tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-70404003190557008692024-03-16T01:09:38.817+00:00Worcester Cathedral Library and ArchiveOn manuscrips, the middle ages, maps, music and much more.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01121081114126547820noreply@blogger.comBlogger92125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7040400319055700869.post-27563492992450590172014-08-06T15:29:00.001+01:002014-08-06T15:29:49.511+01:00We Have Moved!Please be sure to have a look at our newly relaunched site at <a href="http://worcestercathedrallibrary.wordpress.com/">worcestercathedrallibrary.wordpress.com</a> , which we shall be regularly updating with interesting and exciting format. Content will continue to be posted on our Facebook page at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/WorcesterCathedralLibrary">www.facebook.com/WorcesterCathedralLibrary </a> , so follow us there to keep up with the latest!<br />
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All blog posts published before August 2014 shall be kept archived on this page, so if you are new here then please do have a browse through some of the fascinating articles found below and enjoy!Worcester Cathedral Libraryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00522255205082082401noreply@blogger.com136tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7040400319055700869.post-78966058707153570452014-07-08T10:21:00.001+01:002014-07-09T08:15:12.596+01:00THE BEAUCHAMPS IN WORCESTER CATHEDRAL <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">If you wander around Worcester Cathedral you are bound to
come across the interesting effigies of a Knight and his lady in the north
aisle, near the porch door. If you go
and look at the tomb, you will notice the arms of the <b>Beauchamps</b> – Earls of Warwick, and Beauchamps, Barons of Powick. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifnzF78HtCCpUgxcXZJkVD8Q86eLurVgy0LTbFvu5ZK0QNF_-uzrywM5aPLkM7-5bLr8K_xcTJePwx1ZA9BSKwqNo5RbrfpSpKuXH6mJwOsxYAMsK-alD4cOjGBLetzzN1wQR3X3mUyPs/s1600/image_2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifnzF78HtCCpUgxcXZJkVD8Q86eLurVgy0LTbFvu5ZK0QNF_-uzrywM5aPLkM7-5bLr8K_xcTJePwx1ZA9BSKwqNo5RbrfpSpKuXH6mJwOsxYAMsK-alD4cOjGBLetzzN1wQR3X3mUyPs/s1600/image_2.jpeg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">There has been much dispute about whether the effigies
are of </span><b style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Sir John Beauchamp of Holt</b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">
and his wife Joan, or </span><b style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Sir John Beauchamp
of Powick</b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> and his wife Elizabeth.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZEC6qiIAn1Q3dB7dNk9DtAHY37pjmXnyQWcoAnHPM1dtIDj5s9uC5Rv7eni267w2-DuP9u4OIOozcK7IxVbqdCc-HkO39D5YC5u_rYYTxzECtYTh5OvtZ_3mpw8J56w5IkO9jBR2dkss/s1600/image_1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZEC6qiIAn1Q3dB7dNk9DtAHY37pjmXnyQWcoAnHPM1dtIDj5s9uC5Rv7eni267w2-DuP9u4OIOozcK7IxVbqdCc-HkO39D5YC5u_rYYTxzECtYTh5OvtZ_3mpw8J56w5IkO9jBR2dkss/s1600/image_1.jpeg" height="320" width="240" /></a><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Sir John Beauchamp of Holt rose rapidly in the favour of <b>Richard II</b>. He served in the wars in
France, and received the honour of knighthood for his service in the wars
against the Scotch. In 1377 he became Steward of the King’s household, and on
October 10<sup>th</sup> of the same year was by patent (being the first
instance of the kind) created Lord de Beauchamp, Baron of Kidderminster. However,
he did not enjoy these honours long - he was seized by the King for having
appeared in arms in London together with other Lords “<b>for treasonable purposes</b>” – and after confinement at Dover he was <b>beheaded</b> on Tower Hill aged 58.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">It was said that the monks at Worcester Cathedral, being
ancient friends of his family, received his body into their Cathedral, in which
it was interred, and his tomb was erected over his grave. If you believe that
the tomb belongs to Sir John Beauchamp of Holt, you may attribute the relevance
of the <b>swans</b> that the couple rest
their heads on to the crest of the Atwoods of Wolverly, the last of whom John
Beauchamp of Holt was declared to be heir. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">An interesting story is associated with the swans on the
effigy:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMte1CaI0hx_eajInD9TfLfwWs-Y-nRtCCJ1hOdYCef_TcoOog59558MI90L-RAdt8XWCbdYujaTKCYAjG_bVgCzgH_hGkpqbjS-QRSqwXKtVzzLqvJLVqakOmQYUjptxb2EN4nMTn9vM/s1600/image_5.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMte1CaI0hx_eajInD9TfLfwWs-Y-nRtCCJ1hOdYCef_TcoOog59558MI90L-RAdt8XWCbdYujaTKCYAjG_bVgCzgH_hGkpqbjS-QRSqwXKtVzzLqvJLVqakOmQYUjptxb2EN4nMTn9vM/s1600/image_5.jpeg" height="320" width="240" /></a><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">One of the Atwoods who had gone to the Crusades, had been
so long absent that his wife was about to remarry. But, before she did, her
milk-maid, guided by a dog, found a man who was emaciated, unkempt, and had
iron shackles around his limbs lying asleep on the grass in a meadow. Despite
the haggard appearance of the man, the dog seemed to know him and greeted him
as a friend. The maid fetched her mistress, and when the man greeted her, he
claimed that she was his wife. The Knight told the tale of how he has been
taken prisoner and kept in a dungeon. One night when he was praying for
deliverance an angel came and spoke words of comfort; then he lost
consciousness, and when he awoke he found himself in the meadow. The knight had
a vague memory of moving through space; but being too humble of heart to
imagine that an angel had been sent to carry him, he declared a swan had brought
him, for he had perceived feathers around him. For this reason, he took a swan
for his crest, and the dog which recognised him was carved in marble at the
feet of his effigy. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">However, many people are very cynical of this story. On
many sculpted tombs a helm of some sort was needed as a <b>support</b> for the Knight’s head, it could be argued that the swans
were only there as a support, not to represent the legend of the Atwood family.
The animals are also thought to have represented the Knight’s <b>tourneying</b> triumphs, or as recognition
of military achievements which was very common in effigies. It has also been questioned
that if Sir John Beauchamp of Holt was beheaded, why would a grand tomb be
erected in his honour? Furthermore, it has been recorded by W.M. Thomas in 1737
that in the nave there is a monumental slab minus its brass of a man of armour,
which he attributed to Sir John Beauchamp of Holt (which is now lost). This <b><i>must</i></b>
surely mean the tomb is more likely to represent John Beauchamp of Powick and
his wife Elizabeth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Alice
Leonard</span></b></div>
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<span style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Bibliography:</span></span></div>
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<ul>
<li><span style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Hutchinson's Worcester Monume</span></span><span style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">nts, Oxford 1944</span></span></li>
<li><span style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Worcester Cathedral - It's monuments and their Stories - The Very Rev. W. Moore, Worcester 1925</span></span></li>
<li><span style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">English Church Monuments in the Middle Ages - Nigel Saul, Oxford 2009</span></span></li>
<li><span style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Transactions of the Worcestershire Archaeological Society - Vol. 18, 2002 - Medieval Military effigies up to 1500 remaining in Worcestershire - Mark Downing</span></span></li>
</ul>
Worcester Cathedral Libraryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00522255205082082401noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7040400319055700869.post-77859144774447221712014-06-21T21:05:00.001+01:002014-07-01T12:38:11.774+01:00F. 172- A Middle English manuscript in Worcester Cathedral Library.<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Worcester Cathedral Library has a very interesting
fifteenth-century manuscript written in Middle English, using the much the same
language as Chaucer fifty years earlier. It is known by its catalogue title of
‘F. 172’, and is an anthology of religious writings, popular tales called
Middle English Romances, and items thought to be true history. This type of
work was very popular in its day. </span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3Z6WL11NTpJL4oh_Cy9uMq37l2s7AXnFRlbzOEKxx8A6DnuCiF3XHh37aJ_v-IOBh8fOAkocM1qujjU1GagLRjcKNLVxq8Mux51Bk9YqcldYRRjPMBQoLHvvhddnMBVRU_yKZ-IX9le0/s1600/005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3Z6WL11NTpJL4oh_Cy9uMq37l2s7AXnFRlbzOEKxx8A6DnuCiF3XHh37aJ_v-IOBh8fOAkocM1qujjU1GagLRjcKNLVxq8Mux51Bk9YqcldYRRjPMBQoLHvvhddnMBVRU_yKZ-IX9le0/s1600/005.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photograph of MS F172. Image copyright the Chapter of Worcester Cathedral (U.K.), 2014.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">F.172 cannot be described as a decorated or lavish
manuscript. It is written in quite a clear neat style, with simple page
decoration but no illustrations. It has more than 200 pages, was copied by a
single scribe, and is fairly easy to read, once you are used to reading Middle
English. The handwriting style or palaeographic hand is known as an </span><i style="font-family: Verdana;">anglicana secretary</i><span style="font-family: Verdana;"> hand.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">A good deal is known about the scribe that penned this
lengthy manuscript. The scribe is referred to by scholars as the ‘Hammond scribe’ and he is
known to have produced 11 other manuscripts asides from F.172, all of which are
either held by the British Library or Trinity College, Cambridge. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">It is not certain how this manuscript, originally written in
fifteenth century London, came to be found in Worcester Cathedral. It is not
mentioned in the seventeeth-century library catalogues, but two signatures
written on the first page provide some clues.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0DgsDRBpzGXP1IUVap4dKKmNTWOf64Ywb0QHL0zJdWxlLSuRohlXgLk7MOjJne5Zx-Mzq4mMPspwDMGMvVQ4KLOZY_7iO6y9XBeaYp3Uypp0HBcoEmW_BrRxq6rBs-6elZEYnAZx6VP8/s1600/006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0DgsDRBpzGXP1IUVap4dKKmNTWOf64Ywb0QHL0zJdWxlLSuRohlXgLk7MOjJne5Zx-Mzq4mMPspwDMGMvVQ4KLOZY_7iO6y9XBeaYp3Uypp0HBcoEmW_BrRxq6rBs-6elZEYnAZx6VP8/s1600/006.JPG" height="164" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Signatures of previous owners of F172. Image copyright the Chapter of Worcester Cathedral Library (U.K.), 2014.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">The first signature says ‘William Ballard 1707’. This is
probably the man who is known to have been mayor of Worcester in 1723, a
benefactor of St Nicholas’ parish church, and an administrator of a charity for
poor prisoners in the city gaol. He subscribed to an edition of the </span><i style="font-family: Verdana;">Antiquities of Warwickshire</i><span style="font-family: Verdana;">, and perhaps
was a collector of old manuscripts, and the year may be when he first acquired
it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">The second signature belongs to William Thomas D.D., rector
of St Nicholas, grandson of a seventeenth-century bishop of <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Worcester</st1:city></st1:place>, and a student of ancient
literature. Perhaps the manuscript was a gift to him from William Ballard. He
made some notes on the contents, and presumably donated it later to the
Cathedral.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">What is the evidence for the fifteenth-century origin of the
manuscript? Apart from the language, and watermarks found in the paper used,
quite unusually there is good information about the Hammond scribe and also the
probable first owner, both suggesting a date sometime during the reign of King
Edward IV, between 1461 and 1483. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Another page has a monogram, indicating that
it belonged to John Vale, one of the three manuscripts found with this
monogram.</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCvAQF9GvHUYpBqJ7Tb75-XKl_DNBHld25Fjn-0lqv7QSZbXhPb3pgFumnSB-UP6qGyiA4FxylJfu1atpj9O-XJIPTr5reOr64xgnalzBnShdPtQ7BhYy8qhCszuEfaoIU77I6bYs1SOU/s1600/009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCvAQF9GvHUYpBqJ7Tb75-XKl_DNBHld25Fjn-0lqv7QSZbXhPb3pgFumnSB-UP6qGyiA4FxylJfu1atpj9O-XJIPTr5reOr64xgnalzBnShdPtQ7BhYy8qhCszuEfaoIU77I6bYs1SOU/s1600/009.JPG" height="312" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">John Vale's monograph in F172. image copyright the Chapter of Worcester Cathedral (U.K.), 2014</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">John Vale was steward and secretary to Sir Thomas Cook, a
wealthy draper and mayor of <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">London</st1:city></st1:place>
in 1462. But remember that this was the time of the ‘Wars of the Roses’, and
although Sir Thomas was in favour with King Edward, he was later accused of
treason for lending money to the wife of the exiled Henry VI, imprisoned and
heavily fined.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">It is not known what happened to the manuscript for more
than 200 years after this, but it is likely to have remained an important
family heirloom. Even after the rise of mechanical printing and the gradual
ending of manuscript copying, books remained expensive and manuscripts could
have continued in use for many tears. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLf-QH6OWQx97vghKJcSIx45mWA_Ml6MMY86hTyEH9JNqjUWCBZVWpLiKq-JhvA3UGAfePIC8SRtKMJd3dTdVfbjG_9y4FDemTNqpVwlz_qlT70JlTQx1rpOYyZtJd74U50BdBF0NXe6I/s1600/F172+f116v.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLf-QH6OWQx97vghKJcSIx45mWA_Ml6MMY86hTyEH9JNqjUWCBZVWpLiKq-JhvA3UGAfePIC8SRtKMJd3dTdVfbjG_9y4FDemTNqpVwlz_qlT70JlTQx1rpOYyZtJd74U50BdBF0NXe6I/s1600/F172+f116v.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photograph of F.172, f. 117 v. an obliterated page. Image copyright the Chapter of Worcester Cathedral library (U.K.), 2014. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">A clue to the later use of the manuscript is shown on three
pages which have been crossed out with later pen lines.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These pages mention prayers and services that
could gain indulgences and relief from the punishment of sins in Purgatory
after death. The doctrine of indulgences had been rejected by the English
Reformation, and the scribbling-out showed willingness to accept the new
belief, along with a wish to keep the manuscript in use well into the sixteenth
century and beyond.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">In other blogs I hope to look at some of the interesting,
amusing and controversial contents of this manuscript.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Worcester Cathedral Libraryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00522255205082082401noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7040400319055700869.post-55353764714738831182014-06-13T11:34:00.001+01:002014-06-13T11:51:28.016+01:00Researching the provenance of seventeenth century anatomy books<span style="font-family: Calibri;">This week we installed a small display about anatomy books
from Worcester Cathedral Library published in the seventeenth century, called
“Dissecting, discovering and depicting”. We had many interesting books to
include in this display, yet not a lot of space to work with. As a result, it
was difficult to talk about the provenance of the Cathedral library’s anatomy
books, a subject which is itself very interesting. Why did clergymen collect or
acquisition anatomy books? Do the anatomy books reflect the collecting habits
of one individual, or is it by chance that they’ve ended up in Worcester
Cathedral library? </span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-PCQ2H8eyRoKGjh0LAAPuPGR0_vFdgplPweMj0Oo2U2AmquYX85Ryz5RglkBQ0Olh0O_1SIT9cnkZdWqVZLykT4O8esOjeKJ6hi2Y1p3dC1Oa03UNjsaLFp6ocfunDuBZ_q4J8C3_Wj0/s1600/UD9+p.+277(watermarked).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-PCQ2H8eyRoKGjh0LAAPuPGR0_vFdgplPweMj0Oo2U2AmquYX85Ryz5RglkBQ0Olh0O_1SIT9cnkZdWqVZLykT4O8esOjeKJ6hi2Y1p3dC1Oa03UNjsaLFp6ocfunDuBZ_q4J8C3_Wj0/s1600/UD9+p.+277(watermarked).JPG" height="640" width="387" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Julius Casseri, Nova Anatomia (1622), p. 277. Image Copyright the Chapter of Worcester Cathedral, U.K., 2014.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">To answer these questions, some background on the anatomy
books is important. By my count, there are 11 anatomy books published between
1616 and 1683 that are held in Worcester Cathedral library. Of these 11, two
are monographs on animal anatomy (the first is work on birds, the second a book
on equine anatomy). Nine take human anatomy as their primary subject but,
because dissecting animals in order to compare and contrast their internal
structures with those in humans was popular with anatomists working from the
late 1500s to around 1800, most of these also contain illustrations and
discussions of animal anatomy.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz3O6gZhktsTX6jL_IiLOPxucXK_xR7azBt4YM3n7ggNbLgl2bGm1GM_P0wt3EAg5rEYLsP4nfSKcFf3nnvGeq0BP3rCBvA1UYc8KISCTOZQsYc8SyLb_DNVMhhSSCUOYXz-tkiD8V-vU/s1600/007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz3O6gZhktsTX6jL_IiLOPxucXK_xR7azBt4YM3n7ggNbLgl2bGm1GM_P0wt3EAg5rEYLsP4nfSKcFf3nnvGeq0BP3rCBvA1UYc8KISCTOZQsYc8SyLb_DNVMhhSSCUOYXz-tkiD8V-vU/s1600/007.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"> Title page of Helkia Crooke's Microcosmographia (1616) with Prideaux's signature. Image copyright the Chapter of Worcester Cathedral, U.K., 2014.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The provenance of certain anatomy books is traceable. Bishop
John Prideaux, who occupied the See of Worcester between 1641 and 1650, signed
his name in two: Helkiah Crooke’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Microcosmographia
</i>(1616) and <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Andreas <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Laurentius’ Historia Anatomica </i>(1627).
