, not found it therefore: take the truth."
"O ay," said Vivien, "overtrue a tale.
What say ye then to sweet Sir Sagramore,
That ardent man? 'to pluck the flower in season,'
So says the song, 'I trow it is no treason.'
O Master, shall we call him overquick
To crop his own sweet rose before the hour?"
And Merlin answered, "Overquick art thou
To catch a loathly plume fallen from the wing
Of that foul bird of rapine whose whole prey
Is man's good name: he never wronged his bride.
I know the tale. An angry gust of wind
Puffed out his torch among the myriad-roomed
And many-corridored complexities
Of Arthur's palace: then he found a door,
And darkling felt the sculptured ornament
That wreathen round it made it seem his own;
And wearied out made for the couch and slept,
A stainless man beside a stainless maid;
And either slept, nor knew of other there;
Till the high dawn piercing the royal rose
In Arthur's casement glimmered chastely down,
Blushing upon them blushing, and at once
He rose without a word and parted from her:
But when the thing was blazed about the court,
The brute world howling forced them into bonds,
And as it chanced they are happy, being pure."
"O ay," said Vivien, "that were likely too.
What say ye then to fair Sir Percivale
And of the horrid foulness that he wrought,
The saintly youth, the spotless lamb of Christ,
Or some black wether of St Satan's fold.
What, in the precincts of the chapel-yard,
Among the knightly brasses of the graves,
And by the cold Hic Jacets of the dead!"
And Merlin answered careless of her charge,
"A sober man is Percivale and pure;
But once in life was flustered with new wine,
Then paced for coolness in the chapel-yard;
Where one of Satan's shepherdesses caught
And meant to stamp him with her master's mark;
And that he sinned is not believable;
For, look upon his face!-but if he sinned,
The sin that practice burns into the blood,
And not the one dark hour which brings remorse,
Will brand us, after, of whose fold we be:
Or else were he, the holy king, whose hymns
Are chanted in the minster, worse than all.
But is your spleen frothed out, or have ye more?"
And Vivien answered frowning yet in wrath:
"O ay; what say ye to Sir Lancelot, friend
Traitor or true? that commerce with the Queen,
I ask you, is it clamoured by the child,
Or whispered in the corner? do ye know it?"
To which he answered sadly, "Yea, I know it.
Sir Lancelot went ambassador, at first,
To fetch her, and she watched him from her walls.
A rumour runs, she took him for the King,
So fixt her fancy on him: let them be.
But have ye no one word of loyal praise
For Arthur, blameless King and stainless man?"
She answered with a low and chuckling laugh:
"Man! is he man at all, who knows and winks?
Sees what his fair bride is and does, and winks?
By which the good King means to blind himself,
And blinds himself and all the Table Round
To all the foulness that they work. Myself
Could call him (were it not for womanhood)
The pretty, popular cause such manhood earns,
Could call him the main cause of all their crime;
Yea, were he not crowned King, coward, and fool."
Then Merlin to his own heart, loathing, said:
"O true and tender! O my liege and King!
O selfless man and stainless gentleman,
Who wouldst against thine own eye-witness fain
Have all men true and leal, all women pure;
How, in the mouths of base interpreters,
From over-fineness not intelligible
To things with every sense as false and foul
As the poached filth that floods the middle street,
Is thy white blamelessness accounted blame!"
But Vivien, deeming Merlin overborne
By instance, recommenced, and let her tongue
Rage like a fire among the noblest names,
Polluting, and imputing her whole self,
Defaming and defacing, till she left
Not even Lancelot brave, nor Galahad clean.
Her words had issue other than she willed.
He dragged his eyebrow bushes down, and made
A snowy penthouse for his hollow eyes,
And muttered in himself, "Tell her the charm!
So, if she had it, would she rail on me
To snare the next, and if she have it not
So will she rail. What did the wanton say?
'Not mount as high;' we scarce can sink as low:
For men at most differ as Heaven and earth,
But women, worst and best, as Heaven and Hell.
I know the Table Round, my friends of old;
All brave, and many generous, and some chaste.
She cloaks the scar of some repulse with lies;
I well believe she tempted them and failed,
Being so bitter: for fine plots may fail,
Though harlots paint their talk as well as face
With colours of the heart that are not theirs.
I will not let her know: nine tithes of times
Face-flatterer and backbiter are the same.
And they, sweet soul, that most impute a crime
Are pronest to it, and impute themselves,
Wanting the mental range; or low desire
Not to feel lowest makes them level all;
Yea, they would pare the mountain to the plain,
To leave an equal baseness; and in this
Are harlots like the crowd, that if they find
Some stain or blemish in a name of note,
Not grieving that their greatest are so small,
Inflate themselves with some insane delight,
And judge all nature from her feet of clay,
Without the will to lift their eyes, and see
Her godlike head crowned with spiritual fire,
And touching other worlds. I am weary of her."
He spoke in words part heard, in whispers part,
Half-suffocated in the hoary fell
And many-wintered fleece of throat and chin.
But Vivien, gathering somewhat of his mood,
And hearing "harlot" muttered twice or thrice,
Leapt from her session on his lap, and stood
Stiff as a viper frozen; loathsome sight,
How from the rosy lips of life and love,
Flashed the bare-grinning skeleton of death!
White was her cheek; sharp breaths of anger puffed
Her fairy nostril out; her hand half-clenched
Went faltering sideways downward to her belt,
And feeling; had she found a dagger there
(For in a wink the false love turns to hate)
She would have stabbed him; but she found it not:
His eye was calm, and suddenly she took
To bitter weeping like a beaten child,
A long, long weeping, not consolable.
Then her false voice made way, broken with sobs:
"O crueller than was ever told in tale,
Or sung in song! O vainly lavished love!
O cruel, there was nothing wild or strange,
Or seeming shameful-for what shame in love,
So love be true, and not as yours is-nothing
Poor Vivien had not done to win his trust
Who called her what he called her-all her crime,
All-all-the wish to prove him wholly hers."
She mused a little, and then clapt her hands
Together with a wailing shriek, and said:
"Stabbed through the heart's affections to the heart!
Seethed like the kid in its own mother's milk!
Killed with a word worse than a life of blows!
I thought that he was gentle, being great:
O God, that I had loved a smaller man!
I should have found in him a greater heart.
O, I, that flattering my true passion, saw
The knights, the court, the King, dark in your light,
Who loved to make men darker than they are,
Because of that high pleasure which I had
To seat you sole upon my pedestal
Of worship-I am answered, and henceforth
The course of life that seemed so flowery to me
With you for guide and master, only you,
Becomes the sea-cliff pathway broken short,
And ending in a ruin-nothing left,
But into some low cave to crawl, and there,
If the wolf spare me, weep my life away,
Killed with inutterable unkindliness."
She paused, she turned away, she hung her head,
The snake of gold slid from her hair, the braid
Slipt and uncoiled itself, she wept afresh,
And the dark wood grew darker toward the storm
In silence, while his anger slowly died
Within him, till he let his wisdom go
For ease of heart, and half believed her true:
Called her to shelter in the hollow oak,
"Come from the storm," and having no reply,
Gazed at the heaving shoulder, and the face
Hand-hidden, as for utmost grief or shame;
Then thrice essayed, by tenderest-touching terms,
To sleek her ruffled peace of mind, in vain.
At last she let herself be conquered by him,
And as the cageling newly flown returns,
The seeming-injured simple-hearted thing
Came to her old perch back, and settled there.
There while she sat, half-falling from his knees,
Half-nestled at his heart, and since he saw
The slow tear creep from her closed eyelid yet,
About her, more in kindness than in love,
The gentle wizard cast a shielding arm.
But she dislinked herself at once and rose,
Her arms upon her breast across, and stood,
A virtuous gentlewoman deeply wronged,
Upright and flushed before him: then she said:
"There must now be no passages of love
Betwixt us twain henceforward evermore;
Since, if I be what I am grossly called,
What should be granted which your own gross heart
Would reckon worth the taking? I will go.
In truth, but one thing now-better have died
Thrice than have asked it once-could make me stay-
That proof of trust-so often asked in vain!
How justly, after that vile term of yours,
I find with grief! I might believe you then,
Who knows? once more. Lo! what was once to me
Mere matter of the fancy, now hath grown
The vast necessity of heart and life.
Farewell; think gently of me, for I fear
My fate or folly, passing gayer youth
For one so old, must be to love thee still.
But ere I leave thee let me swear once more
That if I schemed against thy peace in this,
May yon just heaven, that darkens o'er me, send
One flash, that, missing all things else, may make
My scheming brain a cinder, if I lie."
Scarce had she ceased, when out of heaven a bolt
(For now the storm was close above them) struck,
Furrowing a giant oak, and javelining
With darted spikes and splinters of the wood
The dark earth round. He raised his eyes and saw
The tree that shone white-listed through the gloom.
But Vivien, fearing heaven had heard her oath,
And dazzled by the livid-flickering fork,
And deafened with the stammering cracks and claps
That followed, flying back and crying out,
"O Merlin, though you do not love me, save,
Yet save me!" clung to him and hugged him close;
And called him dear protector in her fright,
Nor yet forgot her practice in her fright,
But wrought upon his mood and hugged him close.
The pale blood of the wizard at her touch
Took gayer colours, like an opal warmed.
She blamed herself for telling hearsay tales:
She shook from fear, and for her fault she wept
Of petulancy; she called him lord and liege,
Her seer, her bard, her silver star of eve,
Her God, her Merlin, the one passionate love
Of her whole life; and ever overhead
Bellowed the tempest, and the rotten branch
Snapt in the rushing of the river-rain
Above them; and in change of glare and gloom
Her eyes and neck glittering went and came;
Till now the storm, its burst of passion spent,
Moaning and calling out of other lands,
Had left the ravaged woodland yet once more
To peace; and what should not have been had been,
For Merlin, overtalked and overworn,
Had yielded, told her all the charm, and slept.
Then, in one moment, she put forth the charm
Of woven paces and of waving hands,
And in the hollow oak he lay as dead,
And lost to life and use and name and fame.
Then crying "I have made his glory mine,"
And shrieking out "O fool!" the harlot leapt
Culture, General Things, Dictionaries, English, General Words, Baudekyn
Baudekyn. Rich, silken textile. Typically used to refer to a textile of mixed silk and gold or silver thread (often made with gilded membrane filé thread) which could be embroidered or brocaded.
Archaeologia Volume 29 Section XIII. This was not the usual route from those parts of the kingdom to London. The ordinary route in those times was from Stamford by Walmesford to Huntingdon, and from thence by Royston, Puckeridge, and Cheshunt. But it was intended that the august procession should pass through a more frequented part of the country, where the Queen was well known. It was also a part of the plan to take some of the greater religious houses by the way, and to have suitable places at which to rest: hence the deviation from the direct line from Stratford to Dunstable, to take in Woburn.
We have two notices of occurrences in this solemnity. One of what passed at Dunstable, the other Walsingham's account of what was done at Saint Alban's.
They enable us to form some idea of what was done at other places where the body rested. In the Annals of Dunstableh. we read that the body rested there one night, and that there was given to the house two rich cloths of Baudekyn and fourscore pounds of wax and more, and that when the procession left Dunstable [Map] the herse remained standing "in medio Fori [in the middle of the Forum]" says the printed copy, a manifest error for "in medio Chori," meaning in the midst of the choir of the Priory-church there. I need not say that by "herse" is meant a temporary frame of wood on which the coffin was placed, covered with black cloth. The Annals further say that the herse remained standing until the Chancellor and other eminent persons came to Dunstable and marked out the place on which the Memorial Cross was to be erected. When the procession approached Saint Alban's [Map], the whole Convent "solemniter revestitus in capis [solemnly clothed on the head]" went out to meet it as far as the church of Saint Michael at the entrance of the town. The body was taken immediately to their church and placed before the high altar, and all night long the whole convent was engaged in divine offices and holy vigils. The words of Walsingham, few and simple as they are, call up a very impressive spectacle. But if this were a proper occasion to introduce any thing for which we have no special evidence, and only know that it must have existed from what we can collect of the usages of the time, and from the common principles of human nature, it would be easy to shew that this funeral procession was one of the most striking spectacles that England ever witnessed.
Culture, General Things, Dictionaries, English, General Words, Bifid
Bifid. Split or cleft; separated into two parts.
Avebury by William Stukeley. The tongue was the only active arms of the apostles, as the bifid tongue of the serpent is its only weapon; and which, as the ancients thought, carried life and death with it.
Culture, General Things, Dictionaries, English, General Words, Cacography
Cacography. Bad handwriting or spelling.
The Scarlet Tree by Osbert Sitwell Chapter 2. The Scarlet Tree. Chapter 2. Retreats upon an Ideal. Though in the next chapter I shall have to revert for a few pages to my early school-days, in order to sum up their effect, in mind and body, upon at least one boy, here we will leave the scene of them for a while. First, however, I must produce a letter, written in my third term, because it gives, despite cacography, indications of character, in others no less than in myself, and serves as a kind of preface for the chapter that follows .... Victor, to whom it makes reference, was; I must explain, my cousin, exact contemporary and, at that time, chief foe.
04 Nov 1903
Darling Mother,
I hope you are quite well. Do let me know your adres in Naples. The aples have arrived. Thank you so much.
I am better but wish I had no teeth. They are aching as hard as they can go.
Any chance of our going to Londesborough or Blankney for Christmas, do find out first if Victor will be there, because I should not enjoy it if he was. I am also afraid I shall be shy there, and that they will make a fuss if I do not taulk all day like when I was at Blankney last Christmas. Please write to me at once when you get my letter. I do miss you. - Your loving son
Osbert.
P.S. Please let me know about Blankney.
Culture, General Things, Dictionaries, English, General Words, Caltrop
Caltrop. A metal object with multiple spikes designed to injure man or horse that steps on it.
Chronicle of Gregory 1461. 17 Feb 1461. Ande at the nyght aftyr the batayle the King (age 39) blessyd his son the Prynce (age 7), and Doctor Morton (age 41) brought forthe a boke that was full of orysons, and there the boke was oppenyd, and blessyd that yong chylde cum pinguedine terre et cum rore celi1, and made him knyght. And the yong knyght weryd a payre of bregant yerys i-coveryd with purpylle velvyt i-bete with golde-smythe is worke. And the Prynce made many knyghtys. The fryste that he made was Androwe Trolloppe, for he was hurte and might not goo for a calletrappe in his fote; and he said, "My lorde, I have not deservyd hit for I slowe but xv men, for I stode stylle in oo place and they come unto me, but they bode stylle with me." And then come Whytyngam (age 32), Tresham (age 41), and many moo othyr, and were made knyghtys that same tyme.
Note 1. "with the richness of the earth and with the dew of heaven".
Culture, General Things, Dictionaries, English, General Words, Calvarium
Calvarium. The portion of a skull including the braincase and excluding the lower jaw or lower jaw and facial portion.
Bole Hill. On the 25th of May, we opened two stone cists on the site of the ruined tumulus at Bole Hill [Map], Bakewell Moor, where some remarkably elongated crania were found in 1843.
The first we examined did not appear to have been disturbed, although the skull therein discovered lay in one comer, apart from the skeleton to which it belonged. The body had been deposited in the usual contracted position upon its left side, and was surrounded by small stones, having above an artless covering of large flat slabs. The shortness and slenderness of the bones indicate the female sex, the femur being but 16½, and the tibia 13, inches long. The skull is decidedly long in the fronto-occipital diameter, but from the fulness of the parietal prominences this peculiarity is not so obvious at a first glance as in other crania from the same mound. The obliteration of the sutures, taken in connection with the general smoothness of the calvarium, and the abraded state of the teeth, show that the age at death would not be less than 60 years.
The second cist-vaen had been so thoroughly dug over at a former period, as to yield nothing more than detached bones of two or three skeletons, one of them that of a young person. No instruments or pottery were found in either enclosure. The cists consisted of rectangular compartments, made by placing massive blocks of limestone on edge upon the natural surface of the land, the unoccupied space between them being levelled up with stone collected in the neighbourhood.
Calver Low. Having been informed, on the 30th of August, that some skeletons had been discovered the day before, by men baring the rock preparatory to quarrying it, at the verge of the cliff overlooking the limekilns at Calver Low [Map], I immediately went to the place and found that there had been five skeletons buried in a line side by side, a few feet apart, in graves sunk down to the rock which is there about two feet below the turf. The bodies were all extended at length with the heads to the west, so as not merely to admit of the corpses facing the east, as is the Christian custom of burial yet observed, but in this case also to face the village, and the pleasant valley extending towards Baslow - either motive may have prompted the arrangement, as there is reason to believe the interments to be of the Anglo-Saxon period, although it was suggested at the time, in one of the local papers, that they were remains of some who perished during the ravages of the plague at Eyam in 1666.
In returning to the narrative, it will be best to describe the several skeletons, numbering from the north, promising that the legs of all had been cut away, owing to their being so near the border of the cliff, which descends for a considerable distance almost perpendicularly, having long been quarried for lime burning.
Note 1. - A young person with very slender bones, the femur 17½ inches long, undisturbed with the exception of the skull, which had been broken and robbed of the teeth previous to our visit; a small bit of coarse red pottery was picked up amongst the earth near the bones.
Note 2.- Removed before our arrival, but from the few bones preserved, it appears that the person was older than the first, although the femur measures 16½ inches only - the skull thin, a good deal decayed and very imperfect.
Note 3. - Removed - the skull very perfect when found, since despoiled of the whole of the facial bones. The calvarium and lower jaw have been recovered. The former presents, when viewed from above, an oval outline with a very full occipital protuberance; the latter is well formed, and the state of the teeth indicates an early adult age. Imperfection in the thigh bones prevents measurement, they do not however appear to have been very long. A small iron knife, of the common Saxon shape, lay upon the pelvis of this skeleton, and has imparted a ferruginous tinge to the bone from contact during oxidyzation. It is the only instrument found with any of the interments, and alone furnishes a clue to their date.
Note 4. - With the exception of the legs, was quite undisturbed, as it lay beneath a wall on the extreme edge of the hill. By working on the other side of this fence, the skull was extracted in such a state as to be capable of restoration; it is oval, platycephalic, and like the other three - that of a young individual whose thigh bones, imperfect at each end, are large and much stronger than the appearance of the head would lead one to expect The skull is very much distorted by pressure, also producing fracture, posthumously applied to the left side of the frontal bone, most likely from stone filling the grave, as no care had in any instance been taken to protect the bodies from the overlying weight.
Note 5. - This, the most southern of the row, was entirely removed, most of the bones having been thrown down the precipice before attention was excited by a recurrence of the skeletons.
There are some indications of a tumulus in the field a few yards further back from the wall, which, if opened might disclose some- thing to substantiate the inference drawn from the presence of the iron Knife with one of the skeletons, which, however, we think is alone sufficient to determine the Saxon origin of the cemetery.
Culture, General Things, Dictionaries, English, General Words, Camaca
Camaca. Rich fabric, most often silk, similar to or resembling damask; associated in particular with an Italian silk cloth popular in England in the fourteenth century.
Archaeologia Volume 29 Section III. In 1375 the Black Prince bequeathed to his son Richard his hangings for a hall, embroidered with mermen, and a border of red and black impaled, embroidered with swans having lady's heads, and ostrich feathers: to his wife, the Princess, he bequeathed a hall of red worsted, embroidered with eagles and griffins, with a border of swans having lady's heads; and to Mons. Aleyne Cheyne a bed of camoca, powdered with blue eagles. In 1385, Joan Princess of Wales bequeathed "To my dear son, the King, my new bed of red velvet, embroidered with ostrich feathers of silver, and heads of leopards of gold, with boughs and leaves issuing out of their mouths." Edward, [Note. Edward assumed to be a mistake for Edward?] Earl of March, in 1380, bequeathed to his son and heir, "our large bed of black satin, embroidered with white lions and gold roses, with escutcheons of the arms of Mortimer and Ulster;" and John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, in 1397, bequeathed to the altar of St. Paul's cathedral "his great bed of cloth of gold, the champepiers powdered with golden roses, placed upon pipes of gold, and in each pipe two white ostrich feathers;" and again, to his daughter the Duchess of Exeter, his "white bed of silk, with blue eagles displayed." In 1415, Edward, Duke of York, bequeathed to his wife "my bed of feathers and leopards, with the furniture appertaining to the same; also my white and red tapestry of garters, fetter-locks, and falconsb".
Note b. Nichols's Royal and Noble Wills. Nicolas's Testamenta Vetusta.
Culture, General Things, Dictionaries, English, General Words, Carts Tail
Carts Tail. A small cart pushed or pulled by hand or drawn by a horse or pony
Henry Machyn's Diary. 13 Jan 1553. The xiij day of January was put apon the pelore a woman for she wold have poyssoned her husband dwellyng with-in the Powlles bake-howsse, and the xiiij day she was wyped at a cart harsse [carts tail], and nakyd up-ward, and the xviij day folowhyng she was a-gayne apone the pelere [pillory] for slanderyng.... with the compeny of the ..
Henry Machyn's Diary. 14 Sep 1554. The xiiij day of September was iij sett in the pelere for playhyng with falsse dysse and deseyffeng honest men in playng; and the same day was ij wypyd a-bowt London, [after] a care-hars [carts tail], for lotheryng, and as wacabondes wher they taken.
Henry Machyn's Diary. 21 Apr 1555. The xxj day of Aprell ther was wypyd at a cart-hors [carts tail] iij, j man and ij women, and anodur man a-lone, ij old men with whyt berdes, and on was for carehyng ....
Henry Machyn's Diary. 15 May 1555. The xv day of May was a generall prossessyon from Powlles and unto Leydynhall and downe Gracious-strett, and tornyd done Estchepe, and so to Powlles a-gayn; for [there] whent ij C. pore men with bedes in ther handes, and iij C. powre women of evere parryche, ij men and ij vomen, ij and ij to-gether, and after all the men-chylderyn of the hospetall, and after the chylderne of sant Antonys, and then all the chyltheryn of Powlles and all ther masters and husshers, and then all the prestes and clerkes, and the bysshope, and my lord mare and the althermen, and all the crafftes of London in ther leveray. The sam tym as thay wher a-gohyng a-prossessyon in Chepe ther cam a frantyke man and hangyd a-bowt a prest ij podynges, and after he was browth to the bysshope, and after to my lord mayre, and after to the contur for ys folyssnes .... wypyd at a care-hars [carts tail] a-bowt the ....
Henry Machyn's Diary. 04 Dec 1555. The iiij day of Desember was a voman [set in the] pelere for beytyng of her chyld with rodes and .... to peteusly; and the sam day was a man and a voman cared a-bowt London at a care-arse [carts tail] for baudry and ...
Henry Machyn's Diary. 08 Jan 1557. The viij day of January dyd ryd in a care at Westmynster the wyff of the Grayhond, and the Abbott['s] servand was wypyd becaus that he toke her owt of the care, at the care-harse [carts tail].
Culture, General Things, Dictionaries, English, General Words, Cartulary
Cartulary. A medieval manuscript volume or roll (rotulus) containing transcriptions of original documents relating to the foundation, privileges, and legal rights of ecclesiastical establishments, municipal corporations, industrial associations, institutions of learning, or families.
Transactions of the Woolhope Club 1969 Page 413. Historical Introduction
The attractive remains of the abbey of Wigmore stand on a gentle slope two miles northwest of the village of the same name, with the line of Watling Street running nearby and the lordly castle of Ludlow [Map] seven miles to the northeast. The situation of the monastery in a remote and poorish area inevitably made most of its history unspectacular, and the almost total loss of its archives1 leaves certain aspects of it largely blank.
Note 1. No cartulary of the abbey is known to have survived. The text of some deeds concerning it is preserved in cartularies of the Mortimer family now in the British Museum (G. R. C. Davis, Medieval Cartularies of Great Britain (1958), nos. 1292, 1293, 1292. But a late inspeximus including a not very informative charter of Hugh de Mortimer II survives.
Culture, General Things, Dictionaries, English, General Words, Collation
Collation. One form of appointment to an ecclesiastical office, either to a benefice or as a dignitary. This term was applied when the ordinary, usually but not always the diocesan bishop, appointed to a living of which he was the patron or which a lapse had brought within his gift. When a clergyman was appointed to a living by collation, there was no presentation or institution, but collation was followed by induction or installation.
Culture, General Things, Dictionaries, English, General Words, Condyle
Condyle. A condyle is the round prominence at the end of a bone, most often part of a joint – an articulation with another bone ie knuckle.
Culture, General Things, Dictionaries, English, General Words, Crebous
Crebous. frequent; numerous. From Latin creber ie close-set, frequent.
Culture, General Things, Dictionaries, English, General Words, Crebrity
Crebrity. The state or quality of being crebrous; close succession; frequency of occurrence; numerosity.