In the case of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Microcosmographia</i>, Prideuax
was not the first owner. On leaves at the front of the book we find the
signatures pictured below, of Francis Whiddon M.A., and Jacob Browne. There is
also a hand that has been censored, beneath which you can read “Henery Hodges
His Booke”, written in what looks like a late seventeenth or early eighteenth
century style of handwriting. The signature of Jacob </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Browne appears to have the
earliest style of handwriting, making it probable that Browne was the first
owner of the book c. 1616.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Whiddon's signature (first below); Browne's signature and Hodges' erased signature (furthest below)</span></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuhlw_90PMZly676RRQ7SXiEpKD6tokxXnDpbtbBeirjQuyrUavTNIExFLaYoB8lPsHeDkd6fOG9R91xhqYcMDyUo-rZr-jpVf152w3LfDHoaQaFwUF9_GUWuW5eemKHNJLQBFu29BmIA/s1600/006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuhlw_90PMZly676RRQ7SXiEpKD6tokxXnDpbtbBeirjQuyrUavTNIExFLaYoB8lPsHeDkd6fOG9R91xhqYcMDyUo-rZr-jpVf152w3LfDHoaQaFwUF9_GUWuW5eemKHNJLQBFu29BmIA/s1600/006.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjTmu9iHJAUcAwdPZBZL8Yr0JlACW1roWnGjJ4lccCWNewxCG3SEGX-vaT7LfQvQKhsSpV0EdSda2AupAfK_m9IQb9t50lxTKxu7Sb-SNwoKGO8AlBrd-kBwYYI3tuv8Kix6mu_uC-0XM/s1600/005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjTmu9iHJAUcAwdPZBZL8Yr0JlACW1roWnGjJ4lccCWNewxCG3SEGX-vaT7LfQvQKhsSpV0EdSda2AupAfK_m9IQb9t50lxTKxu7Sb-SNwoKGO8AlBrd-kBwYYI3tuv8Kix6mu_uC-0XM/s1600/005.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Nothing is known about Henery Hodges or Jacob Browne. <em>The
Annals of the University of Oxford</em> (1815), however, record that Francis Whiddon
was created a Master of Arts at Oxford in the first half of the seventeenth
century. He attended Exeter College, though it is unclear at which dates exactly
he was at the College. Afterwards, he went on to become the minister of Morton
Hampstead in Devon, the county where he was born. He was rector at Morton
Hampstead from 1617-1650. Whiddon and
Prideaux likely knew each other from Exeter College, and the former probably
gave the latter <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Microcosmographia</i>. Prideaux
studied for a BA at Exeter College beginning in 1596 and was awarded an MA by
1603. After taking Holy Orders, Prideaux returned to Exeter College Oxford 1611
and 1612 as Rector to the College. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">A still burning question is why two MA students who would
later become clergymen would be so interested in a book on anatomy, a racy one
at that- <em>Microcosmographia</em> caused outrage because it printed explicit
illustrations showing the sexual and reproductive organs of men and women, and
discussed regeneration at length. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">If we look at the other anatomy books that Prideaux owned, namely
Laurentius’ <em>Historia Anatomia </em>(1602), it
appears that he mainly acquired compendiums of historic anatomical writings produced
for the general reader, rather than books written for budding scientists or
practitioners of anatomy (physicians and surgeons). Laurentius’ <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Historia Anatomia</i>, did not cover any new
ground or document any discoveries within the human body when first published
in 1600. The book discussed what earlier authors and dissections had revealed
about a specific parts of the body, and the author mainly stuck to Galen’s
beliefs, despite many contemporary anatomists, for example Vesalius, Ruini,
Casseri, seeking to disprove Galen’s theories on the structure of
the human body. Laurentius’ book was nonetheless exceedingly popular in its
time. We might therefore think of it as a good introductory guide to anatomy and
anatomical writing, which is probably the reason someone like Bishop Prideaux
acquired it. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Preliminary research into the provenance of other anatomy
books has been less fruitful. The largely plagiarised monograph on equine
anatomy by Andrew Snape titled, <em>The Anatomy of An Horse</em> (1683), contains a
rather handsome signature belonging to a Richard Mason, which is pictured below. We
were able to trace the book back to a collection of 18 books donated by a “Lady
Mason” c. 1694. The donation of these books is recorded in the libraries
earliest book of donors, which includes bequests and donations given from<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>1675 to 1941! Below and to the right, is a picture of Lady Mason’s
bequest.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Richard Mason's signature on the fly leaf of Snape's Anatomy of An Horse. Image copyright the Chapter of Worcester Cathedral, U.K., 2014.</span> </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsOeFVxJC98gvjpGSZg6Q5PbPAXum7i9hHtnxT-2Fuuy3gsAbTfOD8R6xySgSMfP-7DFYTW1gTTqD4piu5lgGQGBWA7AhsfilFb3kax-neNCYUqfSRxA8AQaOBrRikIt_ox9Lhuh0sYfs/s1600/PF1+Flyleaf.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsOeFVxJC98gvjpGSZg6Q5PbPAXum7i9hHtnxT-2Fuuy3gsAbTfOD8R6xySgSMfP-7DFYTW1gTTqD4piu5lgGQGBWA7AhsfilFb3kax-neNCYUqfSRxA8AQaOBrRikIt_ox9Lhuh0sYfs/s1600/PF1+Flyleaf.JPG" height="257" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Lady Mason's donations to the library. Image copyright the Chapter of Worcester Cathedral library, U.K., 2014. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGozGRe2BmbwaWTBWNqpgspFO9Ks7OGwRM2IsaJVkhEzOjdxItfQLdxYak8wsNXoSbj_EYQ9Au46xAlltNs2Y9Puz0DQ4gbHLBE5yx5EzcWRBXN8mW3h1Rj3P9kz24Rlx3d3x8URwP0gM/s1600/004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGozGRe2BmbwaWTBWNqpgspFO9Ks7OGwRM2IsaJVkhEzOjdxItfQLdxYak8wsNXoSbj_EYQ9Au46xAlltNs2Y9Puz0DQ4gbHLBE5yx5EzcWRBXN8mW3h1Rj3P9kz24Rlx3d3x8URwP0gM/s1600/004.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I was not able to find anything concrete about the Masons.
If you look through the list of books donated though, several items indicate
the likelihood of Mason being a practicing physician or surgeon with a keen interest in
science, such as “Morison’s Herbal” and “Wiseman Chirugical Obseruations”. Many of our
science books and anatomy books could well have been donated by local
professionals like Mason, who considered the cathedral library worthy of
furnishing. Others like <em>Microcosmographia</em> were very popular in their time and
produced for the general reader, so it is feasible that scholarly clergymen could
well have picked them up as bit of extra reading. Notably we have two copies of
Laurentius’ <em>Historia Anatomica</em>, suggesting this book wasn't necessarily an
acquired taste, or only read by physicians and surgeons. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">If you found this week's blog interesting then be sure to call into Worcester Cathedral nave where you can learn more about our anatomy books in the new display, "Dissecting, discovering and depicting", located in glass cases in the South west nave aisle. </span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Deirdre McKeown<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01121081114126547820noreply@blogger.com45tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7040400319055700869.post-8980909568244122062014-06-06T10:59:00.003+01:002014-06-06T10:59:39.042+01:00Retirement planning in the Medieval Period<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Worcester Cathedral's Library and Muniments are an ideal place for
research into medieval Worcester and its Priory.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here is an update on one of the many projects
that are ongoing at the moment and more will follow over the next few weeks.</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> </span></div>
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Planning for your retirement is something that has been heavily promoted
in the modern day media but concerns about retirement was also very real to
people of the medieval period.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like us,
they wanted to live reasonably comfortable lives once they had reached a point
when they could no longer work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Buying a
corrody from a religious house such as the Cathedral Priory at Worcester was
one way to do this.</span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdaxrXFqI0rg0tSuQm6SWPvd7l5ouP1-CrrgVGmTX9ipcMYE1OMVXztsywjmXItwad-JrfsPD3MTRABFvmrvYw1v1eBGTTcR48yJ3DI-0wa6-k_-kafTTD_ewrs81zddUZtv31sw2bhqo/s1600/F100+f173.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdaxrXFqI0rg0tSuQm6SWPvd7l5ouP1-CrrgVGmTX9ipcMYE1OMVXztsywjmXItwad-JrfsPD3MTRABFvmrvYw1v1eBGTTcR48yJ3DI-0wa6-k_-kafTTD_ewrs81zddUZtv31sw2bhqo/s1600/F100+f173.JPG" height="640" width="368" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A hard working labourer, drawn into the margin of WCL MS F100, f. 173 v. Image copyright the Chapter of Worcester Cathedral, U.K. (2014).</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Research has recently commenced into the corrodies supplied by the
Priory of Worcester in the fourteenth century using the Worcester <em>Liber Albus</em>.