Avebury by William Stukeley. SHAP [Map]. On the south side of the town of Shap, six miles fouth of Penrith, we saw the beginning of a great Celtic avenue, on a green common. This is just beyond the horrid and rocky fells, where a good country begins. This avenue is seventy foot broad, composed of very large stones, set at equal intervals: it seems to be closed at this end, which is on an eminence, and near a long flattish barrow, with stone works upon it: hence it proceeds northward to the town, which intercepts the continuation of it, and was the occasion of its ruin; for many of the stones are put under the foundations of houses and walls, being pushed by machines they call a betty or blown up with gunpowder. Though its journey be northward, yet it makes a very large curve, or arc of a circle, as those at Abury, and passes over a brook too. A spring likewise arises in it, near the Greyhound inn. By the brook is a little round sacellum composed of twelve stones, but lesser ones, set by one great stone belonging to the side of the avenue: the interval of the stones is thirty-five foot, half the breadth of the avenue: the stones, no doubt, did all stand upright, because three or four still do; but they were not much higher then, than now as fallen, because of their figure, which is thick and shiort: they are very large, and prodigiously hard, being nothing else but a congeries of crystals of very large sizes, of a flakey nature. Houses and fields lie across the track of this avenue, and some of the houses lie in the inclosure: it ascends the hill, crosses the common road to Penrith, and so goes into the corn-fields on the other side of the way west ward, where some stones are left standing; one particularly remarkable, called Guggleby Stone. The people say these were set up by enchantment: and the better sort of folks, as absurdly affirm, they are made by art. I doubt not but they are gathered somewhere off the surface, among the fells, and that here was a great temple of the old Britons, such as that at Abury, which it resembles very much, as far as I can judge at present; for the rainy weather, which in this country is almost perpetual, hindered me from making at this time a thorough disquisition into it. The ground it runs over consists of gentle risings and fallings, but in general declines toward the west: it is here, and for a great way further north, east and west, a very fine downy turf, and pleasant hills; or at least they seemed so after the rugged and barren views and roads we had just passed: but the country under this turf is a lime-stone, quite different from the stones of the avenue. In our journey hither the country is far worse than the peaks of Derbyshire, and nothing to entertain the eye but the numerous and rare cataracts; whole rivers, and the whole continuance of them, being nothing else; the water every where running among the rocks with great violence and rapidity: even the springs burst out of the ground, and rise into the air with a surprising push: therefore the Britons erected this laborious work very conveniently, beyond that uncultivated frontier, and in a country where they might range about in their chariots at pleasure. I guess, by the crebrity and number of the stones remaining, there must have been two hundred on a side: near them in several places are remains of circles to be seen, of stones set on end; but there are no quantity of barrows about the place, which I wonder at. Though these stones are not of such a flat form as those at Abury, nor so big as some there; yet they are very large, and as heavy as any of those in the avenues there. The site of the place is pretty much bounded eastward by the hill that way adjacent; but there is a large prospect westward, and the country descends that way to a great distance. At a place called in the maps Stone-heaps, we saw a cairn or barrow made of stones: all the tops of the fells, I am told, abound with these crystallised stones.
Culture, General Things, Dictionaries, English, General Words, Cricoid Cartilage
Cricoid Cartilage. The only complete ring of cartilage around the trachea. It forms the back part of the voice box and functions as an attachment site for muscles, cartilages, and ligaments
Wetton Near Hill. At page 83 of Vestiges, is a notice of an excavation made at one side of a barrow [Wetton Hill Barrow [Map]] on the summit of Wetton near Hill, when after having found one interment, we desisted through meeting with the natural rock in front of our cutting, Mr. Carrington thinking it probable that something might yet remain, made a cutting from the opposite side on the 23rd and 24th of May, having previously made trials in different parts of the mound, which showed that in some places the materials were large stones, and in others gravel, both favourable indications. After removing stones to the depth of about a yard, we found a skeleton accompanied by one rude flint arrow; it lay on the left side, with the knees drawn up, and was that of a strong man in full vigour. The skull, with the exception of the lefl side, which was decayed from contact with the earth, is perfect, and of a shape very unusual amongst Celtic crania, being remarkably short and elevated, like the Turkish skull. It is amongst the number selected for publication in the Crania Britannica, as an example of the acro-cephalie variety. Proceeding forward, we found another skeleton, the feet of which were very near the head of the first, deposited in the contracted posture in a cist, roughly made of large limestones, and partly covered with others of the same kind. Before the face was a very beautiful vase, 4½ inches high, with a fluted border and four perforated ears, wHch will be understood from the cut. A piece of flint and a tine of stags' horn lay close behind the skull, and a few more pieces of flint were found near. The skull, in perfect condition, is that of an old man, some of the teeth wanting, the alveoli being absorbed, the rest exceedingly worn; it is essentially square and massive in appearance, and is of the platy-cephalic variety. It is engraved and fully described in the Crania Britannica, where its internal capacity is stated to be 80 ounces. When cleaning it, on the day after its discovery, the cricoid cartilage, in a state of ossification, fell from the interior through the foramen magnum, where it had probably been conveyed by the rats which hibernated in the tumulus.
The femur measured 18 inches. The occurrence of two crania of the most opposite extremes of aberration from the ordinary Celtic type, in one tumulus, is most remarkable, and cannot fail to interest craniographers.
Culture, General Things, Dictionaries, English, General Words, Cupidity
Cupidity. Greed for money or possessions.
Culture, General Things, Dictionaries, English, General Words, Dalmatic
Dalmatic. A long, wide-sleeved tunic, which serves as a liturgical vestment.
Effigy of King Edward III. The effigy of the King is in a grand and simple style. The hair bows over the neck, and he wears the forked beard of the time. The mantle is fastened to his shoulders by a broad band, which extends across the breast. The dalmatic is underneath, gathered in a few broad and beautifully-disposed folds. He has had a sceptre in either hand, denoting his double dominion.
Details. Plate I. 1. Band attaching the mantle to the body. 2. Pattern on the border of the dalmatic. 3. Front view of the ornamented boot. Plate II. Profile. 1. Portions of the sceptres. 2. Side-view of the boot.
Introduction. There are numerous examples of the Regal Habits in the Monumental Effigies. In those of the royal effigies at Fontevraud we distinguish the tunic, the supertunic or dalmatic, the mantle, the crowns, the boots marked as sandals, the jewelled gloves, &c. We trace the variation in the fashion of these regalia until the time of Henry the Fourth.
Culture, General Things, Dictionaries, English, General Words, Edentulous
Edentulous. Lacking teeth.
Long Barrows of the Cotswolds. " Nos. 3, 4, and 5. Frontal bones ; all apparently of male skulls. They are characterised by their generally low, narrow and receding form ; as is likewise the frontal bone in the calvarium No. 2. This form prevails especially in skulls from the chambered Long Barrows of Wilts., Gloucester and Somerset. (See the description of the skull from Uley \vl Crania Britannica, Plate 5).
"No. 6. Frontal and facial bones and lower jaws (all imperfect) of a female, probably of less than thirty years. The form is in no respect peculiar, except that the lower jaw is square and angular. The teeth are considerably eroded.
" No. 7. Fragments of the frontal and facial bones of a male of about forty years.
" No. 8. Upper maxillaries of, perhaps, a female, of about sixty years.
"No. 9. Left upper maxillary of a male of about forty years.
" No. 10. Left upper maxillary of a young adult, with two molar teeth, showing incipient attrition on the inner edges.
" No. II. Part of inferior maxillary of an infant, with two deciduous teeth in place.
" No. 12. Fragment of lower jaw of an aged female, completely edentulous.
The fragments of two lower jaws of males, marked A and B, show in a high degree the broad and angular form of the ascending ramus which is so marked a feature in the adult male British cranium.
" There are several fragments of burnt human bones, the largest being part of the occiput of a child. They are very imperfectly burned, many of them merely charred, and are very different from the cinders of bone found when unambiguous cremation has been practised. Devizes, September, 1862."
Culture, General Things, Dictionaries, English, General Words, Emendation
Emendation. The process of making a revision or correction to a text.
Culture, General Things, Dictionaries, English, General Words, Factitious
Factitious. Artificial rather than natural; fake.
Avebury by William Stukeley. Boroughbridge. The stones, as much famed by the name of the Devil’s Arrows [The Devil's Arrow's [Map]], as misrepresented by writers, stand in some fields, half a mile west of the Roman road south of Boroughbridge. Some think them Roman, though they regard not any Roman work hereabouts: some say they are factitious, though plain stone as possible. They are stones of very large dimensions, and have been hewn pretty square, much as those at Stonehenge; but silly people have knocked off the edges: their height is very great: they were very taper and well-shaped, and much of an obelisk form; but the tops are decayed, and long furrows worn down on all sides along the tenderest part of the grain of the stone. I remarked, that they all lean somewhat southward. The stone is intirely composed of small white crystals, unperishable by weather: they are certainly natural, and brought about ten miles off, from the west, where more such lie above ground in great plenty. Three now stand; one was taken away, as all report, to make a bridge over the bec a little eastward. The cross near the church is of the same stone. These stones stood 200 foot asunder, pretty near in a line north and south: the first stone westward is not so high as the other, but broader much, and stands square, or perpendicular to the line of direction; it is 8½ foot broad, 4½ thick, 23 foot about; the second in the next pasture is square each side, but not precisely; it is 5 foot broad, 4 foot thick, 18 foot fquare: the next is twice as far distant, and beyond the road, of a figure much like the former, but rather higher, as that is higher than the first; this is 5 foot by 4: the two last are very beautiful obelisks, and their height about 25 foot, as I guess. The ground this fine monument stands on is high, and declines every way a little from it; the great river [River Ure], the brook, and some low ground to the south, hem it in as it were. Mr. Gale, and the beforementioned clergyman, some time since dug under one to the foundation, and found that it was about five foot under ground, and fastened into its seat by stones laid in clay, quite around it, as a wall: they put four half-pence, in a leaden box underneath, of queen Anne, Vigo, &c. and filled it up again. I could not commend them for it, as it could only tend to mislead the curious of future times.
Culture, General Things, Dictionaries, English, General Words, Falchion
Falchion. A one-handed, single-edged sword of European origin. The falchion looks rather like the seax and later the sabre, and in other versions more like a machete with a crossguard.
Henry Machyn's Diary. 25 Mar 1555. The xxv day of Marche, the wyche was owre lade [day,] ther was as gret justes as youe have sene at the tylt at Vestmynster; the chalyngers was a Spaneard and ser Gorge Haward (age 30); and all ther men, and ther horsses trymmyd in whyt, and then cam the Kyng (age 27) and a gret mene [menée, ie retinue] all in bluw, and trymmyd with yelow, and ther elmets with gret tuyffes [tufts ie plumes.] of blue and yelow fether, and all ther veffelers [whifflers ie forerunners] and ther fotemen, and ther armorers, and a compene lyke Turkes red in cremesun saten gownes and capes, and with fachyons [falchions], and gret targets; and sum in gren, and mony of dyvers colers; and ther was broken ij hondred stayffes and a-boyff.
Culture, General Things, Dictionaries, English, General Words, Feretory
Feretory. A portable shrine containing the relics of a saint.
Culture, General Things, Dictionaries, English, General Words, Foramen Magnum
Foramen Magnum. The large, oval-shaped opening in the occipital bone of the skull. The spinal cord passes through the foramen magnum.
Effigy of King John. Valentine Green, F.S.A. the historian of Worcester, published a pamphlet, giving a very interesting account of the opening of the tomb of King John on the 17th of July 1797. Two walls of were found to form the supporters of the effigy of the monarch. The coffin containing his remains, of which it had originally formed the top, was covered with two strong elm planks, the intervening spaces between the sides of the tomb and the effigy, being filled up with mortar and brick rubbish. These circumstances, and the state of the King's mortal relics, shewed that they had been at some previous time disturbed, and seem to favour the conjecture of their having been translated from the Lady Chapel in the Cathedral into the Choir, most probably about the time of Henry the Seventh, as the altar tomb, on which the coffin lid lies, resembles the monument of Prince Arthur in the same Church, and brick was much employed in architecture about that period. The skull was found turned completely round, and presented what anatomists term the foramen magnum, or aperture through which the spinal marrow passes. The upper jaw lay near the right elbow. The agreement of the dress on the body with that of the effigy on the tomb was very remarkable, and shews, as in the instance of Henry the Second's figure, that these effigies very faithfully represented the defunct as he lay in state. John had, however, no crown on his head or gloves on his hands; in the place of the former was found the celebrated monk's cowl, confirming the minute accuracy of the Chronicles. This sacred envelope fitted the head very closely, and had been buckled under the chin by straps, parts of which still remained. The body had been covered with a crimson robe of damask of strong texture, reaching from the neck to the feet: see the effigy. Part of the embroidery was still perfect near the left knee. His left arm was bent towards his breast, and the hand had grasped a sword in the same manner as on the tomb. The cuff of this arm still remained lying on the breast. The sword was much decomposed and its parts found at intervals down the left side, the scabbard was much more perfect. The covering of the legs (the precise nature of which was not ascertained) was tied round the ancles. These were probably the red hose seen in the effigy. Thus lay royal John, as the immortal dramatizer of his reign has said, — but now a king—now thus — A clod and module of confounded royalty!