<em>The Liber Albus</em> is a letter book of the prior and convent of Worcester and
covers the years from 1301 to 1446.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><em>The
Liber Albus</em> represents one of the most comprehensive collections of social and
legal documents and archival material for Worcestershire from the period.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><strong>But first things first. What is a corrody?</strong></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Today we save up throughout our lives and on retirement purchase an
annuity which gives us an income for the rest of our lives. </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">A corrody was similar to an annuity except that the corrodian usually
received the payment in kind with such things as firewood, candles, clothing,
food, drink and shelter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This shelter
was often in the monastery but sometimes corrodians continued to live in their
own homes.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><strong>Who were these corrodians?</strong> </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">So far research has shown that these individuals were of different
economic and social backgrounds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most
appear to have had some had a pre-existing relationship with the Priory having
worked for the Priory or possibly leased property from them. </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Corrodians included not only individuals but also married couples, as with
Godfrey Holyne and his wife Margaret who received half a quarter of wheat every
fourth week, at Michaelmas half a quarter of oats and a quarter and a half of
barley and on Ash Wednesday two hundred red herrings, two salted salmon, and
two congers. Yum!</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">The allowance some received also included support for their
servants.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For instance John of Bitterley
paid 10 marks a year for a room and food, but for this his two servants also
received two servant's loaves, two gallons of servant's beer, and the same food
as two of the Prior's grooms every day.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVi5lUuWzVsORYsslvV2h-kpw-FGzF4WMkD-4J81ZjL10u5FpzU2YzRBj9W7XDqS5kGJyvnNow0xDPosYW8o8V4weuDZAgT39o7LKxBuL7S1IVB_4b2PWtfexAyPRdaG6jjkH9MhhMTYk/s1600/liber+albus+covers+%25283%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="height: 336px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; width: 242px;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVi5lUuWzVsORYsslvV2h-kpw-FGzF4WMkD-4J81ZjL10u5FpzU2YzRBj9W7XDqS5kGJyvnNow0xDPosYW8o8V4weuDZAgT39o7LKxBuL7S1IVB_4b2PWtfexAyPRdaG6jjkH9MhhMTYk/s1600/liber+albus+covers+%25283%2529.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">The two hefty volumes that make up The Worcester <em>Liber Albus</em>, held in Worcester Cathedral library. Image copyright the Chapter of Worcester Cathedral, U.K. (2014).</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><strong>How much did people pay for a corrody, and what did they expect from their
retirement arrangements with the Priory of Worcester?</strong> </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">This varied considerably, as you see above John of Bitterley only paid
10 marks [a mark was 66.6p] whereas William de Schokerwych paid the priory £60
and for his corrody and he only received a room, stabling for a horse, bread
and beer everyday for life and fish when these are served to the monks.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">There was also a royal attempt to foist a retiring Crown servant on the
Priory without paying anything. This dispute begins in 1308, when Queen
Isabella requested a corrody for one Alice Conan, a lady in waiting to the
queen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The prior refused, pleading his
inability to provide one owing to the 'bad times'.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>King Edward II refused to accept this and
summoned the prior to show why a corrody, formerly granted at the king's
request to one Peter d'Avilliers, now deceased, should not be transferred.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The prior challenged this by producing a
charter by which Edgar, king of England, granted the monastery certain immunities,
but the king claimed this did not include corrodies and the court, not
surprisingly, ruled for the king.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
prior then retaliated saying that King Edward II himself granted a number of
petitions presented by the bishops and that among these petitions it was
granted that the king should not unduly burden religious houses with corrodies
because such liabilities led to the “impoverishment of the religious, and
hindered them in the performance of their duties.” </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">many more letters the
prior finally gave in and consented to pay Alice £10 a year on condition that
it didn't set a precedent and no claim would be repeated. </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">These are just some of the corrodies discovered so far, but the Liber
Albus is a hodgepodge of legal French, Latin, and Middle English. It alternates
between terms as changeably as among languages so if you want to know more you
will have to wait until the research is completed!</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">By Vanda Bartoszuk</span></div>
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<br />Worcester Cathedral Libraryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00522255205082082401noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7040400319055700869.post-3016601556671735562014-05-29T12:08:00.002+01:002014-05-29T12:08:55.894+01:00A Dynasty of Medieval Bell founders in Worcester<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">This blog summarizes a recent research project that traced a family of medieval bell-founders, the Seynters/Belyeters, in
Worcester. </span></span><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">It's important to begin with a brief explanation of the surnames that will occur. In the middle ages many people derived their surnames from their occupation or
profession, and this was the case with the Worcester family of bell-founders that this blog discusses. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">The Norman-French name for a bell-founder was 'Saintier',<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>leading to the English version of Seinter, Ceinter or Seynter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The other name used for bell-founders was Belleyeter, Belyeter, Belezeter – 'bell' is self-explanatory and 'yeter' is from 'geotan', the Anglo-Saxon term for founding or making with molten metal.</span></span></span> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuFkARVS3Le98rR5M42vSfD-IBUhW73if3gI9jz6UqO5NNqq3cCIanVA0GdzKKzBGXrZawX4Cg29oPNsDnHyypDplEjRtxVeUxrdq7hGgUOKdcQMHJTd2bZ1-tmY2kPdIjHNJrl9Vj8F8/s1600/restoration+bells.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuFkARVS3Le98rR5M42vSfD-IBUhW73if3gI9jz6UqO5NNqq3cCIanVA0GdzKKzBGXrZawX4Cg29oPNsDnHyypDplEjRtxVeUxrdq7hGgUOKdcQMHJTd2bZ1-tmY2kPdIjHNJrl9Vj8F8/s1600/restoration+bells.jpg" height="464" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Image copyright the Chapter of Worcester Cathedral, U.K. (2014)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">It is in the muniments of Worcester Cathedral Library and
with the name Seynter that references to the first bell-founder in thirteenth
century Worcester are to be found.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In
a document dated from c.1230, Simon le Seynter was recorded as holding land outside
Sidbury Gate</span><a href="file:///C:/Users/DavidMorrison/Desktop/Bellfounders%20Blog.doc#_edn2" name="_ednref2" style="mso-endnote-id: edn2;" title=""><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: HI; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;">[ii]</span></span></a><span style="font-family: Arial;">. In a second document he is recorded as holding another piece of land inside
the gate of Sidbury.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Confirming this is another rental in the accounts of the Almoner</span><a href="file:///C:/Users/DavidMorrison/Desktop/Bellfounders%20Blog.doc#_edn3" name="_ednref3" style="mso-endnote-id: edn3;" title=""><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: HI; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;">[iii]</span></span></a><span style="font-family: Arial;">
, which mentions that Simon le Seynter had a furnace on his land in
Sidbury.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">To put some flesh on the bones of the Seynters we need to
look at a group of documents held at the National Archives called<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the Justices in Eyre, of Assize, of Oyer and
Terminer, and of the Peace</span><a href="file:///C:/Users/DavidMorrison/Desktop/Bellfounders%20Blog.doc#_edn4" name="_ednref4" style="mso-endnote-id: edn4;" title=""><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: HI; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;">[iv]</span></span></a><a href="file:///C:/Users/DavidMorrison/Desktop/Bellfounders%20Blog.doc#_edn5" name="_ednref5" style="mso-endnote-id: edn5;" title=""><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: HI; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;">[v]</span></span></a><span style="font-family: Arial;">.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is from these Eyres dating to around 1275</span><a href="file:///C:/Users/DavidMorrison/Desktop/Bellfounders%20Blog.doc#_edn6" name="_ednref6" style="mso-endnote-id: edn6;" title=""><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: HI; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;">[vi]</span></span></a><span style="font-family: Arial;">
that most information can be garnered.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The first thing that becomes clear is that Simon le Seynter has died by 1275.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These documents therefore record the
name of Simon's widow, Agnes and her parents: Gilbert the Archer and his wife was Mabel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Other cases show us Simon and Agnes had two daughters, Lucy and Isabel
as well as four sons, Henry, Thomas, Robert and Simon.</span></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Although Simon le Seynter Senior was dead by the time of
these cases, the Lay Subsidy Roll of 1280 shows that the business was carried
on by Simon's widow Agnes and Henry, his eldest son.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Henry appears to have 'retired' from the bell-founding business as he
purchases a corrody</span><a href="file:///C:/Users/DavidMorrison/Desktop/Bellfounders%20Blog.doc#_edn7" name="_ednref7" style="mso-endnote-id: edn7;" title=""><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: HI; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;">[vii]</span></span></a><span style="font-family: Arial;"> from
the Priory in 1327, recorded in the Liber Albus</span><a href="file:///C:/Users/DavidMorrison/Desktop/Bellfounders%20Blog.doc#_edn8" name="_ednref8" style="mso-endnote-id: edn8;" title=""><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: HI; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;">[viii]</span></span></a><span style="font-family: Arial;">, which is pictured below.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLA2abMaO5ySS_JGPHfYplS4UYzADUHcGevWTX7JU_k-9KaDKuuxrgw1666lwaSHsSEmQt0tmVTlvx8p5F6GLxLa0vD-kzbhtLdAc3yvir8iVvPBbf8FnWL5zAR6hMuhVta49b9XpzStI/s1600/page+from+Liber+Albus+corrody+%25283%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLA2abMaO5ySS_JGPHfYplS4UYzADUHcGevWTX7JU_k-9KaDKuuxrgw1666lwaSHsSEmQt0tmVTlvx8p5F6GLxLa0vD-kzbhtLdAc3yvir8iVvPBbf8FnWL5zAR6hMuhVta49b9XpzStI/s1600/page+from+Liber+Albus+corrody+%25283%2529.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Image copyright the Chapter of Worcester Cathedral, U.K. (2014)</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Henry has a son, Richard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">This
son, Richard le Seynter, also known as Richard le Belyeter, was a prominent
bell-founder in Herefordshire and Worcestershire. Between fifteen and twentuy bells are
presently attributed to him across the two counties.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Richard held the office of Bailiff in Worcester at least four times and
probably more, so like his grand-father Simon, he was prosperous and a man of
standing within the community.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of
these documents has an exquisite specimen of his seal, a wide-mouthed bell,
with the legend "Sigillum Ricardi le Belyeter".<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is one of only a handful of bell-founder
seals surviving in the country and is the most complete.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Richard le Belyeter most likely died around 1345 as that is
the last date he is found witnessing or is cited in any documents. At this date, John le Belyeter is found witnessing documents.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
first impression of John le Belyeter is that he was not only following in his
father's footsteps but was moving even higher up the social scale, as in 1334
he was elected as a Member of Parliament for Worcester</span><a href="file:///C:/Users/DavidMorrison/Desktop/Bellfounders%20Blog.doc#_edn9" name="_ednref9" style="mso-endnote-id: edn9;" title=""><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: HI; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;">[ix]</span></span></a><span style="font-family: Arial;">.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, this may not have been the case as
only two years later in 1336 there is a warrant sent out to arrest him, and
others 'notoriously suspected' and have them brought to the Tower of London</span><a href="file:///C:/Users/DavidMorrison/Desktop/Bellfounders%20Blog.doc#_edn10" name="_ednref10" style="mso-endnote-id: edn10;" title=""><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: HI; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;">[x]</span></span></a><span style="font-family: Arial;">.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He must have been released though, so perhaps
he was just mixing with the wrong crowd, as he continues to appear in the
documents.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For instance in 1354 the
Abbott of Evesham claims that John Belyeter along with others 'arrested his animals'
in Worcester. John was most likely acting as a bailiff to do this, so was still
in a position of authority. The final document to name John le Belyeter is a
lease, which although dated 1464 quotes a grant</span><a href="file:///C:/Users/DavidMorrison/Desktop/Bellfounders%20Blog.doc#_edn11" name="_ednref11" style="mso-endnote-id: edn11;" title=""><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: HI; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;">[xi]</span></span></a><span style="font-family: Arial;">
from 1358/9 in which a messuage in Sidbury was 'formerly' held by John le
Beleyeter, suggesting perhaps that the land has lain waste since that time.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">No other record of the name Seynter or Belyeter is found
after this and so a family of bell-founders that lasted for nearly 150 years
faded from history only to be discovered again 500 years later by researchers
at Worcester Cathedral. </span></span><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">If you want to know more about this family's history, the full research paper will be printed
in the Annual Symposium Report of Worcester Cathedral, which will be published
later this year (2014). </span></span><br />
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</div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">by Vanda Bartoszuk </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="mso-element: endnote-list; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<hr size="1" style="text-align: left;" width="33%" />
<div id="edn1" style="mso-element: endnote;">
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<a href="file:///C:/Users/DavidMorrison/Desktop/Bellfounders%20Blog.doc#_ednref1" name="_edn1" style="mso-endnote-id: edn1;" title=""><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: Mangal; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: HI; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;">[i]</span></span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>George
Redmonds, Turi King, David Hey.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Surnames, DNA, and Family History, Oxford University Press, 2011, Oxford</span></span></div>
</div>
<div id="edn2" style="mso-element: endnote;">
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 14.15pt;">
<a href="file:///C:/Users/DavidMorrison/Desktop/Bellfounders%20Blog.doc#_ednref2" name="_edn2" style="mso-endnote-id: edn2;" title=""><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: Mangal; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: HI; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;">[ii]</span></span></a><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: x-small;">WCM
B1539 [33]…..... also land outside the gate [of Sidbury] in the suburbs of
Worcester, with messuages and other appurtenances lying between the land of
Thomas Piment, the chaplain, and that of Simon le Seynter.</span></span></span></div>
</div>
<div id="edn3" style="mso-element: endnote;">
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 14.15pt;">
<a href="file:///C:/Users/DavidMorrison/Desktop/Bellfounders%20Blog.doc#_ednref3" name="_edn3" style="mso-endnote-id: edn3;" title=""><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: Mangal; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: HI; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;">[iii]</span></span></a><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: x-small;">WCM A9</span></span></div>
</div>
<div id="edn4" style="mso-element: endnote;">
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 14.15pt;">
<a href="file:///C:/Users/DavidMorrison/Desktop/Bellfounders%20Blog.doc#_ednref4" name="_edn4" style="mso-endnote-id: edn4;" title=""><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: Mangal; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: HI; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;">[iv]</span></span></a><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: x-small;">This is a group of justices who were sent
from the central courts at Westminster to the counties of England to hear cases
- the courts themselves, were known as Eyres. </span></span></div>
</div>
<div id="edn5" style="mso-element: endnote;">
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 14.15pt;">
<a href="file:///C:/Users/DavidMorrison/Desktop/Bellfounders%20Blog.doc#_ednref5" name="_edn5" style="mso-endnote-id: edn5;" title=""><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: Mangal; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: HI; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;">[v]</span></span></a><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: x-small;">NA/Just/1</span></span></div>
</div>
<div id="edn6" style="mso-element: endnote;">
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 14.15pt;">
<a href="file:///C:/Users/DavidMorrison/Desktop/Bellfounders%20Blog.doc#_ednref6" name="_edn6" style="mso-endnote-id: edn6;" title=""><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: Mangal; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: HI; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;">[vi]</span></span></a><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: x-small;">NA/JUST1/1023, 1024, 1025, 1026, 1027, 1028,
1222, 1230A, 1230B, 1232</span></span></div>
</div>
<div id="edn7" style="mso-element: endnote;">
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 14.15pt;">
<a href="file:///C:/Users/DavidMorrison/Desktop/Bellfounders%20Blog.doc#_ednref7" name="_edn7" style="mso-endnote-id: edn7;" title=""><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: Mangal; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: HI; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;">[vii]</span></span></a><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: x-small;">A corrody was a stipend granted to an
individual (a corrodian) that was fulfilled by a religious institution. A full
corrody included food, drink, and lodging and could in some cases also include
a regular allowance in cash. Lesser corrodies provided only food and drink</span></span></div>
</div>
<div id="edn8" style="mso-element: endnote;">
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 14.15pt;">
<a href="file:///C:/Users/DavidMorrison/Desktop/Bellfounders%20Blog.doc#_ednref8" name="_edn8" style="mso-endnote-id: edn8;" title=""><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: Mangal; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: HI; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;">[viii]</span></span></a><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: x-small;">WCM A5</span></span></div>
</div>
<div id="edn9" style="mso-element: endnote;">
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 14.15pt;">
<a href="file:///C:/Users/DavidMorrison/Desktop/Bellfounders%20Blog.doc#_ednref9" name="_edn9" style="mso-endnote-id: edn9;" title=""><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: Mangal; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: HI; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;">[ix]</span></span></a><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: x-small;">Williams, William Retlaw. The parliamentary
history of the county of Worcester. Bibliolife, 1897. Priv. print. for the
author by Jakeman and Carver, Hereford. p.81 the MP for Worcester in 1334 is
John le 'Belleyetere'.</span></span></div>
</div>
<div id="edn10" style="mso-element: endnote;">
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 14.15pt;">
<a href="file:///C:/Users/DavidMorrison/Desktop/Bellfounders%20Blog.doc#_ednref10" name="_edn10" style="mso-endnote-id: edn10;" title=""><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: Mangal; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: HI; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;">[x]</span></span></a><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: x-small;">Calendar of the Patent Rolls Preserved in
the Public Record Office: Edward III: A.D. 1364-1367, Volume 13 Great Britain.