Wetton Near Hill. At page 83 of Vestiges, is a notice of an excavation made at one side of a barrow [Wetton Hill Barrow [Map]] on the summit of Wetton near Hill, when after having found one interment, we desisted through meeting with the natural rock in front of our cutting, Mr. Carrington thinking it probable that something might yet remain, made a cutting from the opposite side on the 23rd and 24th of May, having previously made trials in different parts of the mound, which showed that in some places the materials were large stones, and in others gravel, both favourable indications. After removing stones to the depth of about a yard, we found a skeleton accompanied by one rude flint arrow; it lay on the left side, with the knees drawn up, and was that of a strong man in full vigour. The skull, with the exception of the lefl side, which was decayed from contact with the earth, is perfect, and of a shape very unusual amongst Celtic crania, being remarkably short and elevated, like the Turkish skull. It is amongst the number selected for publication in the Crania Britannica, as an example of the acro-cephalie variety. Proceeding forward, we found another skeleton, the feet of which were very near the head of the first, deposited in the contracted posture in a cist, roughly made of large limestones, and partly covered with others of the same kind. Before the face was a very beautiful vase, 4½ inches high, with a fluted border and four perforated ears, wHch will be understood from the cut. A piece of flint and a tine of stags' horn lay close behind the skull, and a few more pieces of flint were found near. The skull, in perfect condition, is that of an old man, some of the teeth wanting, the alveoli being absorbed, the rest exceedingly worn; it is essentially square and massive in appearance, and is of the platy-cephalic variety. It is engraved and fully described in the Crania Britannica, where its internal capacity is stated to be 80 ounces. When cleaning it, on the day after its discovery, the cricoid cartilage, in a state of ossification, fell from the interior through the foramen magnum, where it had probably been conveyed by the rats which hibernated in the tumulus.
The femur measured 18 inches. The occurrence of two crania of the most opposite extremes of aberration from the ordinary Celtic type, in one tumulus, is most remarkable, and cannot fail to interest craniographers.
Culture, General Things, Dictionaries, English, General Words, Gilliflowers
Gilliflowers. Fragrant flowers such as the wallflower.
Henry Machyn's Diary. 10 Jul 1559. [The x day of July was set up in Greenwich park [Map] a goodly] bankett[ing-house made with fir] powlles, and deckyd with byrche and all maner [of flowers] of the feld and gardennes, as roses, gelevors, [lavender, marygolds,] and all maner of strowhyng erbes and flowrs. [There were also] tentes for kechens and for all offesers agaynst [the morrow,] with wyne, alle, and bere.
Culture, General Things, Dictionaries, English, General Words, Heriot
Heriot. Originally a death-duty in late Anglo-Saxon England, which required that at death, a nobleman provided to his king a given set of military equipment, often including horses, swords, shields, spears and helmets.
Culture, General Things, Dictionaries, English, General Words, Hydrocephalus
Hydrocephalus. Hydrocephalus is a condition in which an accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid occurs within the brain.
Monsal Dale. On the 23rd of May, we resumed our labour in two parties, digging at once on either side, between our former cutting and the north and south verge of the mound [Hay Top Barrow [Map]], and carrying on the trenches towards the west, where the barrow was most perfect, the whole of the eastern edge having been carted away. In the south cutting we found an oval cist about three feet from the surface, sunk a foot in rock and lined with a few flat stones; the diameter was under a yard, but it contained the skeleton of an aged man lying on his right side, with the knees necessarily so much drawn up as to approach the face, the head pointed to the south-west: and near it was a neat ornamented vase of imperfectly baked clay, 5½ inches high, and a perforated bone pin, about six inches long. On this side the tumulus was also found part of another skull, which had been removed from some other place.
While these discoveries were being made, the excavation on the north side was equally productive, for immediately below the grass were many fragmentary human bones, amongst which we found an iron spear, with the socket broken, yet 9½ inches long; and a blue glass bead, with a spiral thread of white running through it, which objects, we were informed, had been disturbed many years before, by a man digging in the mound under the impression of its being a mineral hillock: they must have belonged to a body interred near the surface at a late or Saxon age. Proceeding deeper, we found the rock cut away for a large space about two feet lower than its ordinary level, making the entire depth from the grass rather more than four feet. At the east extremity of this excavation there was a small enclosure of flat stones, something like that on the other side, before described, containing a skeleton much contracted, and in this case lying on its lefl side, with the head to the south, accompanied by one flint arrow point.
About the middle of the excavation, in the rock, were two rather small human crania, placed side by side, near a drinking-cup 7¼ inches high, ornamented with a lozengy pattern. Upon the crown of one of the skulls was a neatly chipped instrument of grey flint, and it is singular that no trace either of the lower jaws or of any other parts of the skeletons could be seen, though no dis-arrangement had ever taken place in this part of the mound, and it is certain that the crania alone had been buried there. At a little distance from them were the skeleton of a child, and one cylindrical jet bead. These discoveries, with the occurrence of numerous broken bones, both human and animal in the upper parts of the trenches, terminated the labours of the day. A portion of the west side of the mound intervening between the cuttings being reserved for the next day's examination, when it was cut out to the level of the rock, disclosing a grave about a yard square, sunk about three feet lower. Inside this excavation was a very neat rectangular cist, 2 feet long and 18 inches wide, formed of four flat slabs of limestone, filled with limestone, gravel, and rats' bones, which being very carefully removed, allowed us to see the skeleton of a child, doubled up, with the head to the south, and a most beautiful little vase, 4⅜ inches high, completely covered with a minute chevron pattern, lying obliquely in contact with the pelvis of the child, which had become thrust into it by the pressure of the grave; the depth at which this deposit lay was about five feet from the surface of the mound. The skeleton of the child is arranged in a glass case at Lomberdale House [Map], and from the abnormal shape of the head, it is probable that death was occasioned by hydrocephalus. Many burnt bones, and disjointed bones, as before, were found in the course of the day. The plan of this interesting barrow will illustrate the foregoing account.
Culture, General Things, Dictionaries, English, General Words, Kibla
Kibla Direction for workship.
Avebury by William Stukeley. This cove of the northern temple was undoubtedly the kibla thereof. It opens pretty exactly north-east, as at Stonehenge. It measures 34 foot, from the edge of the outer jambs; 20 cubits: and half as much in depth. Varro V. divinorum, writes, altars were of old called ansæ. So Macrobius saturn. II. 11. It seems that they mean this figure before us. And I suppose 'tis what Schedius means; de dis germ. c. 25. speaking of altars among the old germans set in a triangle, he says, the Druids understood a mystery thereby. Perhaps they intended it for a nich-like hemispherical figure, in some sort to represent the heavens. Sex. Pompeius writes, the ancients called the heavens, cove. The altar properly lay upon the ground before this superb nich. That, no doubt, was carryed off long ago, as not being fixed in the earth, and one of the wings is gone too, the northern. It fell down 1713, as marked in the ground-plot.
Fit sonus ingenti concussa est pondere tellus. Virg.
[A sound was made, and the earth was shaken by a great weight. Vigil. The Aeneid Book 9 Line 752]
They told me it was full seven yards long, of the same shape as its opposite, tall and narrow. We measured this 17 foot above ground, 10 whole cubits; 7 foot broad, two and a half thick. These were the ansæ or wings of this noble ellipsis. That on the back, or in the middle, is much broader, being 15 foot, as many high, 4 thick; but a great piece of one side of it has been broke off by decay of the stone. We cannot conceive any thing bolder, than the idea of those people that entertained a design of setting up these stones. The vulgar call them the devil's brand-irons, from their extravagant bulk, and chimney-like form. These coves, as Maundrel says of the turkish kiblas, shew the Druids' aversion to idolatry, expressing the reality of the divine presence there, and at the same time its invisibility; no doubt a most ancient and oriental custom.
Avebury by William Stukeley. The centers of these two double circles are 300 cubits asunder. Their circumferences or outward circles are 50 cubits asunder, in the nearest part. By which means they least embarrass each other, and leave the freest space about 'em, within the great circular portico (as we may call it) inclosing the whole; which we described in the former chapter. There is no other difference between these two temples (properly) which I could discover, save that one, the southermost, has a central obelisc, which was the kibla, whereto they turned their faces, in the religious offices there performed: the other has that immense work in the center, which the old Britons call a cove [Map]: consisting of three stones placed with an obtuse angle toward each other, and as it were, upon an ark of a circle, like the great half-round at the east end of some old cathedrals: or like the upper end of the cell at Stonehenge [Map]; being of the same use and intent, the adytum of this temple. This I have often times admired and been astonished at its extravagant magnitude and majesty. It stands in the yard belonging to the inn. King Charles II. in his progress this way, rode into the yard, on purpose to view it.
Culture, General Things, Dictionaries, English, General Words, Latten
Latten. Copper alloys such as brass or bronze.
Effigy of Edward, the Black Prince. The first part of the Prince's Will which relates to his Tomb and Burial, is on many accounts so interesting here, that a translation from the French Originala, it is presumed, will not be unacceptable.
In the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, Amen. We Edward, eldest son of the King of England and of France, Prince of Wales, Duke of Cornwall, and Earl of Chester, the Seventh day of June, the year of Grace One Thousand, Three Hundred, and Seventy-six, in our Chamber within the Palace of our very redoubted Lord and Father at Westminster, being in good and sound memory, and having consideration to the short duration of human frailty, and as the time of the resolution of the divine will is not certain, and desiring always to be ready with the aid of God to his disposing, we ordain and make our Testament in the manner which follows. First we give our soul to God our Creator, and to the holy blessed Trinity, and to the glorious Virgin Mary, and to all the Saints: and our body to be buried in the Cathedral Church of the Trinity of Canterbury [Map], (where the body of the true martyr, my Lord St. Thomas, reposes,) in the middle of the Chapel of our Lady Undercroft, right before the Altar, so that the end of our Tomb towards the foot may be ten feet distant from the Altar; and that the same tomb shall be made of marble, of good masonry. And we will, that round the said Tomb shall be twelve escutcheons of laton , each of the breadth of a foot, six of which shall be of our arms entire, and the other six of ostrich feathers; and that upon each escutcheon shall be written, that is to say, upon those of our arms, and upon the others of ostrich feathers, And above the Tomb shall be made a table of laton overgilt, of the breadth and length of the same Tomb, upon which we will, that an image in relieved work of laton gilt, shall be placed in memory of us, all armed in steel for battle, with our arms quartered; and my visage, [et le visage mie] with our helmet of the leopard put under the head of the image. And we will, that upon our Tomb, in the place where it may be the most clearly seen and read, shall be written that which follows, in the manner that shall be best advised by our executorsb. * * * * * * And we will, that at that hour, that our body shall be brought into the town of Canterbury as far as to the Priory, that two coursers covered with our arms and two men armed in our arms, and in our helmets, shall go before our said body; that is to say, the one for war with our arms quartered, and the other for peace with our badges of ostrich feathers, with four banners of the same suit; and that every one of those who bear the said banners, shall have a chapeau of our arms; and that he who shall be armed for war, shall have a man armed bearing after him a black pennon with ostrich feathers. And we will, that the herse shall be made between the high Altar and the Choir, within which we will that our body shall be placed, until the vigils, masses, and the divine services shall be done; which services so done, our body shall be borne to the aforesaid Chapel of our Lady, where it shall be buried.
Note a. Preserved in the Archiepiscopal Registry at Lambeth.
Note b. As this epitaph is nearly the same as that on the tomb, it is omitted; but the inscription, giving the time of the Black Prince's death, with his titles, &c. &c., is not ordered in the above Will, although it is found on the tomb.
Culture, General Things, Dictionaries, English, General Words, Luxated
Luxated. Dislocated.