Public Record Office, England. Membrane 29d</span></span></div>
</div>
<div id="edn11" style="mso-element: endnote;">
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 14.15pt;">
<a href="file:///C:/Users/DavidMorrison/Desktop/Bellfounders%20Blog.doc#_ednref11" name="_edn11" style="mso-endnote-id: edn11;" title=""><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: Mangal; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: HI; mso-font-kerning: .5pt;">[xi]</span></span></a><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: x-small;">WCM A6v1 fol. 38</span></span></div>
</div>
Worcester Cathedral Libraryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00522255205082082401noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7040400319055700869.post-48373261655743436802014-05-21T09:00:00.000+01:002014-05-21T09:00:10.377+01:00Rediscovering Runes<span style="font-family: Calibri;">From the mysterious to the mundane, runes have a long and
fascinating history of use…<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Another exciting discovery which has come from research on George Hickes’ book (see <a href="http://worcestercathedrallibrary.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/lost-anglo-saxon-charters-of-worcester.html">last week's blog post</a>) is a wealth of
material dealing with Runes. These were used throughout the Western Europe
after the collapse of the Roman Empire, and were best suited to short messages
carved on stone, wood and metal.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Hickes includes a copperplate image of the Old English ‘Rune
Poem’. </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">This text is critical to our knowledge of early England, as
it preserves the memory of a time before Christianisation and subsequent
adoption of Latin letters. Written down in around the 10<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup> century
but probably composed in the 8<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup> or 9<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup> century, it lists
and names the 29 characters of the English runic script, along with a short
poem in Old English to help the reader remember the name. For example:<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“Þ Þorn (Thorn) is very sharp · for every thane <o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Who grabs it, it is evil · and immeasurably cruel <o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">For every man · that with it rests”<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;">
<span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The
original manuscript containing the Rune Poem was destroyed by fire in 1731, but
thankfully a copy had been made by the scholar Humfrey Wanley and reproduced by
Hickes, making this <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">the most original
and accurate source in existence</b>.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;">
<span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Runes
were used more commonly and for a longer time in Scandinavia. One of the most
common places runes are found are on monumental stones, often erected at land
boundaries or beside roads and bridges. This was to ensure they were read by
many people. The earliest rune stones may bear only the name of the man who
carved them, but over time this was elaborated into memorial messages with
artistic decoration. These later stones were generally commissioned by a wealthy
individual to commemorate his family and achievements. Hickes includes this
example from Iceland:</span></span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii2ZIaylT4K6skTg08tgOoot-93JmSVtAiAZP18Kf1SFW6wZWarM6JwlU2UwW42_09e9DtbYtL5xr500Yt-3XKwkOp8SJ8wtXy5MEdU6THXcjV59hFc9FzAZ3miW6yj1hCKZLtkjjuWKg/s1600/001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii2ZIaylT4K6skTg08tgOoot-93JmSVtAiAZP18Kf1SFW6wZWarM6JwlU2UwW42_09e9DtbYtL5xr500Yt-3XKwkOp8SJ8wtXy5MEdU6THXcjV59hFc9FzAZ3miW6yj1hCKZLtkjjuWKg/s1600/001.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Picture of rune stones from Hickes' From <em><span style="font-family: Gill Sans MT;">Thesaurus Grammatico Criticus & Archaeologicus.</span></em> Image copyright of the Chapter of Worcester Cathedral, U.K. (2014.)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“Thorstein had these words made in
memory of Svein his father and in memory of Thor his brother. They are away in
Greece. And in memory of Ingithu his mother. Carved by Ubir”</span></span></i><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It
is very helpful of Hickes to have reproduced this image, as rune stones are
often in exposed places, meaning that their inscriptions become worn away and
less legible over time.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;">
<span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">One
of Hickes’ most ambitious ideas was to chart the development of runic
characters. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1_0p5hOhNT2-I3_e0H7tVDNalKL5FonFQBJdI_EK93pDyGL359_SdIL67ReiZT_EKPTxsFd4q7opRLJ-zGSYzxi7-jit04VlE3dAnYjQTpIBl4tYt42fNneCMOO20-xOm0EjseWFu7l8/s1600/004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1_0p5hOhNT2-I3_e0H7tVDNalKL5FonFQBJdI_EK93pDyGL359_SdIL67ReiZT_EKPTxsFd4q7opRLJ-zGSYzxi7-jit04VlE3dAnYjQTpIBl4tYt42fNneCMOO20-xOm0EjseWFu7l8/s1600/004.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Photo of rune family trees from Hickes' <em><span style="font-family: Gill Sans MT;">Thesaurus Grammatico Criticus & Archaeologicus.</span></em> Image copyright of the Chapter of Worcester Cathedral, U.K. (2014.)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="background: yellow; color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-highlight: yellow;"></span><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p></o:p></span></span> <span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">In
their earliest forms they often appear similar to Latin letters, which Western
European troops may have seen whilst serving as mercenaries in the Roman army
(perhaps this is what Thorstein’s brother and father are doing?), but some
later became very complex, as Hickes shows. In the British Isles, the alphabet
was expanded into 29 characters as seen in the poem above. In Scandinavia however
this was reduced to 16, with some characters representing more than one sound,
which must have been very confusing!</span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Joanna Perks<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
Worcester Cathedral Libraryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00522255205082082401noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7040400319055700869.post-84104872149745543202014-05-13T13:00:00.002+01:002014-05-15T09:39:14.719+01:00Lost Anglo-Saxon Charters of Worcester<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">How far back in time can the history of your town
be traced? For some, the answer is the Anglo-Saxon period, over 1000 years ago…</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhri0sHVLW8O5fgUC6rFwNPz7bOmYhXNM_mTNsjoYyEYMkKT5ALGxHdt-OVfgVWDevlWtKyV8BvihH9ezUTcoflio51PkQguQhNMjPHF-3BKH9qvNlwSqM-UGZxlzKtes_9p5P5CCFVscw/s1600/George+Hickes+(3).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhri0sHVLW8O5fgUC6rFwNPz7bOmYhXNM_mTNsjoYyEYMkKT5ALGxHdt-OVfgVWDevlWtKyV8BvihH9ezUTcoflio51PkQguQhNMjPHF-3BKH9qvNlwSqM-UGZxlzKtes_9p5P5CCFVscw/s1600/George+Hickes+(3).jpg" height="320" width="222" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Engraved portrait of Dean George Hickes of Worcester. From <em><span style="font-family: Gill Sans MT;">Thesaurus Grammatico Criticus & Archaeologicus.</span></em> Image copyright of the Chapter of Worcester Cathedral, U.K. (2014.)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">A recent research project has been focused on the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">‘Thesaurus Grammatico Criticus & Archaeologicus’</i>
of George Hickes. Written in Latin and printed onto paper in 1705, this book
deals with the study of Old English in the early medieval period, as well as
the Icelandic dialect of Old Norse, and various Runes. In order to explore Old
English, Hickes includes a number of Anglo-Saxon charters, two of which
directly concern Worcester.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Charter S1363 was written by our very own St
Oswald and witnessed by the brothers of Worcester, granting 2 hides of land for
3 lives (these are standard terms used in Medieval legal documents, and
represent a modest estate) to be shared by two brothers: </span><br />
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">“ic
moste gebocian twa hida landes on Mortune on Þreora monna dæg minum twam
getreowum mannum Beorhnæge 7 Byrhstane twæm gebroÞrum… 7 ic cy∂e Þæt ∂a
gebroÞra twegen me gesealdon .iiii. pund licwyr∂es feos wi∂ fullan unnan”</span></i></div>
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">"I
must grant by charter two hides of land in Mortun for three men’s lives to two
brothers Beornheah and Brihstan… and I make known that the two brothers
surrendered to me four pounds thither for that which is given fully by charter”</span></i><br />
<em><span style="font-family: Gill Sans MT;"></span></em><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitEfpujCL8eH3wp9mgsvvJRmjPcXzcGnG8_YTceLVoCPbCPRl2sp0YwJokyvnonzA166QMFTlvGNfOH-wToG76carpuNAA5WbfyEzA7mojk2Lo9pXJ7mRZ8KnxjLzPpRS5xSujOnhSvqk/s1600/Anglo-Saxon+charter+01+%25283%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitEfpujCL8eH3wp9mgsvvJRmjPcXzcGnG8_YTceLVoCPbCPRl2sp0YwJokyvnonzA166QMFTlvGNfOH-wToG76carpuNAA5WbfyEzA7mojk2Lo9pXJ7mRZ8KnxjLzPpRS5xSujOnhSvqk/s1600/Anglo-Saxon+charter+01+%25283%2529.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">A photograph of a printed transcription of S1363 in <em><span style="font-family: Gill Sans MT; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Thesaurus Grammatico Criticus & Archaeologicus.</span> </span></em>Image copyright the Chapter of Worcester Cathedral, U.K (2014)</span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">A note in the margin of the original manuscript
(which is now lost – lucky that Hickes made a copy) names the estate as
‘Mortun’. We have record of this estate as Moreton or Mortune at various times
until the fifteenth century, and it still exists as a farm near
Tewkesbury, giving name to the B4080 ‘Moreton Lane’. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Gill Sans MT;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWhDvhjSu49pm_xcSIyO4AJxWkMjNHOV6dxJf1H6YhHEJyEFrY97gYrOsEUM59nO3Z8c-5JMmAEyh_kxsvwE6cO_6DowmBv4wTvr45Qk6ZTAc7CzuRoVjtZcnnKMXEV0CUYx7xer7hjjE/s1600/Anglo-Saxon+charter+02+%25283%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWhDvhjSu49pm_xcSIyO4AJxWkMjNHOV6dxJf1H6YhHEJyEFrY97gYrOsEUM59nO3Z8c-5JMmAEyh_kxsvwE6cO_6DowmBv4wTvr45Qk6ZTAc7CzuRoVjtZcnnKMXEV0CUYx7xer7hjjE/s1600/Anglo-Saxon+charter+02+%25283%2529.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">A photograph of a printed transcription of S1406 from <em><span style="font-family: Gill Sans MT; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Thesaurus Grammatico Criticus & Archaeologicus.</span> </span></em>Image copyright the Chapter of Worcester Cathedral U.K., (2014)</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Charter S1406 was written by Bishop Aldred of
Worcester sometime between 1046 and 1053, leasing 2 hides of land for the
duration of 3 lives. The land is in the manor “that men call Hill” – this is
probably the modern area of Hill and Moor, near Pershore.</span><br />
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">The recipient is one Aethelstan the Fat, a local
nobleman, who signs other charters using this nickname. As ‘Aethelstan’ was a
very popular Medieval name, he was presumably comfortable with being identified
in this way! </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">This charter is witnessed by “the whole community
of Worcester”</span></div>
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">“7
Þisses is to gewitnysse eall se hired on Wigeraceastre”</span></i><br />
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Along with “all the thegns of Worcester, both
Danish and English”</span></div>
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">“7
ealle Þa Þegnas on Wigeraceastrescire . denisce 7 englisce”</span></i><br />
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">This is interesting because it shows that after
only thirty years or so of Danish rule, Danish noblemen had settled and gained
power in areas of England which had traditionally possessed a very strong
Anglo-Saxon identity: Worcester was at the heart of the old kingdom of Mercia.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;">
<br /><br />
<br /><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">by Joanna Perks</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> </span></div>
Worcester Cathedral Libraryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00522255205082082401noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7040400319055700869.post-10224677212984479632014-04-30T11:36:00.000+01:002014-04-30T11:36:03.182+01:00A Most Curious Perspective - The “Garter” Engravings of Wenceslaus Hollar<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">In 1672 Elias Ashmole published his
historical account of the laws and ceremonies of the noble orders of knighthood.
Entitled <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Institution, Laws and
Ceremonies of the most Noble Order of the Garter</i>, the book is notable for
its suite of fine engravings depicting the many and varied aspects of the
various orders of knighthood, in particular those associated with the Order
of the Garter and Windsor Castle.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhih5DqCazl8-A1rbtYLRdiX7AwOiqU2c1qopfjJk57NXyTig-iAKjvd16WgtIRVyvITqEhTsPoHO7q9OvLt99HWZxpr9LhgYwpecryyzDU0Q6PKniu6NhxHogHftmoZLJDJW8QQvA6-zo/s1600/Garter+regalia+(3).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhih5DqCazl8-A1rbtYLRdiX7AwOiqU2c1qopfjJk57NXyTig-iAKjvd16WgtIRVyvITqEhTsPoHO7q9OvLt99HWZxpr9LhgYwpecryyzDU0Q6PKniu6NhxHogHftmoZLJDJW8QQvA6-zo/s1600/Garter+regalia+(3).jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Photograph of Elias Ashmole's <em>The Institution, Laws and Ceremonies of the most Noble Order of the Garter</em> (1672), p. 202. Engraving by Hollar of the habit and ensign of the Order of the Garter. Image copyright the Chapter of Worcester Cathedral, U.K. (2014).</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Ashmole was a renowned antiquary,
politician, officer of arms, astrologer and student of alchemy. He supported
King Charles I during the English Civil War. In 1645 he accepted the position
of Commissioner of Excise at Worcester, though it seems likely he never
participated in any actual fighting.</span><br />
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">At the restoration of Charles II he
was rewarded with several lucrative offices. Indeed, he has been described as
one of those people who attempted to rise up the social ladder at the
restoration by seeking favours and advancement at the new court. In June 1660
he was appointed to the College of Arms as <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Windsor
Herald of Arms in Ordinary</i>, a position he still held at the time of
publication of his <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Garter</i> book.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The natural choice for “illustrator”
of Ashmole’s great book was already a friend of his. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Wenceslaus Hollar. Exile from Bohemia – Artist in England</i>, as the
commemorative stone in Southwark Cathedral describes him, was an established
draughtsman and engraver in England, having first travelled here in the
household of Thomas Howard, 21<sup>st</sup> Earl of Arundel in 1637.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Hollar’s engravings for the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Garter</i> book encompass a wide variety of
designs, including regalia of the various orders of knighthood, as well as a
number of vividly detailed architectural studies. In particular there are 14 engravings
of Windsor castle, including two fold-out plates, and a number of prospects and
plans of St. George’s Chapel, which define his vision and skill as an engraver.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Gill Sans MT;"></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA6VZZLvfPNb-1xuFllAc_3LUzVX0y9HiKt71BugscOkSs5lXKcKxk054fsfTWDBOpTDokNDos3FCKMHGDxyeqCxJaqCdz1vmhF4onFMcvdZhmF_BmJ00AzsbztchP0eHG03bLe0WEpsU/s1600/St+George+Chapel+(3).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA6VZZLvfPNb-1xuFllAc_3LUzVX0y9HiKt71BugscOkSs5lXKcKxk054fsfTWDBOpTDokNDos3FCKMHGDxyeqCxJaqCdz1vmhF4onFMcvdZhmF_BmJ00AzsbztchP0eHG03bLe0WEpsU/s1600/St+George+Chapel+(3).jpg" height="640" width="364" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Photograph of Elias Ashmole's <em>The Institution, Laws and Ceremonies of the most Noble Order of the Garter</em> (1672), p. 143. Engraving by Hollar of the interior of St. George's Chapel. Image Copyright the Chapter of Worcester Cathedral, U.K. (2014)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Perhaps the most surprising plate of all, and the
most innovative for its time, is the aerial view of Windsor Castle (pictured
here). The perspective and viewpoint of this engraving is both surprising and
bemusing for its time, and represents a hallmark of Hollar’s astonishing
technique. In a fictionalised (though historically accurate) account, Gillian Tindall
gives us his son’s view of it in<em> The Man
Who Drew London: Wenceslaus Hollar in Reality and Imagination</em> (Pimlico,
London. 2002). Indeed it is hard to comprehend, even today, how he was
able to achieve such an imaginative perspective.</span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisZ8Ytm9zjM5Az2zKY4fitVq30xCfKBLUd_VSktqbJbJnAJJHWq2iGn__pP66HZnanD-AaapNoSO_-9dI0WuoFO2ZDym3DZtCL0B026ADi0VAORIMl-o8wmNEiUbQy4bbgSCnqJGjwX3s/s1600/Windsor+Castle+(3).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisZ8Ytm9zjM5Az2zKY4fitVq30xCfKBLUd_VSktqbJbJnAJJHWq2iGn__pP66HZnanD-AaapNoSO_-9dI0WuoFO2ZDym3DZtCL0B026ADi0VAORIMl-o8wmNEiUbQy4bbgSCnqJGjwX3s/s1600/Windsor+Castle+(3).jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: xx-small;">Photograph of Elias Ashmole's <em>The Institution, Laws and Ceremonies of the most Noble Order of the Garter</em> (1672), p.131. Engraving by Hollar showing an aerial view of Windsor Castle. Image copyright the Chapter of Worcester Cathedral, U.K. (2014).</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">One of Hollar’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Garter</i> engravings bears the intriguing attribution <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">W. Hollar Scenographus Regis</i>, referring
to his official status of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">His Majesty’s
Scenographer</i>, a position he petitioned the King for, possibly with
Ashmole’s support. Another notable engraving depicts a dinner in Windsor Great
Hall showing all the Garter knights (though not depicted here throwing food at
each other, as the diarist John Evelyn had disapprovingly seen them do!).</span><br />
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">by Steve Hobbs</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Gill Sans MT;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Gill Sans MT;"><strong><u>Bibliography</u></strong></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Gillian Tindall, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Man Who Drew London: Wenceslaus Hollar in Reality and Imagination</i>.