Avebury by William Stukeley. In Monkton-fields, directly north-east from Abury, is a monument [Monkton Fields Long Barrow [Map]] of four stones, which probably is a kist-vaen. I have exhibited a print of it in table XXXVII. These seem to be what Mr. Edward Llwyd calls Kromlechon, or bowing-stones. I believe it was a sepulchral monument, set on a barrow, tho' chiefly now plowed up; and that the great covering-stone is luxated.
Table XXXVII. Kist vaen In Cornwal, In Cornwal, In Monkton field [Map] by Abury
Culture, General Things, Dictionaries, English, General Words, Nonage
Nonage. The period of a person's immaturity or youth.
Effigy of King Edward III. King Edward III of England
SURNAMED of Windsor, was the eldest son of Edward the Second by Isabella of France, and was born at the Castle of Windsor [Map] on the 13th of November, 1312. In a Parliament assembled at York in 1322, he was created Prince of Wales and Duke of Aquitaine. On the formal deposition of his father, he ascended the throne of England on the 25th of January, 1326, being then about fourteen years of age, and was on the 1st of February following girt with the sword of knighthood by his cousin Henry Earl of Lancaster, and crowned at Westminster by Walter Reynolds, Archbishop of Canterbury. The Parliament appointed twelve guardians for the King during his nonage, consisting of five Bishops, two Earls, and five Baronsa.
Letters. 04 Nov 1405. Letter XXXI. Philippa Queen of Portugal (age 45) to her brother Henry IV (age 38).
Most high and most puissant prince, my most supremely beloved brother.
I recommend myself to your high nobleness as humbly and entirely as I can or know how with all my entire heart, supremely desiring to hear and know often of your estate and health; and in special of the prosperity of your most genteel person, as good, pleasant, and joyous news as you yourself, most noble prince, could best devise, or in any manner desire, for your sovereign ease and comfort. And because I am certain that you would most willingly hear similar things from here, I signify to you that the king my sovereign lord, all my children, your own nephews, who wish always to be most humbly recommended to you, and I their mother, your own sister, at the making of these presents were all well and hearty of body, thanks to our Creator, who ever maintain you in honour and prosperity according to your desire.
Most high and puissant prince, my best beloved brother, please it you to know that by Mr. John Wiltshire, knight and ambassador of our cousin the Earl of Arundel (age 20), I am here informed how a sum of gold is yet owing to you by the said earl, which he pledged himself to pay you for the license which it pleased your gracious lordship to grant and give him in his nonage, that he might marry according to his wish, and in whatever place he saw fitting to his estate. And since you know well, my supremely best-loved brother, that he is now married not after his own seeking but as by your commandment, in part at my instance, I therefore supplicate you, since you are so great and noble a prince, as entirely as I know how, that it will please you to quit claim to the said sum at this my request, in order that I, who am in part the cause of his marriage, may be the cause of the acquittal of the said sum. And if there be anything in these parts which might give you pleasure, may it please you to command and certify it to me, and I will do it to my utmost power without hypocrisy. So I pray our sovereign Lord Jesu ever to give you prosperity, plesaunce, and joy, and very long to endure. Written at the palace of Lisbon [Map], the 4th day of November.
Your entire and loyal sister, P. de P.
Item I bequeath unto Thomas WATERHOUSE my brother xls & my will is that Otwell WATERHOUSE my brother & Otwell WATERHOUSE als SLAKE or their Assigns shall have the bringinge up of my said son Thomas WATERHOUSE als LORTE unless his mother doo make him her heire wch if she doo then my will is that she shall have him to governe & have the use of the wholl fforty ponds duringe his nonage.
Item I give & bequeath unto James BREARLEY thelder & to Ann BREARLEY his wife ether of them xxs
Item I bequeath unto Ann WATERHOUSE my brothers wife xxs
And likewise my will is that after my debts payd my legacies discharged & funerall expences that all the remainder of my goods if ther be any to remaine to Otwell WATERHOUSE als SLAKE And of this my [will] and testament I make & ordaine Otwell WATERHOUSE my brother & Otwell WATERHOUSE als SLAKE my Executors And of the Execution of the same I make & ordaine John BENNETT of the banke & Nicholas WILKINSON overseers givinge ether of them ijs for their paines herin And I utterly revouke & adnulle all & every other former testament will legacies bequests Executors & overseers by me any wise before this time made named willed & bequeathed
Thess witnesses
Thomas BENNETT; Ann BENNETT
debts wch I John WATERHOUSE doo owe To Ottwell WATERHOUSE my brother
xj£ xijs
Debts oweinge to me JohnWATERHOUSE
Item Edward DOWNES senior xxij£ js
Imprimis Omphrey BRADBURY x£ iiijs
Item Robt BEARD de southhead iiij£ viijs
Item Thomas DOWNES iij£ vjs
Item Edmunde BRADBURY xj£ ijs vjd
Item Robt RIDGWAY iij£ vjs
Item Robt RIDGE xix£ xixs
Item John BENNET viij£
Item John KINDER xiiij£ xs
Item Thomas SMITH x£ xs
Item ffrancis HOULTE xv£ viijs
Item Thomas EIRE & Adame iiij£ viijs
Item John BARBER iiij£ viijs
Item the same Adame EIRE iij£
Item Edwarde BARBER xxs
Item the same Adame EIRE iij£ vjs
Item will BEARD thelder xxijs
Item the same Adame EIRE iij£ vjs
Item John BENNETT xxs
Item the same Adam & nicholas WILKINSON xxs
Item Grace BREARLEY xiiij£
Item Thomas BENISON iij£ vjs
Item Thomas YEARVELEY & ffrance EIRE iij£ viijs
Item Georg HADFEILD v£ xs
Item John DOWNES of kinder xls
Item the same John xvs
Item the same John xxxs
Item the same John xxx£
Culture, General Things, Dictionaries, English, General Words, Orisons
Chronicle of Gregory 1461. 17 Feb 1461. Ande at the nyght aftyr the batayle the King (age 39) blessyd his son the Prynce (age 7), and Doctor Morton (age 41) brought forthe a boke that was full of orysons, and there the boke was oppenyd, and blessyd that yong chylde cum pinguedine terre et cum rore celi1, and made him knyght. And the yong knyght weryd a payre of bregant yerys i-coveryd with purpylle velvyt i-bete with golde-smythe is worke. And the Prynce made many knyghtys. The fryste that he made was Androwe Trolloppe, for he was hurte and might not goo for a calletrappe in his fote; and he said, "My lorde, I have not deservyd hit for I slowe but xv men, for I stode stylle in oo place and they come unto me, but they bode stylle with me." And then come Whytyngam (age 32), Tresham (age 41), and many moo othyr, and were made knyghtys that same tyme.
Note 1. "with the richness of the earth and with the dew of heaven".
Culture, General Things, Dictionaries, English, General Words, Parallelepiped
Parallelepiped aka Rhomboid. In geometry, a parallelepiped is a three-dimensional figure formed by six parallelograms. By analogy, it relates to a parallelogram just as a cube relates to a square.
Archaeologia Volume 13 Section IX. Dear Sir,
Having lately had more leisure to make remarks on the alteration produced in the aspect of Stonehenge, by the fall of some of the stones in January last, than when I first visited the spot for this purpose, I am anxious to lay before the Antiquarian Society a more full and correct account of it than that which you did me the honour to transmit to them before.
On the third of the month already mentioned some people employed at the plough, full half a mile distant from Stonehenge suddenly felt a considerable concussion, or jarring, of the ground, occasioned, as they afterwards perceived, by the fall of two of the large stones and their impost. That the concussion should have been so sensible will not appear incredible when I state the weight of these stones; but it may be proper to mention, first, what part of the struture they composed, and what were their respective dimensions.
Of those five sets, or compages, of stones each consisting of two uprights and an impost which Dr. Stukely expressively termed trilithons, three had hitherto remained in their original position and entire, two being on the left hand side as you advance from the entrance towards the altar-stone, and one on the right. The last mentioned trilithon [a] is now levelled with the ground. It fell outwards, nearly in a western direction, the impost in its fall linking against one of the stones of the outer circle, which, however, has not been thereby driven very considerably out of its perpendicularity. The lower ends of the two uprights, or supporters, being now exposed to view, we are enabled to ascertain the form into which they were hewn. They are not right-angled, but bevilled off in such a manner that the stone which stood nearest to the upper part of the adytum is 22 feet in length on one side, and not quite 20 on the other; the difference between the corresponding sides of the fellow-supporter is still greater, one being as much as 23, and the other scarcely 19 feet, in length. The breadth of each is (at a medium) 7 feet 9 inches, and the thickness 3 feet. The impost, which is a perfect parallelopipedon, measures 16 feet in length, 4 feet 6 inches in breadth, and 2 feet 6 inches in thickness.
Note a. Marked [Black Letter Lowercase H] in Smith's Choir-G-aur. This tnlithon might, with great propriety, he caiied the weftern, as no one of the others food more nearly wef of the center of the ltrudlure.
Culture, General Things, Dictionaries, English, General Words, Parietal Tubers
Parietal Tubers. A prominent portion of the parietal bone, a little above the center of its external surface, usually corresponding to the point of maximum width of the head.
Shuttlestone near Parwich. On the 3rd of June we examined a mutilated barrow in a plantation upon Parwich Moor, called Shuttlestone [Map], which had originally been about four feet in height; it consisted of a compact mass of tempered earth down to the natural surface of the land, below which point, in the centre of the barrow there appeared a large collection of immense limestones, the two uppermost being placed on edge and all below being laid flat, though without any other order or design than was sufficient to prevent the lowest course resting upon the floor of the grave, inside which they were piled up, and which was cut out to the depth of at least eight feet below the natural surface; thus rendering the total depth from the top of the mound to the floor of the grave not less than twelve feet. Underneath the large stones lay the the skeleton of a man in the prime of life and of fine proportions, apparently the sole occupant of the mound, who had been interred whilst enveloped in a skin, of dark red colour, the hairy surface of which had left many traces both upon the surrounding earth and upon the verdigris or patina coating a bronze axe-shaped celt and dagger, deposited with the skeleton. On the former weapon there are also beautifully distinct impressions of fern leaves, handsful of which, in a compressed and half-decayed state, surrounded the bones from head to foot. From these leaves being discernible on one side of the celt only, "whilst the other side presents traces of leather alone, it is certain that the leaves were placed first as a couch for the reception of the corpse with its accompaniments, and after these had been deposited, were then further added in quantity sufficient to protect the body from the earth. The position of the weapons with respect to the body was well ascertained; and is further evidenced by the bronze having imparted a vivid tinge of green to the bones where in contact with them. Close to the head were one small black bead of jet and a circular flint; in contact with the left upper arm lay a bronze dagger with a very sharp edge, having two rivets for the attachment of the handle, which was of horn, the impression of the grain of that substance being quite distinct around the studs. About the middle of the left thigh bone was placed the bronze celt, which is of the plainest axe-shaped type. The cutting edge was turned towards the upper part of the person, and the instrument itself has been inserted vertically into a wooden handle by being driven in for about two inches at the narrow end - at least the grain of the wood runs in the same direction as the longest dimension of the celt, a fact not unworthy of the notice of any inclined to explain the precise manner of mounting these curious implements. The skull, which is decayed on the left side, from the body having lain with that side down, is of the platy-cephalic form, with prominent parietal tubers - the femur measures 18½ inches.
Culture, General Things, Dictionaries, English, General Words, Peculation
Peculation. Embezzle or steal (money, especially public funds).