Pimlico, London. 2002. </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">John Evelyn, Memoirs, <em>Illustrative of the Life and
Writings of John Evelyn</em>, London 1819, volume 1, p.403</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Elias Ashmole, <em>The Order of the Garter</em>, London1672</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt 36pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Gill Sans MT","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></div>
Worcester Cathedral Libraryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00522255205082082401noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7040400319055700869.post-90282685648140561152014-04-24T10:00:00.000+01:002014-04-24T10:09:22.509+01:00Part II: Captain Edward Cooke’s A Voyage to the South Sea and Around the World<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Captain Edward Cooke embarked on a marauding voyage around
the world that began in 1708 and lasted three years. The voyage was made up of
two ships sent out by Bristol merchants. Cooke commanded the ship called the
Duchess, whilst William Dampier, a renowned seafarer who completed three
circumnavigations in his lifetime, commanded the Duke with Woodes Rogers.
Cooke’s account of the voyage was published in two volumes, titled <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">A Voyage to the South Sea and Around the
World Perform’d in the Years 1708, 1709, 1710, and 1711</i>, copies of which
are held in Worcester Cathedral library.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">After travelling from Bristol to the Coast of Brazil, then
onto Peru and the Galapagos Islands, the Duke and Duchess continued Northwards
from Panama along the northern part of South America. Cooke describes how this
area of land was divided into “the Tierre Firme, or the continent, the next to
the Equinoctial, being the very narrow Isthmus, or neck of land, which joins
the North and South parts of that vast part of the world, next Veragua, then
Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala, Vera Paz, Chippa, Soconusco,
Tabasco, Yucatan, Guaxaca, Tlascala, Or Los Angeles, Mexico, properly so
call’d, Mechoaca, Panuco, Xalisco, Guadalajara, Zacatecas, New Biscay,
Culiacan, Cinaloa, the vast province of New Mexico, and the Island of
California.” (p. 835)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Cooke gives a short summary of each of the places but
devotes most time to describing the layout and customs of the peoples of Mexico
City. Cooke uses the account of the Italian traveller Gemelli <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Careri who visited Mexico City over a decade
earlier in 1693. Cooke (quoting Gemelli) describes Mexico favourably: “The plan
of it is square with long, wide, and well pav’d streets, lying east, west,
north and south, in straight lines, like a chess board. Few cities in Italy
exceed it for beautiful structures and none come near it for fine women”. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The below map was created by Gemelli and is taken from
another travel book from Worcester Cathedral library, Harris’ <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Collection of Voyages and Travels</i> (1745).
It shows Mexico City as Gemelli and Cooke encountered it in the late
seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries. The twentieth century has seen the
city of Mexico rapidly expand westward and, since 1900 its population has
increased from 500,000 to over 8 million. Today the lakes of Chalco (South of
the Lake of Mexico), Xal and Nuebo are covered by the sprawling city. As the
map is hydrographical it is mainly concerned with recording the lakes and
waterways surrounding Mexico City. Yet from it we can nonetheless get an
impression of how “five causeways half a league long, lead into the city, which
has neither walls nor gates".</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_wS1aX2j1RW9Y1jatgXxVx5AMInif0HvwKp0TnheLXBHGSxJAJFqeVZ9C54ew8Rb_XgBPEaZVlH2nhmoQxxNfEtqvNWb2W2KT7xWxX2eE8HzhjVsTzdsoKPMznRXAx2YFAgtfIqAQtlo/s1600/Mexico+(MK6+vol4,+p487).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_wS1aX2j1RW9Y1jatgXxVx5AMInif0HvwKp0TnheLXBHGSxJAJFqeVZ9C54ew8Rb_XgBPEaZVlH2nhmoQxxNfEtqvNWb2W2KT7xWxX2eE8HzhjVsTzdsoKPMznRXAx2YFAgtfIqAQtlo/s1600/Mexico+(MK6+vol4,+p487).jpg" height="424" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Photograph of a "hydrographicall draught of Mexico as it lies in its lakes", Harris' <em>Collection of Voyages and Travels</em>, Vol. IV (1745), p.487. Image copyright the Chapter of Worcester Cathedral, U.K. (2014).</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Like all travel accounts, we cannot be certain of the
statistics that Cooke records about Mexico City’s population and he is often
very opinionated. He claims that around one million live in the city itself and
that of this figure a large proportion of people were racially mixed, “the
greater number blacks and mulattos” (Cooke, p. 396). Cooke’s statement simplifies the complex and extremely diverse social demography of Mexico City
in this period. African slaves had begun to be imported into New Spain because
the introduction of the New Laws in the seventeenth century prohibited the
enslavement of the indigenous peoples. Between the seventeenth and eighteenth
centuries, Mexico became increasingly ethnically diverse and there were many
groups of mixed-racial identity created from the blending of European, African,
and Indian cultures.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Mexico City was also surrounded by smaller towns or pueblos
(as seen on the map) that were made-up almost entirely of Indians. If you want
to learn more about the demography of Mexico City in this period this link
provides a good overview and some useful statistical historic research </span><a href="http://www.hist.umn.edu/~rmccaa/mxpoprev/cambridg3.htm"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">http://www.hist.umn.edu/~rmccaa/mxpoprev/cambridg3.htm</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Cooke’s figure of five million indigenous people living in
the towns surrounding Mexico city is undoubtedly inaccurate. In the seventeenth
century, the indigenous population had begun to recover from small pox and
other infections and the number of Indigenous people had increased by as much
as 30% throughout the later seventeenth century; Cooke’s figure probably
exaggerates the population growth. Many of Cooke’s observations are, however,
accurate. For example, he notes how brass coinage was not used in Mexico at
this time, only silver. He also comments that in the city’s markets, you can
trade the cacao bean as a form of currency. He says that “in the market cacao
nuts pass for honey in the buying of Herbs, 60 or 80 of them passing for a
Royal, as the Price of those nuts is higher or lower”. Cacao beans along with
textiles were transported into the city during this period from southern Mexico
and were eagerly sought after.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">After his description of Mexico City, Cooke talks of
Acapulco which he is altogether less impressed by! He complains that the
conditions are “very unhealthy from November till May because then there falls
no ran, and therefore is hotter in January than Italy in the Dog-Days.” (Cooke
p. 397). He also complains that there is a lack of inns for travellers to stay
in, stating that “Spanish Merchants, as soon as the Ships from Manila and Peru
are discharg’d, all retire to oher places”. Acapulco was a busy port in the
seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, and was where all the major goods from
China and the Philippines were brought to by ship and then transported onwards
to Mexico City by the Manila galleons. The city was predominantly made-up of African
migrants and slaves, who worked at the port. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Cooke’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">A Voyage to
the South Sea and Around the World Perform’d in the Years 1708, 1709, 1710, and
1711 </i>is a useful and engaging read for anyone who is interested in the
history of Mexico and surrounding countries (Guatamala, Panama and so on). It
gives an idea of how one English traveller perceived these places in the early
1700s. As I have suggested, however, we should not necessarily take everything Cooke
records as fact. Cooke often relies heavily on the accounts of
voyagers that have gone before him and can also be prone to using hyperbole (because
he wants readers to find his travels exciting). One can also be frustrated over
the amount of time Cooke spends relaying the history of each place, much
narrative is concerned with past events instead of present circumstances. This
said, there are some very detailed descriptions of the silver mines and other
aspects of local economies. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">After venturing along the neck of land connecting Northern
and Southern America, Cooke and his group departed from the “island” of
California to return for England on January 10 1709. After they reached the
Cape of Good Hope (South Africa) their journey to Texel (North Holland) took
three months and seventeen days. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span>Worcester Cathedral Libraryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00522255205082082401noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7040400319055700869.post-66913594429461572472014-04-11T16:35:00.003+01:002014-04-11T16:35:57.296+01:00<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Amongst the many travel books held within the Cathedral Library
there is a published account by Captain Edward Cooke (fl. 1710), in which he describes in
detail, his travels and adventures around the world. This voyage was undertaken
between August 1<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">st</span></sup> 1708, from the port of Bristol and arrived back
in England on October 2<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">nd</span></sup> 1711. The book is written in a diary style
and describes all the events, amazing sightings and discoveries encountered on their
epic voyage. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6o5R6V9OW3NFt6lrDq0duECEkKQ2CMT0zGPwjKU7YC5k8HWiS1JFP5K6W_JTInrGRFzsACjZgcBZ1ddTS6NI_PcGyDdW1siFvPSOYoyGvyBzML7E6awhLpqigPbCYGdPyEhCCzKBGgok/s1600/012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6o5R6V9OW3NFt6lrDq0duECEkKQ2CMT0zGPwjKU7YC5k8HWiS1JFP5K6W_JTInrGRFzsACjZgcBZ1ddTS6NI_PcGyDdW1siFvPSOYoyGvyBzML7E6awhLpqigPbCYGdPyEhCCzKBGgok/s1600/012.JPG" height="320" width="182" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image copyright the Chapter of Worcester Cathedral (U.K), 2014</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The first part of Cooke’s voyage was to the Cape Verde
islands and then on to the coast of Brazil, where on Sunday 14<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup> of
November, land was sighted off the Island Grande. Two crew members bargained
for a canoe to take them ashore, but they got lost and, on seeing a number of
wild beasts, they thought better of it and returned to the ship “begging for
God’s sake to be brought aboard, or they should be devoured”. They were taken
on board and confined in irons. The following morning they were whipped then
set free. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/editor/static_files/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br /></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimyUD-FgLd7gei6_r0SZNnsQ_OUKD7IiHSZzsvv3ucE5Z7egMW_37UzmAm7xXG6oX_7DAsgHslXOh54vF67i6FlWJPTRAwwDAziOeU_nG9bcoKyO9-I3NeQFqpj0RtFPhsOAO6UOD2PSo/s1600/014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimyUD-FgLd7gei6_r0SZNnsQ_OUKD7IiHSZzsvv3ucE5Z7egMW_37UzmAm7xXG6oX_7DAsgHslXOh54vF67i6FlWJPTRAwwDAziOeU_nG9bcoKyO9-I3NeQFqpj0RtFPhsOAO6UOD2PSo/s1600/014.JPG" height="320" width="190" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image copyright the Chapter of Worcester Cathedral (U.K.) 2014.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span> <span style="font-family: Calibri;">One of the first maps to appear in the book is of “The
Island Grande”, off the coast of Brazil. It shows the anchorage points, and a
few lines of text accompany the map explaining that the island was mainly used
by the French in this period, bound for the South Seas. The French generally
landed there to gather wood and water before continuing on their journey. The
island is also described as having a very rich gold mine. Captain Cooke was
particularly taken by the large variety of fish he encountered in the seas
surrounding the island. He included another plate and observations on seeing
sharks that “seize men as they are swimming taking off a Limb at a Bite”. No. 5
is described as a “sucking-fish”, or what we today call a cat fish. </span></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNC732EwJ9zH0J_6KVA4mLmzxBgxF0lOf_dgmIPPSKuxEOThrGepWw0iDERtPkUR0hWQDRQmY5nreQoqSewfj8IAcR_t5qY6TSPbvjxQCFpcpM719-Fud9y5CVh8qZFtk5LwBhG3wG0Fk/s1600/013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNC732EwJ9zH0J_6KVA4mLmzxBgxF0lOf_dgmIPPSKuxEOThrGepWw0iDERtPkUR0hWQDRQmY5nreQoqSewfj8IAcR_t5qY6TSPbvjxQCFpcpM719-Fud9y5CVh8qZFtk5LwBhG3wG0Fk/s1600/013.JPG" height="320" width="169" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image copyright the Chapter of Worcester Cathedral (U.K.) 2014</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Further on in the book, Cooke describes the city of Santiago,
Chile. His account of the city explains its founding and layout. This section
is also accompanied by a map of the city, which Cooke describes as being laid
out in “the form of a chess-board” (it’s easy to see why!).Churches and the
city’s cathedral are the main items plotted.</span></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj32s0bdUUkTWlNIagbZEmtDV3a_wBWY-uUDCOSw5wdse3WGPVqPHxcFQmoEmNdwGXae_36rpPbtT4Zf3-MJVJ6rh9f5xSV55f5faOeyf1Y7FsW66h7yi54lkwPfMEF1er4izazlI2iOIc/s1600/015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj32s0bdUUkTWlNIagbZEmtDV3a_wBWY-uUDCOSw5wdse3WGPVqPHxcFQmoEmNdwGXae_36rpPbtT4Zf3-MJVJ6rh9f5xSV55f5faOeyf1Y7FsW66h7yi54lkwPfMEF1er4izazlI2iOIc/s1600/015.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image copyright the Chapter of Worcester Cathedral (U.K), 2014</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Chapter X of Cooke’s voyage describes the island of San Juan
Fernandez, which is famous for being the setting of Daniel Defoe’s classic
novel, Robinson Crusoe. In A Cruising Voyage Around the World (1712) Woodes
Rogers, who was on board Cooke’s ship, had described saving a Scottish sailor,
Alexander Selikirk, who had been marooned on this island for four years. Yet,
interestingly, according to Cook’s account, the stranded man was a Mosquito Indian
called William, not a Scott. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Cooke also gives an account of the city of Cusco, capital of
Peru and the historic capital of the Incas. Cooke’s description of this
magnificent city is accompanied by this panoramic view. Cooke says “Nothing inferior were their
[the Incas'] stupendious structures, among which the whole city of Cusco deserves to be described
but it would take up more room than we can afford”. Central to the woodcut, you
can see a picture of the Cathedral of San Domingo, which is today an UNESCO
world heritage site. The Cathedral was built atop the Inca palace, which was built
for the ruler Viracocha around a century before the Spanish <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>conquistadors arrived. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKcjuCJQDf2dYOxu0ucFaJH7m88P1nuA4q5euoquuvjqWurmImlU0kmIAzfPzkeVQFiRU1EO_Z0mWmzfoxiXABt9MqFSEgboqs_WCkQNi6a6zX5MErI06tjhRznRkKXD4cHZTfJ5EqXsM/s1600/Cusco,+Peru+(WM19+p229).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKcjuCJQDf2dYOxu0ucFaJH7m88P1nuA4q5euoquuvjqWurmImlU0kmIAzfPzkeVQFiRU1EO_Z0mWmzfoxiXABt9MqFSEgboqs_WCkQNi6a6zX5MErI06tjhRznRkKXD4cHZTfJ5EqXsM/s1600/Cusco,+Peru+(WM19+p229).jpg" height="212" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image copyright the Chapter of Worcester (U.K) 2014</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">In next week’s blog I follow Cooke as he journeys to the
Northern Part of South America, and visits Mexico and Acapulco!</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01121081114126547820noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7040400319055700869.post-74287061124676450482014-03-26T10:16:00.000+00:002014-03-26T10:16:10.870+00:00Hugh Latimer Bishop of Worcester man and martyr<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Hugh Latimer was one of
the important clergymen who helped to establish the Church of England in the
mid-sixteenth century. Together with Archbishop Thomas Cranmer and Nicholas Ridley,
Bishop of London, he is remembered as one of the Oxford martyrs. In this blog,
I am looking at how he was both a famous martyr and also an ordinary man.</span><br />
</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfOYvY7O7eOffEaD4A6hZNETn8s7AQRxAtEmfwKDfWJvt33B9hpWCVmvNqThaocWPCyVAr2gBzcMEpZlj8cdqjQ6fwHDTisuZM_hjjK1xM1tYz3fVsfPfwTWF7omFuQcg7w_D-fi_OEYM/s1600/Latimer1+(3).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfOYvY7O7eOffEaD4A6hZNETn8s7AQRxAtEmfwKDfWJvt33B9hpWCVmvNqThaocWPCyVAr2gBzcMEpZlj8cdqjQ6fwHDTisuZM_hjjK1xM1tYz3fVsfPfwTWF7omFuQcg7w_D-fi_OEYM/s1600/Latimer1+(3).jpg" height="400" width="290" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hugh Latimer. Reproduced by permission of the Dean and Chapter of Worcester Cathedral (U.K.).</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Hugh Latimer was born in
the village of Thurcaston in Leicestershire in c.1490. His father was a poor
farmer. He was an intelligent child and was fortunate to be able to go to Cambridge
University. He was elected a Fellow of Clare Hall. In 1514 he gained his Master
of Arts and became a preacher, and in 1524 he achieved his Bachelor of
Divinity. When Cardinal Wolsey decided to found a new College at Oxford,
Latimer was one of a handful of men offered the chance to teach there. All of
them were reformers. He later returned to teach at Cambridge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
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</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLCN5zRMDkMB7fC67A9FHIukRzlMpOaO6vFd45pLo-D6yHE7T-3t9e0KlI_JUamr_EYWnCRwpHrgmSmn_EJ_6oDg0GZ4TTptA9EejnbsL_PRylYG2UYB-x27mWs8R5DtkXskVb5rsZ9w4/s1600/K+Henrys+Letter+to+Latimer++%25283%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLCN5zRMDkMB7fC67A9FHIukRzlMpOaO6vFd45pLo-D6yHE7T-3t9e0KlI_JUamr_EYWnCRwpHrgmSmn_EJ_6oDg0GZ4TTptA9EejnbsL_PRylYG2UYB-x27mWs8R5DtkXskVb5rsZ9w4/s1600/K+Henrys+Letter+to+Latimer++%25283%2529.jpg" height="320" width="236" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A copy of a letter from King Henry VIII to Bishop Latimer still surviving in the cathedral archive. Reproduced by permission of the Dean and Chapter of Worcester Cathedral (U.K.)</td></tr>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"></span> </div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">He preached before Kings
Henry VIII and Edward VI. Latimer believed that the church needed reforming.
When he carried out a visitation of Worcester Cathedral priory in 1537 his
ideas and hopes were clear. He insisted that a Bible in English be available in
either the church or cloister, and that every monk have, at the very least, a New
Testament each. He also ordered the monks not to discourage lay people from
reading, and that preaching be recognized as important. It was not to be
disturbed by singing or ceremonies because preaching is crucial in helping people to understand
the Christian religion. He also asked for various other reforms to the
cathedral priory. </span></div>
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</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF8Yx1PNIqt1QhZHda5Fr_dpEm10RzaJHBPNgSYDUZgDPT-mh2_Rft1RFzQkA65WBKHvGPm6QvJ0v1dz1I9x2-o5buBvYBUNWKvV3hyYAXyEawnzUUxYu7hIomPho1H9voSJx_pWFsddc/s1600/Bishop+Latimer+at+King+Edward+VI%2527s+court+%25283%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF8Yx1PNIqt1QhZHda5Fr_dpEm10RzaJHBPNgSYDUZgDPT-mh2_Rft1RFzQkA65WBKHvGPm6QvJ0v1dz1I9x2-o5buBvYBUNWKvV3hyYAXyEawnzUUxYu7hIomPho1H9voSJx_pWFsddc/s1600/Bishop+Latimer+at+King+Edward+VI%2527s+court+%25283%2529.jpg" height="377" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hugh Latimer preaching at Westminster before King Edward VI. Reproduced by permission of the Dean and Chapter of Worcester Cathedral (U.K.)</td></tr>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">In Edward VI’s reign he
was again a very popular preacher. The poor in particular looked on him as someone
who stood up to the rich and the nobility- groups who were tempted to ignore
the legal rights of the poor. He also was against the giving of bribes, so must
have hoped to improve society generally.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLKLLQSNKifTmDJyk1lK8c-jSQC6OAoxiet1H4YO1ZDvKKWcBwGTUih9S2aRE3klCt_mWCsERwDs_Hy1ZgHAGlSwgOmvYCeGSwnvHikP72e2GopvHoOyo9GE0QWyo5iIHYX6oKDelhPEI/s1600/Bishops+Latimer+and+Ridley+%25283%2529.jpg" height="320" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="299" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The martyrdom of Latimer and Ridley at Oxford. Reproduced by permission of the Dean and Chapter of Worcester Cathedral (U.K.)</td></tr>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Queen Mary seized the
throne from Lady Jane Grey in 1553, despite the late Edward VI’s wishes. Mary ordered
arrests of those people who did not believe as she did. Latimer was ordered to
come from Warwickshire and appear at the Privy Council in London. He was then
imprisoned. He drew comfort from his friends Ridley and Cranmer whilst in the
Tower by letters, and he read his New Testament carefully, and prepared for his
trial. He also helped them with his resolve and sense of humour.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><br />
He was finally condemned and was taken to Oxford in 1554. After a 'trial' all
three men were excommunicated for disagreeing with the government’s views on
the bread and wine at Holy Communion. Latimer believed that the wine and bread
were not turned into the blood and body of Christ, but that Christ was present
spiritually instead. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was burnt to
death outside Balliol College because of his beliefs. It would be possible to
see Hugh Latimer like a main character in a film. However, it is important to
remember that he was not just a famous martyr. He was also a man, who was
intelligent with ideas, hopes and a quiet sense of humour. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">By Darcie Sutton</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><strong><u>Bibliography</u></strong></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">William Gilpin, The Life
of Hugh Latimer, Bishop of Worcester, London 1755</span><br />
</div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">George Elwes Corries,
Sermons by Hugh Latimer, Cambridge, 1845</span>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Robert Demaus, Hugh Latimer-
A Biography, London 1903. </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></span><br />Worcester Cathedral Libraryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00522255205082082401noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7040400319055700869.post-61096794995939360632014-03-16T23:07:00.006+00:002014-03-17T08:48:47.543+00:00Frances Ridley Havergal - Famous Worcestershire Hymn writer and poet<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Frances Ridley Havergal was loved by everyone throughout her life. From the moment she was born in 1836, Frances was considered an angel by her family.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Frances as a young girl was charming and lovely, almost fairy tale-like in her manner and appearance, but Frances had a secret; she felt unworthy of being a Christian. This feeling plagued her. Frances made sure that her outward appearance was always a happy one, so that nobody knew how she felt.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYLguZc-Ni0Vy_9am0oQzRY1aWeINUyDFiBhfUEwd67KttCb7Varza31M5Nt51WKK3sfkVn11-Pu_2PF6J_oB9gfb38hP4GhMohyphenhyphen8h_pKOUt_LvZpV7XQBReq1NMps2lqupeCQjkoHR1s/s1600/Frances+R++Havergal+(3).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYLguZc-Ni0Vy_9am0oQzRY1aWeINUyDFiBhfUEwd67KttCb7Varza31M5Nt51WKK3sfkVn11-Pu_2PF6J_oB9gfb38hP4GhMohyphenhyphen8h_pKOUt_LvZpV7XQBReq1NMps2lqupeCQjkoHR1s/s1600/Frances+R++Havergal+(3).jpg" height="400" width="263" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image of Frances Ridley Havergal from<em> Memorials of Frances Ridley Havergal</em> (London, 1881). Reproduced by permission of the Chapter of Worcester Cathedral (U.K.)</td></tr>
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</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Frances lost her mother when she was only eleven years old and a bitterness from losing her made Frances, for a while, feel alone and lost in the world. After having a holiday in North Wales, Frances' father decided that she should go to school. At school Frances soon developed a scholarly interest. She learnt French and German; as well as showing a talent for music, Frances sang hymns and even wrote her own, as she possessed a skill for rhymes. Anything she wrote or sang was always dedicated to god. Everyone who knew Frances thought that she was a clever and amazing child.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Although Frances was a fun and happy teenager, as shown in a quote from a school girl who met her: "Miss Frances flashed into the room, she was like a burst of sunshine - I sat perfectly spellbound as she sang and talked." Frances still didn't feel connected to God, which upset her immensely, as she wanted to be filled with the Joy of God.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifABpcZCXQy6E4PNnDs8wl_P1jDbNThD5wAB01o0DU6gJ8wh5wJjq-0n061IfAIBEbZqrSGZbdnbLyYyoN5dWeN6Wuv42s2ALyB79ibw3K3arab4qUyO2-WCqt418urINq9-YglvUokKU/s1600/4+famous+Victorian+women+%25283%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifABpcZCXQy6E4PNnDs8wl_P1jDbNThD5wAB01o0DU6gJ8wh5wJjq-0n061IfAIBEbZqrSGZbdnbLyYyoN5dWeN6Wuv42s2ALyB79ibw3K3arab4qUyO2-WCqt418urINq9-YglvUokKU/s1600/4+famous+Victorian+women+%25283%2529.jpg" height="320" width="202" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Frances top right in Lizzie Alldridge's <em>The World's Workers- Florence Nightingale, Frances Ridley Havergal, Catherine Marsh and Mrs. Ranyard </em>(London, 1886). Reproduced by permission of the Chapter of Worcester Cathedral, (U.K.)</span> </div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Frances' charasmatic personality allowed her to make friends easily. Wherever she went, others wanted to follow. Frances had a full life. She supported many charities, as well as writing books of poems and prayers for children and adults. Finally in 1873, Frances decalred that she had received a blessing, saying that "her whole life had been lifted in to sunshine". Now that Frances felt connected with God, she became filled with a new and all consuming happiness. She became if possible even more radiant to those around her.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwphMdlHqh7wmswrd8zqvkEdbNUtzkbj819ROaKBhCIT2Fd0TlwZu8gavsRQ0o9bEjeilSTePj4_AZbEMqo1kXWw8TDitpD_prwKBR3chhCkAvUcoN_DueV74c7iRY2mtJk-4MGPfhOxk/s1600/Frances+Ridley+Havergal%2527s+garve+in+the+churchyard+at+Astley+%25283%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwphMdlHqh7wmswrd8zqvkEdbNUtzkbj819ROaKBhCIT2Fd0TlwZu8gavsRQ0o9bEjeilSTePj4_AZbEMqo1kXWw8TDitpD_prwKBR3chhCkAvUcoN_DueV74c7iRY2mtJk-4MGPfhOxk/s1600/Frances+Ridley+Havergal%2527s+garve+in+the+churchyard+at+Astley+%25283%2529.jpg" height="320" width="205" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> Frances' grave from <em>Memorials of Frances Ridley Havergal</em> (London 1883). Reproduced by permission of the Chapter of Worcester Cathedral, U.K.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Frances died when she was 41 years old in 1879. What is interesting about Frances Ridley Havergal was her pureness and the way she seemed raised above others; Frances througout her life remained perfect and untouched. Frances is unlike anybopdy that I have ever read about or met, inn today's fast moviung world. The qualities she embodies are exceptionally hard to find in oneself. What sums her up to me is the way that others respond to these qualities. "I love her I do: I would follow her every step of the way back to England if I could".</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">by Darcie Sutton </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bibliography:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Memorials of Frances Ridley Havergal by her sister M.V.G.Havergal, (London,1881 and 1883 editions)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The world's workers- Florence Nightingale, Frances Ridley Havergal, Catherine Marsh, Mrs.Ranyard by Lizzie Alldridge (London, 1886) </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtsvFRpwA-VfMTjDbry2ncTWTPbuUhuFCjqE2ISckf1MudSVFfHFwuj1NHc-g_HoQyJoDTfLPtpbUUPrqZ2fyfA0d9KPYkU_ozsjETdLcU0ajYKVZVJFViYYaXnGj-XpGi8bIAMNyrfpo/s1600/F134+%25283%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a> </span></div>
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</span>Worcester Cathedral Libraryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00522255205082082401noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7040400319055700869.post-20409047620155080512014-02-26T08:40:00.002+00:002014-02-26T08:40:45.188+00:00A Danish Ambassador’s journey from Russia to Peking in 1692. <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As part of the library’s current exhibition on maps, one of our volunteers studied two maps by English cartographer Emanuel
Bowen (active c. 1714-67) that illustrate a Danish Ambassador’s journey from
Russia to Peking in 1692. Although we didn't have room for them in the exhibition the story is very interesting. The first map, pictured below, is “A new and
accurate map of the whole Russian empire as contain’d both in Europe and Asia
Drawn from authentic Journals, Surveys and most approved modern maps”. This map
shows territory from St. Petersburg (located to the extreme West of the map)
eastwards to Kamtchatka and the Arctic Circle. It also shows the North of the
Empire of China and depicts the Great Wall of China in miniature. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgclqflf4umeNP6_NZ7CRISpPIIVblybOu2j3SEqdfOWkJTbkwOgKRPR908bIsCbrlQwvBrGVUn_mXeM2700ukRaBVkyLXTvzx_njF5wtw83BzTx7jIbvrn3iZk8E1bCf1mcl5IOU5inVM/s1600/025.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgclqflf4umeNP6_NZ7CRISpPIIVblybOu2j3SEqdfOWkJTbkwOgKRPR908bIsCbrlQwvBrGVUn_mXeM2700ukRaBVkyLXTvzx_njF5wtw83BzTx7jIbvrn3iZk8E1bCf1mcl5IOU5inVM/s1600/025.JPG" height="436" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Emanuel Bowen, “A new and accurate map of the whole Russian empire as contain’d both in Europe and Asia Drawn from authentic Journals, Surveys and most approved modern maps” in Harris' Complete Collection of Voyages and Travels, Vol. II (1748). Image copyright of the Chapter of Worcester Cathedral U.K., 2014. </span></td></tr>
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This edition of Bowen’s map of the Russian Empire was
printed in Volume II of John <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Harris’
Complete Collection of Voyages and Travels</i> (1748). It accompanies the
account of the travels of Everard Ysbrants Ides. Ides travel account gives us early
observations on what the author refers to as the Ostyaks (the indigenous
peoples of Siberia that today include the Khanty people, Ket people and Selkup
people). Certain parts of Ides travels can seem preposterous to the modern
reader, but they are thought to be more far more accurate than an account of
the same voyage published by Adam Brand in 1699. </v:formulas></v:stroke></v:shapetype></span><span style="mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-no-proof: yes;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-no-proof: yes;">Brand accompanied the Danish ambassador as <i>“one of his
domesticks” </i>but the editor of Ides’ travels noted that Brand’s work contained <i>“a
Multitude of Things equally Inconsistent with Probability and Truth; not
withstanding which, it gained Credit for a Time, and passed current for a true
Relation of this celebrated embassy”. (1)</i>
Today, experts on historic voyages and travel narratives still recognize the accuracy with which Ides described the places he visited. Yet, as your blogger found, Ides journey can be
extremely difficult to plot on Bowen’s map as the spellings of many of the Russian
place names he uses differ from those used by the cartographer.</span></div>
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</span></span>
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<span style="mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-no-proof: yes;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ides’ <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>travels</span></b></span></div>
<span style="mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-no-proof: yes;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I<span style="line-height: 115%;">des
set out from Moscow on the 14<sup>th</sup> March 1692 with a retinue of
personal staff, porters, a baggage train hauled by horses and oxen, and an
escort of soldiers. His journey north eastwards to Siberia was initially difficult