Effigy of Archbishop John Stratford. JOHN STRATFORD was born at Stratford-upon-Avon, in Warwickshire [Map], and was educated at Oxford. Being well read in the canon and the civil law, he became Archdeacon of Lincoln. Shortly after, Edward the Second made him his Secretary, and one of his Privy Council. Walter Reynolds, Archbishop of Canterbury, constituted him his principal official, and Dean of the Arches. On the deposition and death of Edward the Second, his ability stood so high in the estimation of the Queen and her son, that he was appointed Lord Chancellor of England. On the death of Mepham, in 1333, he was, at the King's special recommendation to the Pope, elevated to the Archbishopric of Canterbury. The King going abroad to prosecute his pretensions to the Crown of France, constituted the Archbishop Custos of the Realm in his absence, a circumstance which eventually drew on Stratford a severe persecution; for, Edward having disbursed vast sums of money to his followers and friends in the expedition, applied to the Archbishop for more, who seeing that it was impossible to make further levies on the King's subjects, who had lately so liberally supplied him, advised him to return home. Edward is said to have made his creditors in Flanders believe that Stratford was entrusted with large sums sufficient for paying their demands, and Stratford was charged, on the King's return, with having embezzled money which had really never been in his possession. If so noble-minded a monarch as Edward could have acted advisedly in such a matter, we should pronounce him at once the bravest and the meanest of his race; hut the mysteries of court intrigue cannot at this period be unravelled, so as to extenuate or confirm the imputation. The circumstances of the case are, however, highly in favour of Stratford's innocence; for, a Committee of Bishops and Lords being appointed to examine the accusation against him, their inquiry was never prosecuted, and Stratford was pardoned at the solicitation of the entire parliament. Little, indeed, did Stratford deserve a charge of peculation. So disinterested and indefatigable was his character, that he crossed the channel two-and-thirty times on various public missions, besides making many journeys to the Scottish border, yet received altogether for his pains not more than £300 from the King's Exchequer. Restored to the King's favour, he was permitted to pass the fifteen following years of his life in tranquillity, and died at his palace at Mayfield, in Sussex, in 1348. Stratford's character was strongly imbued with the mild virtues of the Gospel, so often obliterated by the temptations incident on high station. Gentle and merciful, rather lenient than rigorous to offenders, bountiful to the poor, he endeavoured to win men's hearts by that charity which considers every human being suffering from error or misfortune, as a brother. He munificently founded a college at Stratford-upon- Avon, his native place, and was interred in a tomb of alabaster in Canterbury cathedral, on the south side of the high altar. The effigy of Stratford is a beautiful work of art, although it has suffered some mutilation. He is habited in his mitre, cope, and gloves (the hands are fractured). Under his right arm is the staff of his crosier, or archiepis- copal cross (the head broken off). Over his left hangs the jewelled maniple for wiping any defilement from the sacramental cup. Under the cope appears the border of his dalmatic, and beneath the dalmatic a richly edged tunic. Fastened to his breast and shoulders by pins (of gold), is the consecrated pall with which the archbishops were invested by the Holy See, and for which it exacted a heavy pecuniary acknowledgment.
Details. 1. Crocheted edge of the mitre. 3. Cape of the cope. 3. One of the pins fastening the paH.
Culture, General Things, Dictionaries, English, General Words, Periphrastic
Periphrastic. (of speech or writing) indirect and circumlocutory.
Archaeologia Volume 20 Section 1. 12 Aug 1299. Then King Richard wisely replied: "Northumberland, withdraw: ere it be long you shall have our answer, that you may speedily depart."Then might you see them separate. They discoursed long upon the matter of which they had heard the earl speak; till at last the king said,t "Fair sirs, we will grant it to him, for I see no other way. You perceive, as well as myself, that all is lost. But I swear to you, that whatever assurance I may give him, he shall for this be surely put to a bitter death for the outrage and injury that he hath done unto us. And doubt it not, no parliament shall be held at Westminster upon this business; for I love you so entirely, that I would not suffer you to come to parliament to die, for the fulfilment of his pleasure; for I know full well that he would make you suffer most heavy penalty, and that you would be in very great danger of being put to bitter and certain death, seeing many murmur against you. Yet fear not, my good friends, but that in spite of them, you shall ever be my nearest friends, for I have always found you, without evil intention, good and loyal. Moreover, I tell you, that I will summon and secretly bring together men throughout Wales that may be ready for us on a certain day. When we have spoken with Duke Henry, we will then take our way through Wales; and if he should ask us wherefore we do so, we will tell him that there is no victuals (not a penny-worth) the other way, since his people and his army have wasted every thing, and that we are going that way, lest provisions fail us. Thus will we say to him, if it seem good unto you, and I believe that he will readily agree to it. The earl hath told us so. And when we shall have found our people assembled, we will display our banners to the wind, and suddenly march with vigour against him. For I am sure of it, as of my death, that when they shall behold my arms, they will be so sorry at heart for the wrong that they have done unto me, that the half of those who have gone along with him, will desert him, and indeed come over to us. For good and faithful heart can never prove false; and nature will bring to their remembrance, that during my life, they ought to hold me as their rightful lord. You will then see them come to us straightways, and you will know that we have right (on our side). God, if we trust in him, will aid us. If we are not so much in our place as they shall be, yet, please God, they shall not chuse but fight us; and if they be in any wise discomfited they shall be put to death. There are some of them whom I will flay alive. I would not take all the gold in the land for them; please God, I continue alive and well."
Note t. "He then consulted with his friends, Carlisle, Salisbury, Scroope, Ferriby, and Jenico in the chapel of the castle, and said to them, ' Gentlemen, you have heard what the earl says: what think you of it?' To which they replied, 'Sir, do you speak first.' The king answered, 'It seems to me that a good peace may be made between us two, if it be as the earl says. But, in truth, whatever agreement or peace he may make with me, if I can ever get him to my advantage, I will cause him to be foully put to death, just as he hath earned."1
Note 1. MS. Ambassades, p. 135. Mr. Allen's Extracts. Galliard interprets it, "I shall no more scruple to put him to death, than he did to gain the upper hand of me." Accounts and Extracts, II. p. 219. This is, however, too periphrastic. The original words are simply, "Je leferay mourir mauvaisement, ainsi comme il ti gaognie."2
The commonly received opinion, which has been echoed by many writers, was, that Richard, desiring a conference at Conway with the Archbishop of Canterbury and Earl of Northumberland, and of his own accord declaring himself ready to resign, first stipulated for his own maintainance, and for the security of eight persons whom he should name. "Indicavit se velle regno cedere, si sibi victus honorificus vitaeque securitas octo personis, quos nominari vellet, fide interposita, donaretur."1a Whether Henry was willing to grace his new authority by forbearance towards the king's adherents, or whether Richard was afterwards able to negociate for those whom the duke had threatened to bring before the parliament is immaterial: it is, however, plain, that excepting Jenico, whose resistance procured him a temporary confinement, they all remained unprosecuted and at large. But, as to Richard's spontaneous offer of resignation at this time, it may easily be understood that reports like these were propagated to encourage a persuasion that it was an act proceeding entirely from his consciousness of the difficulties to which he had been reduced by his inability to govern, and that it was not forced upon him by his adversaries. Richard himself in this genuine narrative holds no language which can induce a belief of this nature; he never hints at a wish to lay aside the burden of power in his message to Chester, his conference with Northumberland, or consultation with his little band of friends. On the contrary, he contemplates the future exercise of it in retaliation upon his aggressors, and merely in a general way accedes to the propositions of the earl, that he may escape from a part of his difficulties, with the confident expectation of his entire ability to screen his faithful servants. Salisbury, Scroope, and Merks, the only three present of those who were threatened with prosecution, are satisfied with his assurance of protection, and agree that at all hazards it would be well to close with the duke's conditions of peace.
But the king's pretended readiness to abandon his high estate was more industriously endeavoured to be established by an artifice that reflects little credit upon his successor. The story of what passed at Conway relative to the negociation is given in the text with such an appearance of truth, and is so coherent in all it's parts, that it may very properly be taken to correct the variety of suspicious statements with which ignorance or wilfulness have clouded the affair. One of these is of too grave a kind to be passed over. Comparing it with the statements of our author, I am reluctantly compelled to look upon the ground of Richard's retirement from the throne, given in the Roll of Resignation deposited in the Archives of England, to be a gross fabrication published by Henry IV. for purposes of state. In order to colour the transaction and make the renunciation appear more voluntary than it really was, it is entered upon the roll that the Earl of Northumberland in the presence of the Archbishop ofCanterburyandtherestofthecommissionersin the Tower, "remembered King Richard of hispromise made to the said Archbishop, and to him the said earl at Conway in Wales, at what time the same King Richard was at liberty, how that he, for certain defaults and inabilities in himself to rule, would renounce and give up the crowns of England and France, with the whole rule of the same, and that by the best advice that could be devised; King Richard thereto mildly answered, that he would willingly accomplish the same."1b
Note 2. "I will make him die miserably, just as he has earned it."
Note 1. Walsing. Hist. Angl. p. 358. "He informed them that he was willing to abdicate the throne if he were granted an honorable livelihood and security for the lives of eight persons whom he would name, under a pledge of good faith."
Note 1b. Cotton's Abridgement, p. 385. There is an overstrained affectation of cheerful acquiescence in the report of his renunciation, which defeats itself. The parties are all very courteous, and happy in each other's society while it lasts. "After familiar talk had between the king, the duke, and archbishop, the instrument was ordered to be read; but the king willingly and cheerfully took and read it throughout." The whole is curious; and, I fear, in many particulars, a piece of deliberately recorded falsehood. Ut supra, p. 386.
Culture, General Things, Dictionaries, English, General Words, Phalanges
Phalanges. The tubular bones forming the fingers and thumbs in human hands. There are three phalanges in each finger, with the thumb being the exception with just two phalanges.
Monsal Dale. On the 29th of May, we made a section from south to north through another large mutilated tumulus [Monsal Dale Barrow [Map]] in the same neighbourhood, but on the other side of the Wye. Not far from the centre we discovered a large sepulchral urn, 12 inches high, with a deep ornamented border, inverted over a deposit of clean calcined bones, placed upon some uneven stones on the natural surface, and having among them a calcined bone pin. The urn was quite uninjured, and owed its preservation to a large mass of limestone by its side, close to which lay a celt-shaped instrument 5 inches long, with a cutting edge, made from part of the lower jaw of a large quadruped rubbed down; and two phalanges of a human finger. Proceeding further, we met with the skeleton of a small hog, then those of two children, all interred in a simple manner, without protection or accompaniment: beyond these was an adult skeleton that had been deposited at a late period, if we may judge from the appearance of the mound immediately above, where were many scattered bones, the skeleton of a dog, and a small bronze fibula of the most common Roman shape. By further excavation we found that the last skeleton had been interred near a very large stone set on edge from east to west, which formed the side of a cist vaen, measuring inside 3 feet 6 by 18 inches, the other sides being supplied by similar slabs, the whole placed in an excavation lower than the natural surface, the depth from the top of the mound to the floor of the cist being 5 feet 6 inches. By clearing it out, the following discoveries were made in the order in which they are enumerated:- First, a small vase of clay, neatly ornamented, but so imperfectly baked as to have but little firmer consistency than the surrounding earth; next, and immediately below it, were skeletons of two infants and an adult, so much huddled together as to render their respective position unascertainable; close to these, we found a fine and sharp spear head of grey flint 2½ inches long, and two other implements of the same, one of them a small disk, near an inch in diameter: immediately under lay another adult human skeleton, which had clearly been deposited on its right side, with the head to the west, as were all the others found in this cist. This, the lowest interment, was evidently a male, the one next above presents female characteristics, and both, together with the children, presented unmistakeable evidence of having been interred at the same time, so that we have some reason to suppose that the family was immolated at the funeral of its head, as has been customary with savages in all ages and parts of the globe.
Culture, General Things, Dictionaries, English, General Words, Platy-Cephalic
Platy-Cephalic. Flat headed.
Shuttlestone near Parwich. On the 3rd of June we examined a mutilated barrow in a plantation upon Parwich Moor, called Shuttlestone [Map], which had originally been about four feet in height; it consisted of a compact mass of tempered earth down to the natural surface of the land, below which point, in the centre of the barrow there appeared a large collection of immense limestones, the two uppermost being placed on edge and all below being laid flat, though without any other order or design than was sufficient to prevent the lowest course resting upon the floor of the grave, inside which they were piled up, and which was cut out to the depth of at least eight feet below the natural surface; thus rendering the total depth from the top of the mound to the floor of the grave not less than twelve feet. Underneath the large stones lay the the skeleton of a man in the prime of life and of fine proportions, apparently the sole occupant of the mound, who had been interred whilst enveloped in a skin, of dark red colour, the hairy surface of which had left many traces both upon the surrounding earth and upon the verdigris or patina coating a bronze axe-shaped celt and dagger, deposited with the skeleton. On the former weapon there are also beautifully distinct impressions of fern leaves, handsful of which, in a compressed and half-decayed state, surrounded the bones from head to foot. From these leaves being discernible on one side of the celt only, "whilst the other side presents traces of leather alone, it is certain that the leaves were placed first as a couch for the reception of the corpse with its accompaniments, and after these had been deposited, were then further added in quantity sufficient to protect the body from the earth. The position of the weapons with respect to the body was well ascertained; and is further evidenced by the bronze having imparted a vivid tinge of green to the bones where in contact with them. Close to the head were one small black bead of jet and a circular flint; in contact with the left upper arm lay a bronze dagger with a very sharp edge, having two rivets for the attachment of the handle, which was of horn, the impression of the grain of that substance being quite distinct around the studs. About the middle of the left thigh bone was placed the bronze celt, which is of the plainest axe-shaped type. The cutting edge was turned towards the upper part of the person, and the instrument itself has been inserted vertically into a wooden handle by being driven in for about two inches at the narrow end - at least the grain of the wood runs in the same direction as the longest dimension of the celt, a fact not unworthy of the notice of any inclined to explain the precise manner of mounting these curious implements. The skull, which is decayed on the left side, from the body having lain with that side down, is of the platy-cephalic form, with prominent parietal tubers - the femur measures 18½ inches.