due to melting snow and moving ice on the rivers. If we look closely at Bowen’s
map, this portion of his journey is relatively simple to follow- Ides travelled
eastwards from Moscow to Wologda and from there to Kaigorod before crossing the
Werchaturia mountains. <span style="line-height: 115%;">Due
to bad weather Ides was forced to stay in the city of Kaigorod for several
weeks until the river Kama was open again to boats. Kaigorod was said to be “an
indifferent city” and Ides stated that he felt uncomfortable staying there because
during the course of his stay the city had been raided and set ablaze by “a
rabble of runaway servants”(2). After Kaigorod Ides travelled to the Siberian
city of Tobolsk (referred to as Toboleski), and his observations on this city give
us a great insight into the demography of the area, its trade and the cultural
practices of the various peoples that lived in the surrounding area. </span></span></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHZXXS1fJcv5Ep1Z02E2k12G5OyoQLUz5RVTvUeXSDYY5CxBAHHVOJk-MVGzw6plOvPq7jcPVVp3TgRE79EvWXfCm7p8mwuWK3budiRDpRxbqtVtESEISeXJjiPZDD2btkJ7tjESDJMY8/s1600/026.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHZXXS1fJcv5Ep1Z02E2k12G5OyoQLUz5RVTvUeXSDYY5CxBAHHVOJk-MVGzw6plOvPq7jcPVVp3TgRE79EvWXfCm7p8mwuWK3budiRDpRxbqtVtESEISeXJjiPZDD2btkJ7tjESDJMY8/s1600/026.JPG" height="298" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The city of Tobolsk, artist and engraver unknown, from Harris' <em>Complete Collection of Voyages and Travels</em> (1748). Image copyright the Chapter of Worcester Cathedral U.K., 2014 </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The people that live in the lands
surrounding the city of Tobolsk were said to be Tartars who worshipped Islam, and Ides
visited their mosque and gave a detailed description of its interior. North of
the River Oby (now called the river Ob) were said to be <i>“Russian Jemskicks, who are in
the Pay of his Czarish Majesty, for which they supply the Waywodes that are
ordered [that] way, and all other Persons who travel on the Czar’s Affairs in
Siberia, with free carriages and men to work […] These people keep great
numbers of dogs, which they make use of to travel with in winter, for it is
utterly impossible to pass this country with horse sleds” (3).</i></span></div>
</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnuQDcxjhqOL-12BTAf-gb8AA7ClKlzS9H0_VLo_5fpfvEA__ORmCnAJrCioHKy-l1AwZykSTa2b_dh2Gp-32GjaAG1pxWuJSgO-2lKvLKQIbfOMsAea5_pYoKpPWp0y6IloJs_LQZvUc/s1600/029.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnuQDcxjhqOL-12BTAf-gb8AA7ClKlzS9H0_VLo_5fpfvEA__ORmCnAJrCioHKy-l1AwZykSTa2b_dh2Gp-32GjaAG1pxWuJSgO-2lKvLKQIbfOMsAea5_pYoKpPWp0y6IloJs_LQZvUc/s1600/029.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Engravings of the Ostyak peoples who lived near to Toblosk, from Harris' <em>Complete Collection of Voyages and Travels</em> (1748). Image copyright of the Chaper of Worcester Cathedral U.K., 2014.</td></tr>
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A series of fine engravings illustrate these pages and give artistic
interpretations of what the city and peoples of Tobolsk looked like in the late
seventeenth century. The artist and engraver that produced the accompanying illustrations
to Ides “A description of the North-East, Parts of Asia and the Empire of China”
is not named. It could well have been John George Weltsel, a painter from
Sleswick who Ides describes as one of his retinue. Weltsel unfortunately died
whilst travelling with Ides after suffering for a fortnight from a fever. They buried
his body on a hill near to <i>“the village of Makofskoi” (4)</i> There are illustrations, however, that accompany Harris’ edition of Ides
account that could not have been produced by Weltsel because he was deceased by
that portion of the journey, for example the landscape illustration showing
Ides and his retinue passing through the Great Wall of China. </div>
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In addition to engravings and Bowen’s maps, there are a
number of humorous, interesting incidents that help break up Ides’ lengthy
narrative. I was particularly amused by a brief digression on woolly mammoths. Ides
described how along the rivers Yenisei, Tunguska [?] <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and Lena <i>“mammuts
[mammoths’] tongues and legs are found”</i> (5). What is most striking to the modern reader is that neither Ides nor any of the
Ostyaks described were aware of their prehistoric origin and certain communities
of Ostyaks were described as believing that mammoths existed underground in the
seventeenth century. The Siberian Russians on the other hand were recounted as
believing that mammoths drowned during the Biblical great flood, before which the
climate of Siberia was warmer. Here is a section from Ides discussion on woolly
mammoths: </div>
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<i>“ I had a person with me who had
annually gone out in search of these bones; he told it to me as Real Truth,
that he and his companions found the head of one of these [mammoths], which was
discovered by the fall of […] <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>a frozen
piece of earth. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As soon as he opened it,
he found the greatest part of the flesh rotten, but it was not without
difficulty that they broke out his teeth, which were placed in the fore part of
his mouth, as those of Elephants are [.] Concerning this animal there are very
different reports. The Heathens of Jakuti,
Tungusi, and Ostiaki say that they continually, or at least by reason of
the very hard frost, mostly live under ground, where they go backwards and
forwards. […] They further believe that if this animal comes so near to the
surface of the frozen earth as to smell the air, he immediately dies, which
they say is the reason that several of them are found dead on the high banks of
the river” (6)</i><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>In
addition to the discussion of mammoths there is a humorous, bizarre incident
whereby Ides was visited by a Tunguskian prince who he says had <i>“prodigious long
hair” (7).</i> Ides was curious as to the exact length of this prince’s locks. Convinced he
must measure it, Ides decided his best bet was to ply the prince with brandy and
persuade him to unravel his hair. After Ides obtained the permission of an
intoxicated prince, he carefully measured the hair with an ell. He found it was
four Dutch ells long (about two and a half metres!)</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEiQTTZZsyGQfXOIZp0UrwrCZAD7G4NCSRcSiISEFmMVjdsxWY_jukBhv1a9bIIxtRtgoB5m9Sm68i6eNzC-oO7vLeLutHyHk9Kfs1dgg9vmXh1XTN14ihacL1iNwjRwYOAdQaxgEn_5s/s1600/030.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEiQTTZZsyGQfXOIZp0UrwrCZAD7G4NCSRcSiISEFmMVjdsxWY_jukBhv1a9bIIxtRtgoB5m9Sm68i6eNzC-oO7vLeLutHyHk9Kfs1dgg9vmXh1XTN14ihacL1iNwjRwYOAdQaxgEn_5s/s1600/030.JPG" height="320" width="250" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Tunguzian Prince whose Hair was Four Dutch Ells long and his Son's near an Ell long", engraving in Harris' <em>Complete Collection of Voyages and Travels</em> (1748). Image copyright the Chapter of Worcester Cathedral, 2014. </td></tr>
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Much of the Ide’s narration on his
journey through Siberia and Tartar lands contains similar anthropological observations
which, though interesting and enjoyable, can often be extremely critical of the
religions and customs of the Ostyak peoples. Finally on 3<sup>rd</sup> August
1693 the Chinese frontier was reached, where Ides was met by a Captain of the
Imperial city and ten soldiers to escort the convoy to Peking. Travelling
through Tartar country they were warned to keep to the roads and avoid moving
by night because of the number of tigers in the surrounding country side.
Following their arrival in Peking, Ides first audience and meal with the Emperor
was on 16<sup>th</sup> of November. He was invited to meet the Jesuit
Missionaries and attend the Annual Festival. He departed Peking to return to
Moscow on 19<sup>th</sup> February 1694 and again after many adventures arrived
at the court of the Czar on the 1<sup>st</sup> January 1695. This journey had
taken two years and ten months and his record of it a remarkable geographic and
anthropological achievement. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<o:p><b>Endnotes</b></o:p></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
1) John Harris, <i>A Complete
Collection of Voyages and Travels consisting of above six hundred of the most
Authentic Writers</i>, Vol. II, (1748), p. 919. </div>
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2) <span style="line-height: 115%; text-indent: 36pt;">Ibid.,
919-20.</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%; text-indent: 36pt;">3) </span><span style="line-height: 115%; text-indent: 36pt;">Ibid.,
922</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 115%; text-indent: 36pt;">4)</span><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ibid.,
927</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="line-height: 16.866666793823242px;">5) </span></span><span style="line-height: 115%;">Ibid.,
927</span></span></div>
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<span style="text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18.399999618530273px;">6)</span></span></span><span style="text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ibid., 928</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="line-height: 18.399999618530273px;">7) </span></span><span style="line-height: 16.866666793823242px;">Ibid., 932</span></span></div>
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<span style="text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 16.866666793823242px;"><br /></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; text-indent: 36pt;"> </span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">by Ian Clargo and
Deirdre McKeown<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Worcester Cathedral Libraryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00522255205082082401noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7040400319055700869.post-47866173052832585122014-02-13T16:13:00.000+00:002014-02-14T10:10:24.966+00:00What to eat when stranded in Greenland: advice from 1630. <span style="font-family: Calibri;">Films like Gravity (2013), Castaway (2000) and The Beach
(2000) have captivated audiences by exploring what it would be like to be
stranded in a remote place, be it a desert island or in outer space. How would
you survive, what dangerous creatures or people would you encounter and how
would entertain yourself to pass the time? This week your blogger stumbled
across a gripping account of how eight Englishmen survived being stranded in
Greenland for nine months in 1630. Spoiler alert- their story involves eating
whale fritters and roasted walrus! <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">"The miraculous preservation and deliverance of eight english-men left by mischance in Greenland" was written by one of the eight stranded men,
Edward Pellham, and published <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">in A
Collection of voyages and travels</i> (1745). The account of the men’s struggle
for survival is illustrated with a map of Greenland, pictured below. You can currently
see a photograph of this map in the Dean’s Chapel of Worcester Cathedral as
part of the library’s “Seeing and Mapping our World” exhibition. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The cartographer is unknown but if you know
anything about this map, please get in touch. </span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJNNPJreuIEwzTMJBWPOvXJukx2rpWmKIOf5uu7t07YFHQT5p_43VGhxhd6hncIqObbPfLxIXG28BBSOp2jkrGyhhfQM43_kwdnM2OZ2Z0S9LRNqw1__bHcmpzpxcSzKp2P_sw-6SSA6U/s1600/009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJNNPJreuIEwzTMJBWPOvXJukx2rpWmKIOf5uu7t07YFHQT5p_43VGhxhd6hncIqObbPfLxIXG28BBSOp2jkrGyhhfQM43_kwdnM2OZ2Z0S9LRNqw1__bHcmpzpxcSzKp2P_sw-6SSA6U/s1600/009.JPG" height="640" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Map of Greenland, A Collection of Voyages and Travels (1745), p. 743. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong>What were eight Englishmen doing in Greenland in 1630?</strong> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Edward Pellham travelled to Greenland in May 1630 as part of
the company of Muscovy merchants, who frequently carried out whaling
expeditions around Spitsbergen in the seventeenth century. Pellham says that three
ships were sent to “make voyage upon whales or sea horse[s] for the advantage
of the merchants and the good of the common-wealth”. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The purpose of the Muscovy
merchants' whaling expeditions was to use the blubber from whale carcasses to
create train oil. Despite its smell, oil manufactured from whales’ blubber was
used for lighting oil lamps until the end of nineteenth century in England. It
was also used in the manufacture of soap and industrial cleaners until the
invention of hydrogenation in the early twentieth century. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Whaling was cruel indeed;
just take a look at the illustrative border that surrounds the map of Greenland
(shown below) that depicts men trapping and harpooning whales and walruses close
to shore. It is a bit of a mystery as to why trading companies would have been killing
walruses, which are for some reason described in the period as “sea
horses” or “seamorce”. Presumably their blubber was also used in the
production of oil. </span><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT67nB4QoOGYq8l5Gjd7EyEecy8Dh-YGeMAtZL3AXc4imolyzond_R31CxKh_IhVMzv8EDh8NwzPn7XqTy11hD4JZ1utMIrAFOJ_ElnEK-wo36R5HuzTC0DJbiL3tCAVWJEJc2gD77EEI/s1600/mapwhales.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT67nB4QoOGYq8l5Gjd7EyEecy8Dh-YGeMAtZL3AXc4imolyzond_R31CxKh_IhVMzv8EDh8NwzPn7XqTy11hD4JZ1utMIrAFOJ_ElnEK-wo36R5HuzTC0DJbiL3tCAVWJEJc2gD77EEI/s1600/mapwhales.JPG" height="640" width="152" /></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong>Stranded with “not so much as book amongst us”.<o:p></o:p></strong></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Like a great many castaway narratives, the eight men of the
Muscovy company became separated from their party by a series of misfortunes.