Mouse Low. June 21st, opened a barrow between Deepdale and the village of Grindon, called Mouse Low [Map], fourteen yards diameter and not more than two feet high; the lower part composed of stiff clayey soil, plentifully interspersed with small pebbles; in the centre was a cist constructed of three large flat stones, the fourth side being left open; it was paved with very thin slabs of blue limestone, and contained the skeleton of a very large and strongly built man resting on his left side in the usual contracted posture, near whose head was a peculiarly elegant and well finished drinking cup, 8¼ inches high, inside of which were two implements cut from the ribs of a large animal (compare with those found with a similar interment at Green Low [Possibly Green Low Barrow [Map] but may be a different Green Low], in April, 1845, Vestiges page 60), a spear head, and two beautiful barbed arrows of white flint; outside the cup were two more arrows of the same kind. The skull is very large, and is remarkable from the presence of a frontal suture, although by no means that of a young man; the teeth are in fine preservation; and the skull is of the platy-cephalic variety, occasionally found amongst Celtic crania. In other parts of the mound numerous pieces of human bone, stag's horn, and a neat circular ended flint, were found. And as far as our trench extended, which would be about five yards, it exposed a row of large boulders of hard red grit, laid on the surface of the natural soil in a direction coincident with the longest side of the cist; the smaller limestones near these were almost turned to lime from the effect of heat, and were mixed with burnt bones and charcoal.
Wetton Near Hill. At page 83 of Vestiges, is a notice of an excavation made at one side of a barrow [Wetton Hill Barrow [Map]] on the summit of Wetton near Hill, when after having found one interment, we desisted through meeting with the natural rock in front of our cutting, Mr. Carrington thinking it probable that something might yet remain, made a cutting from the opposite side on the 23rd and 24th of May, having previously made trials in different parts of the mound, which showed that in some places the materials were large stones, and in others gravel, both favourable indications. After removing stones to the depth of about a yard, we found a skeleton accompanied by one rude flint arrow; it lay on the left side, with the knees drawn up, and was that of a strong man in full vigour. The skull, with the exception of the lefl side, which was decayed from contact with the earth, is perfect, and of a shape very unusual amongst Celtic crania, being remarkably short and elevated, like the Turkish skull. It is amongst the number selected for publication in the Crania Britannica, as an example of the acro-cephalie variety. Proceeding forward, we found another skeleton, the feet of which were very near the head of the first, deposited in the contracted posture in a cist, roughly made of large limestones, and partly covered with others of the same kind. Before the face was a very beautiful vase, 4½ inches high, with a fluted border and four perforated ears, wHch will be understood from the cut. A piece of flint and a tine of stags' horn lay close behind the skull, and a few more pieces of flint were found near. The skull, in perfect condition, is that of an old man, some of the teeth wanting, the alveoli being absorbed, the rest exceedingly worn; it is essentially square and massive in appearance, and is of the platy-cephalic variety. It is engraved and fully described in the Crania Britannica, where its internal capacity is stated to be 80 ounces. When cleaning it, on the day after its discovery, the cricoid cartilage, in a state of ossification, fell from the interior through the foramen magnum, where it had probably been conveyed by the rats which hibernated in the tumulus.
The femur measured 18 inches. The occurrence of two crania of the most opposite extremes of aberration from the ordinary Celtic type, in one tumulus, is most remarkable, and cannot fail to interest craniographers.
Calver Low. Having been informed, on the 30th of August, that some skeletons had been discovered the day before, by men baring the rock preparatory to quarrying it, at the verge of the cliff overlooking the limekilns at Calver Low [Map], I immediately went to the place and found that there had been five skeletons buried in a line side by side, a few feet apart, in graves sunk down to the rock which is there about two feet below the turf. The bodies were all extended at length with the heads to the west, so as not merely to admit of the corpses facing the east, as is the Christian custom of burial yet observed, but in this case also to face the village, and the pleasant valley extending towards Baslow - either motive may have prompted the arrangement, as there is reason to believe the interments to be of the Anglo-Saxon period, although it was suggested at the time, in one of the local papers, that they were remains of some who perished during the ravages of the plague at Eyam in 1666.
In returning to the narrative, it will be best to describe the several skeletons, numbering from the north, promising that the legs of all had been cut away, owing to their being so near the border of the cliff, which descends for a considerable distance almost perpendicularly, having long been quarried for lime burning.
Note 1. - A young person with very slender bones, the femur 17½ inches long, undisturbed with the exception of the skull, which had been broken and robbed of the teeth previous to our visit; a small bit of coarse red pottery was picked up amongst the earth near the bones.
Note 2.- Removed before our arrival, but from the few bones preserved, it appears that the person was older than the first, although the femur measures 16½ inches only - the skull thin, a good deal decayed and very imperfect.
Note 3. - Removed - the skull very perfect when found, since despoiled of the whole of the facial bones. The calvarium and lower jaw have been recovered. The former presents, when viewed from above, an oval outline with a very full occipital protuberance; the latter is well formed, and the state of the teeth indicates an early adult age. Imperfection in the thigh bones prevents measurement, they do not however appear to have been very long. A small iron knife, of the common Saxon shape, lay upon the pelvis of this skeleton, and has imparted a ferruginous tinge to the bone from contact during oxidyzation. It is the only instrument found with any of the interments, and alone furnishes a clue to their date.
Note 4. - With the exception of the legs, was quite undisturbed, as it lay beneath a wall on the extreme edge of the hill. By working on the other side of this fence, the skull was extracted in such a state as to be capable of restoration; it is oval, platycephalic, and like the other three - that of a young individual whose thigh bones, imperfect at each end, are large and much stronger than the appearance of the head would lead one to expect The skull is very much distorted by pressure, also producing fracture, posthumously applied to the left side of the frontal bone, most likely from stone filling the grave, as no care had in any instance been taken to protect the bodies from the overlying weight.
Note 5. - This, the most southern of the row, was entirely removed, most of the bones having been thrown down the precipice before attention was excited by a recurrence of the skeletons.
There are some indications of a tumulus in the field a few yards further back from the wall, which, if opened might disclose some- thing to substantiate the inference drawn from the presence of the iron Knife with one of the skeletons, which, however, we think is alone sufficient to determine the Saxon origin of the cemetery.
Culture, General Things, Dictionaries, English, General Words, Polliards
Polliards. Trees that have been pollarded ie cut to make their branches grow laterally.
Pepy's Diary. 18 Oct 1664. Thence I with Mr. Gray in his coach to White Hall, but the King (age 34) and Duke being abroad, we returned to Somersett House [Map]. In discourse I find him a very worthy and studious gentleman in the business of trade, and among-other things he observed well to me, how it is not the greatest wits, but the steady man, that is a good merchant: he instanced in Ford and Cocke, the last of whom he values above all men as his oracle, as Mr. Coventry (age 36) do Mr. Jolliffe. He says that it is concluded among merchants, that where a trade hath once been and do decay, it never recovers again, and therefore that the manufacture of cloath of England will never come to esteem again; that, among other faults, Sir Richard Ford (age 50) cannot keepe a secret, and that it is so much the part of a merchant to be guilty of that fault that the Duke of Yoke is resolved to commit no more secrets to the merchants of the Royall Company; that Sir Ellis Layton is, for a speech of forty words, the wittiest man that ever he knew in his life, but longer he is nothing, his judgment being nothing at all, but his wit most absolute. At Somersett House [Map] he carried me in, and there I saw the Queene's (age 54) new rooms, which are most stately and nobly furnished; and there I saw her, and the Duke of Yorke (age 31) and Duchesse (age 27) were there. The Duke espied me, and came to me, and talked with me a very great while about our contract this day with Sir W. Warren, and among other things did with some contempt ask whether we did except Polliards, which Sir W. Batten (age 63) did yesterday (in spite, as the Duke I believe by my Lord Barkely (age 62) do well enough know) among other things in writing propose.
Culture, General Things, Dictionaries, English, General Words, Polygamy
Polygamy is the practice of marrying multiple spouses.
Culture, General Things, Dictionaries, English, General Words, Polygamy, Polyandrous
Polyandrous. A form of polygamy in which a woman takes two or more husbands at the same time.
Culture, General Things, Dictionaries, English, General Words, Polygamy, Polygyny
Polygyny. A form of polygamy in which a man takes two or more wives at the same time.
Culture, General Things, Dictionaries, English, General Words, Prolixity
Prolixity. Using or containing too many words; tediously lengthy.
Culture, General Things, Dictionaries, English, General Words, Pusillanimity
Pusillanimity. Lack of courage or determination; timidity.
Culture, General Things, Dictionaries, English, General Words, Ramus
Ramus. The posterior more or less vertical part on each side of the lower jaw that articulates with the skull
Long Barrows of the Cotswolds. " Nos. 3, 4, and 5. Frontal bones ; all apparently of male skulls. They are characterised by their generally low, narrow and receding form ; as is likewise the frontal bone in the calvarium No. 2. This form prevails especially in skulls from the chambered Long Barrows of Wilts., Gloucester and Somerset. (See the description of the skull from Uley \vl Crania Britannica, Plate 5).
"No. 6. Frontal and facial bones and lower jaws (all imperfect) of a female, probably of less than thirty years. The form is in no respect peculiar, except that the lower jaw is square and angular. The teeth are considerably eroded.
" No. 7. Fragments of the frontal and facial bones of a male of about forty years.
" No. 8. Upper maxillaries of, perhaps, a female, of about sixty years.
"No. 9. Left upper maxillary of a male of about forty years.
" No. 10. Left upper maxillary of a young adult, with two molar teeth, showing incipient attrition on the inner edges.
" No. II. Part of inferior maxillary of an infant, with two deciduous teeth in place.
" No. 12. Fragment of lower jaw of an aged female, completely edentulous.
The fragments of two lower jaws of males, marked A and B, show in a high degree the broad and angular form of the ascending ramus which is so marked a feature in the adult male British cranium.
" There are several fragments of burnt human bones, the largest being part of the occiput of a child. They are very imperfectly burned, many of them merely charred, and are very different from the cinders of bone found when unambiguous cremation has been practised. Devizes, September, 1862."
Culture, General Things, Dictionaries, English, General Words, Rosin
Rosin is an alternative name for pitch. Used for torches.
Culture, General Things, Dictionaries, English, General Words, Seax
Seax. A type of small sword, knife or dagger typical of the Germanic peoples of the Migration period and the Early Middle Ages, especially the Saxons, whose name derives from the weapon.
Culture, General Things, Dictionaries, English, General Words, Sizar
Sizar. An undergraduate at Cambridge University or at Trinity College, Dublin, receiving financial help from the college and formerly having certain menial duties.
In 1546 Archbishop Matthew Hutton (age 17) became a sizar at Trinity College, Cambridge University [Map]. He graduated BA in 1552. Became a Fellow in 1553. Graduated MA in 1555 and BD in 1562.
On 23 Mar 1610 Francis Prujean (age 17) entered Caius College, Cambridge University as a sizar.
Culture, General Things, Dictionaries, English, General Words, Strangury
Strangury. The painful, frequent urination of small volumes that are expelled slowly only by straining and despite a severe sense of urgency, usually with the residual feeling of incomplete emptying.
Henry Machyn's Diary. 28 Oct 1561. The xxviij day of October at xij of the cloke at mydnyght ded good ser Rowland Hylle knyght and late mayre of this nobull cette of London, and merser, the wyche he ded of the strangwyllyon.
Culture, General Things, Dictionaries, English, General Words, Suttee
Suttee aka Sati. The practice in which a widow sacrifices herself by sitting atop her deceased husband's funeral pyre.
Middleton. On the 24th of October, we opened a large trench in the barrow [Larks Low Barrow [Map]] at Larkslow, near Middleton by Youlgrave, which was first examined by Mr. William Bateman, in 1825, when amongst other things were found a cinerary urn, containing burnt bones, and an "incense cup." It appeared by our excavation, that the centre of the barrow had been surrounded by large masses of chert, within which circle the interment had been deposited. We discovered the calcined bones which had been emptied out of the urn at the former opening, and a few pieces of an unburnt skeleton. From a very careful examination of the former, we find them to consist of the remains of a full-grown person, and an infant, with whom had been calcined a few small instruments of flint, a bone pin, and a tooth of some large animal. It is probable that the critical examination of all deposits of burnt bones would lead to much curious information respecting the statistics of suttee, and infanticide, both which abominations we are unwillingly compelled, by accumulated evidence to believe were practised in Pagan Britain.
Culture, General Things, Dictionaries, English, General Words, Tawer
Tawer. Make hide into leather without the use of tannin, especially by soaking it in a solution of alum and salt.
Culture, General Things, Dictionaries, English, General Words, Triturate
Triturate. grind into a fine powder.
Monsal Dale. On the 3rd of June, another skeleton was found between the cist and the eastern verge of the mound, which lay in the contracted position on its left side, with the head to the south. It had been slightly protected by four stones, not very carefully arranged round it, and was quite destitute of accompaniment. On the same day, a large trench was made parallel to the first, without any interment of consequence being found. The decayed skeletons of two infants were noticed, and we casually picked up a barbed arrow-head of grey flint, and a piece of hard sandstone that had been used to triturate grain. In the accompanying plan the principal interments only are marked, the later ones being omitted to prevent confusion. While we were re-filling the excavation, Mrs. Bateman had the misfortune to drop in, unobserved, a gold ring set with an onyx cameo, representing a classical subject, an occurrence which may some day lead to the conclusion that the Romans buried in these ancient grave-hills. Many theories are based upon foundations equally fallacious.
Culture, General Things, Dictionaries, English, General Words, Umbo
Umbo. The boss at the centre of a shield.
Section I Tumuli 1788. On the 15th of March, 1788, a farmer, who occupied the land on Middleton Moor, known as the Garratt Piece, having occasion to burn some lime upon that ground, dug for the purpose into a tumulus [Map] [Garratts Piece Barrow [Map]], or lowe, there situate.
He began his work on the outer edge of the barrow, clearing it away as he proceeded, to the level of the natural surface. On reaching the centre, he found, lying immediately under the usual depression of the summit of the barrow, and placed upon the level of the ground, a skeleton, whose extremities were towards the east and west; near the point of the shoulder was a very extraordinary ornament of copper neatly enamelled with various colours, red being the most predominant; it is circular, and has a hook in the form of a serpent's head, probably for suspension. In addition to this, part of another ornament of similar workmanship; part of the iron umbo of a shield and a shallow basin of thin brass, much broken and crushed, were found abont the same place. (For a similar basin see Archæologia, vol. xviii, page 80.) The design visible upon the circular and enamelled ornament is precisely similar to an illuminated capital Q in the Saxon manuscript entitled, 'Textus Sancti Cuthberti,' a production of the seventh century, formerly preserved in the cathedral of Durham, but now in the Cottonian library, (Nero, D. 4.) There is a good engraving of it in Astle's 'Origin of Writing,' plate 14, a. This interesting barrow was reopened by Mr. William Bateman (age 39), on the 19th of June, 1826, but was found to have been entirely rifled on the occasion above described.
Archaeologia Volume 15 Section XXXIII. The apparent want of system in the British Sepulchres, gives us much trouble in examining them: this we experienced in a great degree, when opening the large Sherrington barrow [Map], see Plate XVIII.
This tumulus is situated on the borders of Sherrington field, about a hundred yards south of the river Wilye, and not more than a furlong south of the village of Codford. If you conceive an egg cut in two, lengthwise, and one half placed on the ground with the convex side upwards, the great end to the WNW you have the shape and position of the barrow. It is 108 feet long, and 80 feet wide in the broadest part, [m], and at A, 14 feet in elevation; it is chiefly raised by gravel near the Wilye. We opened this tumulus by a large section at the large end, and on the highest part: when at the depth of about 16 inches, we found 4 skeletons, lying from south to north; at the depth of 14 feet, we came to the floor of the barrow, [n] which was covered with charred wood and ashes; on the fouth fide of the floor, was a neat circular cist, made in the original soil, about two feet in diameter, and about sixteen inches deep; in this cist, we found the head of an ox, and one small horn of a deer. In this cist, or near it, we expected to have found the primary interment; being disappointed, we made two large sections at B and C. In the first, at the depth of eighteen inches, we discovered a skeleton lying from west to east; on the right side, we found an iron spear-head, see Plate XIX. Fig. 1. We pursued our researches to the floor of the barrow, but making no further discovery, we next sunk another pit, at C; here, at the depth of 18 inches, we discovered the skeleton of a stout man, [o] lying from west to east. On the right side of this skeleton, close by the thighs, lay a two-edged sword, the blade two feet in length, with rather an obtuse point, but no guarded hilt; it had been enclosed in a scabbard of wood, a considerable quantity of which, now adheres to it, (see Plate XIX. fig. 3.) On the right side of the head lay an iron spear, (see Plate XVIII. fig. 1;) and on the left, and close to the head, we found the umbo of a Shield, (see Plate XIX. fig. 3.) With the latter were found an iron buckle, a piece of leather, a strip of brass perforated in several places: all of which I conceive belonged to this Shield, as did also a thin bit of silver, see Plate XVIII. fig. 2; where it is drawn the full size. This probably covered the projecting part of the umbo; it is mutilated at both ends, and now appears like a small gorget. On the left side of the skeleton, and near the umbo, was found the knife, (see Plate XIX. fig. 4;) also several pieces of corroded iron. On the east of this skeleton, and in the same direction, we discovered two other skeletons, one of an adult, the other of a child four or five years of age; with these were found a small knife, and a piece of corroded lead: in the latter, was, (as I conjectured,) one or more iron rivets.
Thomas Bateman 1845. On the 30th of May 1845 a small barrow [Map], merely called the Lowe [Map], its prenomen being lost, was opened. It is situated upon a rocky ridge of land which overlooks the valley of Alsop-in-the-Dale, and is in the immediate vicinity of a previously-opened tumulus (12th of August, 1844), and had been previously ovooked on account of its very slight elevation, which in no part was more than one foot above the natural surface. In the centre was found a small cist, or round hole, about a foot deep, which was artificially sunk in the rock; it contained a small quantity of calcined bones, which probably constituted the original deposit in this barrow. A little more towards the south side of the tumulus was extended at foil length a human skeleton, which lay upon its back, with the head towards the west, with which the following articles were found: close to the left side of the pelvis lay the iron umbo of a shield, a little higher up the body was a broad-headed iron rivet, which, from the appearance it presented, had evidently been riveted through a piece of wood, covered with a thin plate of brass or bronze; near the neck was a thin flat piece of iron; all these articles were most likely component parts of the shield, and had been distributed by the action of the plough when the land was taken into cultivation. The most extraordinary circumstance connected with this interment was, that in the left hand of the skeleton there remained a common round quartz pebble, which, from the position of the finger-bones, it was clear had been placed within the hand at the time of burial; pebbles of this description are very frequently found in barrows, but very seldom in a definite position as in this instance.
Brushfield. On the 3rd of August, we opened a finely shaped barrow [High Field Hlaew [Map]] near Brushfield, upon Lapwing HiU, overlooking Cressbrook valley, measuring seventeen yards across and four feet high in the centre, composed of earth, with a few stones in the middle, where a shallow grave, about a foot deep, was sunk in the rock. In it lay extended the remains of a human body, so very much decayed as to be almost undistinguishable, but which we ascertained to have been deposited with the head to the west. Beneath the remnants of bone were many traces of light-coloured hair, as if from a hide, resting upon a considerable quantity of decayed wood, indicating a plank of some thickness, or the bottom of a coffin. At the left of the body was a long and broad iron sword, enclosed in a sheath made of thin wood covered with ornamented leather.
Under the hilt of the sword, which like most of ancient date is very small, was a short iron knife; and a little way above the right shoulder were two small javelin heads, 4½ inches long, of the same metal, which had lain so near each other as to become united by corrosion. Among the stones which filled the grave, and about a foot from the bottom, were many objects of corroded iron, including nine loops of hoop iron about an inch broad, which had been fixed to thick wood by long nails; eight staples or eyes, which had been driven through plank and clenched; and one or two other objects of more uncertain application, all which were dispersed at intervals round the corpse throughout the length of the grave, and which may therefore have been attached to a bier or coffin in which the deceased was conveyed to the grave, possibly from some distant place. The only specimen of a Saxon sword, which was the weapon of the thegn, previously found in this part of Derbyshire, was singularly enough found with the umbo of a shield on the same farm in 1828; thus indicating the connection of a noble Saxon family with Brushfield in the age of Heathendom, the name of which is perpetuated in a document of the 16th century, preserved in the British Museum1.
Note 1. Mortgage of Lands in Little Longsdon, Monsall Dale, and Brighterighefield (Brightric's Field,) otherwise Brushefielde, between Thomas Shakerley of Derby and Rowland Eyre of Hassoppe; dated May. 37th Elizabeth. B. Mus: Additional MSS. 6702. fol 45.
Culture, General Things, Dictionaries, English, General Words, Whiffler
Whiffler. An attendant who cleared the way for a procession. From wifle ie a battle-axe.
Henry Machyn's Diary. 01 Jul 1559. The furst day of July all the craftes of London send owt a (blank) men of armes, as well be-sene as ever was when owt of London, boyth waffelers in cott of velvet and cheynes, with gunes, mores-pykes, and halbardes, and flages, and in-to the duke of Suffoke('s) parke in Sowthwarke, and ther they mustered a-for my lord mayre (age 50); and ther was a howsse for bred and dryng [drink], to gyffe the sawgyars [soldiers] to ett and drynke, and they then after thay lay and mustered in sant Gorges ffeld tyll x of the cloke. [The next morning they removed towards Greenwich, Kent [Map] to the court there, and thence into Greenwich park, where they tarried] tyll viij of the cloke, and then thay [marched] to the lawne, and ther thay mustered in harnes, [and the gunners] in shurttes of maylle, and at v of the cloke at nyght the Quen (age 25) [came] in to the galere of the parke gatt, and the inbassadurs and lordes [and ladies, to a] grett nombur, and my lord marques, and my lord admerall (age 49), and my [lord Robert Dudley (age 27), and] dyvers mo lordes and knyghtes, and they rod to and fro [to view them, and] to sett the ij batelles in a-ray; and after cam trumpeters bluwing [on] boyth partes, and the drumes and fluttes; and iij ansettes [onsets] in evere bat[elle]; so thay marchyd forward, and so the gunes shott and the morespykes [en]contered to-gether with gratt larum, and after reculyd bake [again]; after the towne army lost ther pykes and ther gunes and bylle .. rely, and contenent they wher sturyd with a-larum; and so evere man toke to ther weypons agayne; by and by the trumpetes and the drumes and gones playd, and shott, and so they whent to-gether as fast as they could. Al thys wyll the Quen('s) grace and the inbasadurs and the lordes and lades be-held the skymychsyng; and after they reculyd bake agayn; and after master chamburlayn and dyvers of the commenars and the wyffelers cam to the Quen, and ther the Quen('s) grace thankyd them hartely, and all the cette [city]; and contenent ther was the grettest showtt that ever was hard, and hurlyng up of capes [caps], that her grace was so mere [merry], for ther was a-buyff above lyk M [1000] pepull besyd the men that mustered; and after ther was runyng at the tyltt, and after evere [man] home to London and odur plasses.
Note. P. 202. Muster before the queen in Greenwich park. Stowe has described this muster at some length. The Grocers' company were, by a precept from the lord mayor, required to contribute to it "190 personnes, apte and picked men; whereof 60 to be with calyvers, flaskes, touche-boxes, morions, swordes, and daggers; 95 to be in corselettes, with halbertes, swordes, and daggers, for a shewe at Greenwich." Heath's Hist, of the Grocers' Company, p. 65.
Culture, General Things, Dictionaries, English, General Words, Yclept
Yclept. By the name of.
Diary of a Dean by Merewether. July 18th. Reached the way-side inn, the "Waggon and Horses [Map]," at Beckhampton, in Wiltshire, subsequently yclept by our party the Archæological Hotel; proceeded to inspect tunnel at Silbury Hill [Map], which had then penetrated 30 yards; went to Avebury, after an interval of 30 years; since my last examination missed several stones from thence and from the Kennet Avenue.