They were instructed by their captain to sail from Foreland to Bell Sound to take some casks of
train oil from another ship that was carrying too large a quantity of oil. Pellham and
eight men were ordered from this group of twenty to hunt venison en route to
Bell Sound. When they returned in their small sailing boat to their ship at the
bay of Green Harbour after two days hunting, they found the rest of their group of twenty men had
departed without them, leaving them with nothing but their small boat, the
clothes on their back and 14 venison carcasses!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">In the pages that follow the men dump the venison into the
sea in an attempt to lighten their boat and make haste. They try desperately to
travel to Bell Sound so that they might join with Captain William Goodler, who
was commanding the three Muscovy merchant ships, in time for their company’s
departure back to London. Yet a series of storms combined with the fact that the
men had “never a compass to direct our course by, nor any of our company […]
sufficient to know land when he saw it” meant they reached Bell Sound
too late and the Muscovy merchants left them behind. Pellham's is particularly critical of a member of his party called William Fakely, a seaman "though no skilfull mariner", and blames him for persuading them to go in the wrong direction. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong></strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong>Struggling to survive</strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The rest of the account of the men’s
time in Greenland is preoccupied with the details of how they survived. Bulleted below are some of the highlights from the
account: </span><br />
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<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: 70.35pt; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Telling inappropriate stories- as soon as the
men get stranded they somewhat unwisely decide to discuss what happened to
men before them stranded in Greenland. Pellam cheerfully tells a
story of “nine good and able men, left in the same place […] by the same master
[the Muscovy merchants] [that] all died miserably upon the place, being cruelly
disfigured by bears and hungry foxes, which are not only the civilest but also
the only inhabitants of that comfortless country”. Talk about lightening the
mood! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Sampling the local cuisine- The men survived for
nine months off a horrifying array of animals native to Greenland. A month
after they were stranded, the men come across a group of walruses sleeping on a
piece of ice close to the shore that they harpoon, chop to pieces and roast. This,
Pellham seems to say, was one of the more pleasant animals to eat, although he
comments that they are very difficult to harpoon unless asleep. Pellham also
describes how his group of men are forced to eat whale frittars, “a most
loathsome meat” made from “the scraps of the fat of the whale, which are flung
away after the oil is gotten out of it”. A particularly nasty incident is
recounted by Pellham whereby after eating the liver of a bear the group found
that “our very skins fell off”. This could be a dramatic addition to the story,
or so your blogger hopes. The skin problems the men were suffering from could well have resulted from scurvy caused by their poor diet. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">A man’s best friend- one of the strangest
aspects to this account is that the eight men are stranded for nine months with
two bull mastiff dogs. The dogs were brought on the Muscovy merchants’
expedition to help the men hunt for food whilst ashore. It is curious Pellham and his men did not kill the dogs for
food, given that for three months they ate one meal a day due to their lack of
provisions. It is likely, however, that the mastiffs were too important in
helping the men hunt to be killed. On 16<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup> March 1631, Pellham says
that one of the mastiffs ran away and was never seen again. When spring arrives the men see a buck and wish to kill it but the remaining bull
dog is described as having “grown so fat and lazy” that he cannot bring the
buck down. The men are forced to forget the buck and hunt fowl instead!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Pellham and his men were saved on
25<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup> May 1631 when a ship from Hull landed within sight of the area
where the men had built their tent. All eight of the men miraculously survived and departed
back to London after fourteen days of rest aboard captain Goodler’s ship.
Pellham does not describe the men who he was stranded with in any detail but we can nonetheless glean from his account that, because the men were whalers, seamen, and coopers, they were extremely resourceful
and good at adapting materials for various purposes. For example, they create
needles from whales’ bones to mend clothing. They were also devoted to their faith, and kept holy the Sabbath Day, although Pellham says they had no Bible with them to read. All-in-all Pellham's account is a remarkable read and from it we can glimpse much about the seasonal changes in Greenland and the behaviour of local wildlife. Next week we will be posting another
blog about a travel book that contains a map, so be sure to watch this space. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Worcester Cathedral Libraryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00522255205082082401noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7040400319055700869.post-74867544058066880112014-01-22T12:53:00.000+00:002014-01-22T12:53:13.878+00:00Henry Philpott Bishop of Worcester 1860 to 1890<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">If you visit Worcester Cathedral
you might see the fine sculpture by Sir Thomas Brock of Henry Philpott, who was
Bishop of Worcester between 1860 and 1890. The statue was originally positioned
in the south Transept. Today, many visitors may not realize why a statue was
made in his honour, and paid for by the public. This would surprise our
Victorian ancestors who knew him as a great mathematician, an able
administrator, and a man deeply committed to charity.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bishop Henry Philpott of Worcester. Photography by permission of the Dean and Chapter of Worcester Cathedral (U.K.)</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Henry Philpott, born in Chichester,
was from an early age a gifted mathematician and classicist. As an
undergraduate he was awarded the position of Senior Wrangler at Cambridge
University, and was Smith’s Prizeman. His exam answers were kept for many years
by the University because of their quality. He became a Fellow of St.
Catherine’s College, and later went on to be the Master of the College from
1845 to 1860, and was Vice-Chancellor of Cambridge University on three
occasions. He did this job so well that he impressed Prince Albert, who made
him his Chaplain. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Autographed picture of Bishop Henry Philpott. Photograph by permission of the Dean and Chapter of Worcester Cathedral (U.K.)</div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Yet it was his actions as
Bishop which made him beloved of his Diocese. He was a hard working man, who realised
that debates are often pointless and that he could achieve far more in life by
avoiding the House of Lords, meetings, congresses, Lambeth Conferences, and
Convocations whenever possible. As a moderate Evangelical he devoted himself to
his Diocese and to charitable work. He helped local churches in need of repair,
offering sums of money from his own pocket. For example, he gave an acre of
land to Lower Mitton when it needed an additional churchyard, and £1,250 to All
Saints, Worcester. He also helped poor clergy. He had a substantial private income,
and was frequently able to give away most of his official income to charities
and charitable causes, both private and public. He also extended this charity
to fellow Protestants in non-conformist churches in Worcester and Stourbridge. He
founded scholarships, for example at Malvern Proprietary College in the 1860’s,
and served as chairman of the Trustees at Bromsgrove school, where a stained
glass window was erected in the school’s chapel in 1891. He was also interested in health matters and was a Governor of Worcester Infirmary, and was a patron
of the Worcester Ophthalmic Hospital. He also attended meeting of Philanthropic
societies in his Diocese.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Bishop Philpott was not a
great public speaker. He only had three addresses for confirmation ceremonies. However,
he was conscientious in replying to all correspondence and never relied upon a
secretary. In 1881, he escaped being killed in his own library at Hartlebury
Castle, when a large stone monument to Bishop Hurd above the door fell down
only moments after he had been there.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In 1846 Philpott married
Mary Jane, the daughter of the Marchese di Spineto. In 1878 the Bishop’s wife
went blind. When he came home each evening Bishop Philpott would read to her. Despite
her blindness she also enjoyed walks around the Castle’s gardens with her
husband. The Bishop resigned the Bishopric in August 1890, and retired to his much-loved
Cambridge, where he died. On his retirement money raised was put towards the
gift of a silver ink stand, but the majority of the money established the ‘Philpott
fund’ for the Pensions of the Clergy in the Diocese. This was because the
poverty of the clergy at the time was an issue that Philpott was only too aware
of. He is now buried at the Church of St. Mary at Bishop’s Wood in Hartlebury,
which he built. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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One volume of Dr. Samuel Johnson's works donated by Bishop Philpott to the Cathedral. Photograph by permission of the Dean and Chapter of Worcester Cathedral (U.K.)</div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Bishop Philpott generously
donated many books from his own collection to the Cathedral Library. The
cathedral’s archive also shows that the Bishop was involved in the
administrative side of the Victorian restoration of the Cathedral, and provided
the new Bishop’s throne. He died leaving a large sum of money, including generous
legacies to the Church Pastoral Aid Society, and the Church Missionary Society.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The catalogue of books Henry Philpott gave to Worcester Cathedral. Photograph by permission of the Dean and Chapter of Worcester (U.K.)</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">When visiting
Worcestershire, why not also look at Hartlebury Castle and its excellent Hurd Library.
Their link is as follows: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18.399999618530273px;">http://www.hurdlibrary.co.uk/</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">David Morrison, with thanks
to Mr. David Everett for research.</span></div>
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Worcester Cathedral Libraryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00522255205082082401noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7040400319055700869.post-43382863816948713992014-01-15T13:58:00.003+00:002014-01-15T13:58:47.017+00:00Heritage and History of Wales - Part 2: South Wales<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 36pt;">
In a continuation of last month’s
blog about Grose’s book of Welsh antiquary, with a focus upon North Wales, this
month’s blog delves into the history and myth of the counties of <st1:place w:st="on">South Wales</st1:place>, which Grose discovered on his travels in the
late 18<sup>th</sup> Century.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A map of Wales 1696. By permission of the Dean and Chapter of Worcester Cathedral (UK).</td></tr>
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The <st1:placetype w:st="on">county</st1:placetype> of <st1:placename w:st="on">Glamorganshire</st1:placename>,
located in the far south of <st1:country-region w:st="on">Wales</st1:country-region>,
encompassing <st1:city w:st="on">Swansea</st1:city> and <st1:city w:st="on">Cardiff</st1:city>,
was notable in 1789 due to it being “fruitful, pleasant and populous”, to the
extent that it was often called the “<st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placetype w:st="on">Garden</st1:placetype>
of <st1:placename w:st="on">Wales</st1:placename></st1:place>”. Additionally,
being home to over 25 castles and a number of abbeys and priories, demonstrates
this county’s historical, strategic and religious significance. Of the
multitude of sites, Cardiff Castle Tower probably can lay claim to the most
intriguing story associated with it, as it was the building in which Robert
Duke of Normandy, brother of William Rufus and Henry I, was confined to for
over 26 years. Following his escape and
recapture during this period, he was blinded when his optic nerve was destroyed
by a hot brass baton close to his face. Following a further incident with his
brother, the Duke of Normandy refused nourishment and starved himself to death.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
The largest
county in <st1:country-region w:st="on">Wales</st1:country-region>
at the time, Brecknockshire, situated to the north of Glamorganshire, was noted
for its mountainous landscape. In terms of Brecknockshire’s historical
buildings, the most significant is undoubtedly <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Brecknock</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Castle</st1:placetype></st1:place>,
built during the reign of William Rufus, by Barnard de Newmarsh, who had
immense lands due to his marriage to the grand-daughter of Gryffyth ap
Llewellyn Prince of Wales. In an act of revenge against her son for reproaching
her behaviour, she declared him illegitimate, causing him to be disinherited.
This resulted in the castle and estate passing to his sister and then through
her female descendents to the Mortimer family. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw_r3cGe1vM1AvfdlAWjEbEk5CPMTlH7C00EyJTELLEaF-u_S55-Gjb1qfZ8e22qB1J3V4eNlme7HBymBELHtWp53ie2bL3olF8NAvEYyK7zhpUa3Yqfq1tyexBMraNl49VPJVVvqkVL0/s1600/002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw_r3cGe1vM1AvfdlAWjEbEk5CPMTlH7C00EyJTELLEaF-u_S55-Gjb1qfZ8e22qB1J3V4eNlme7HBymBELHtWp53ie2bL3olF8NAvEYyK7zhpUa3Yqfq1tyexBMraNl49VPJVVvqkVL0/s320/002.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An engraving of Brecknock Castle. By permission of the Dean and Chapter of Worcester Cathedral (UK)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The <st1:placetype w:st="on">county</st1:placetype> of <st1:placename w:st="on">Radnorshire</st1:placename>,
north of Brecknockshire, is described as “the most barren county of all <st1:country-region w:st="on">Wales</st1:country-region> and its
air is “cold and piercing”. Despite this, the mineral water at Llandrindod was
very popular and also the Offa’s Dyke Path, now a popular walking route,
originally the boundary running from the mouth of the Wye to the mouth of the
Dee, made by Offa, King of Mercia.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
At the time
that the book was written, Cardiganshire, modern day Ceredigionshire, had a
population of 35,380 inhabitants, and only had four market towns: Aberystwyth,
Cardigan, Llanbadernvaur and Tregaron. A site of historical and archaeological
importance to this day, the Abbey of Strata Florida, was built in 1164 for
Cistercian monks and is thought to be the burial place of many welsh princes.
Unfortunately, now nothing more than ruins remain of the abbey.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq5HCsOaLQ1fmeQ-X1F-aRzq3J-SNQFyVLR-FHmfDksQAGFqhVcLQFWUkGOzCQskUVr0KWBPidxivBFKmtIRlNTvvNmj4HbLOBvJaIF22UZX06F84TNvGA5WaCaIpXyPofsr6eFpcim3c/s1600/Strata+Florida.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq5HCsOaLQ1fmeQ-X1F-aRzq3J-SNQFyVLR-FHmfDksQAGFqhVcLQFWUkGOzCQskUVr0KWBPidxivBFKmtIRlNTvvNmj4HbLOBvJaIF22UZX06F84TNvGA5WaCaIpXyPofsr6eFpcim3c/s1600/Strata+Florida.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An engraving of Strata Florida. By permission of the Dean and Chapter of Worcester Cathedral (UK).</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The <st1:placetype w:st="on">county</st1:placetype> of <st1:placename w:st="on">Carmarthenshire</st1:placename>,
described by Grose as “the most fruitful county in <st1:country-region w:st="on">Wales</st1:country-region>”, was a big producer of wood,
corn, cattle, game, sea and river fish, coal and lead. A particularly
interesting statement made by the author is that near <st1:place w:st="on">Carmarthen</st1:place>
is a spring which ebbs and flows twice every 24 hours. Although this is now
claimed to be myth, it is interesting to consider whether the author noted down
a myth he had heard about the spring, or whether at the time he visited, it did
in fact ebb and flow. Another interesting site within this county is <st1:placename w:st="on">Kidwelly</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Castle</st1:placetype>,
built soon after the Norman conquest, and destroyed and rebuilt on a number of
occasions, as it passed from the <st1:city w:st="on">Normans</st1:city>
to the Welsh and later from the Royalists to the Roundheads. Despite this, the
present day castle still contains remains from 1200 and 1460.</div>
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<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjv4pbnUEzUoyDMcdGLh_qxeWCzooTi3uXsQQIN5MT_VhK47Ks1C3_BvYLtyJvBv_HZuSRZhtDGM_Ad2k9IWh-ebdP1BtqwVN0nvGqcJ7_Iu3RHONOarEhOtKfh5Sx9xe9g7HnreGM3Jg/s1600/Caermarthanshire.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjv4pbnUEzUoyDMcdGLh_qxeWCzooTi3uXsQQIN5MT_VhK47Ks1C3_BvYLtyJvBv_HZuSRZhtDGM_Ad2k9IWh-ebdP1BtqwVN0nvGqcJ7_Iu3RHONOarEhOtKfh5Sx9xe9g7HnreGM3Jg/s1600/Caermarthanshire.JPG" width="303" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A map of Carmarthenshire. By permission of the Dean and Chapter of Worcester Cathedral (UK).</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
Pembrokeshire
was and is notable for its multitude of stunning headlands, such as Strumble
Head and <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placetype w:st="on">Cape</st1:placetype> <st1:placename w:st="on">Stuncuin</st1:placename></st1:place>. This beautiful county however,
is also home to a large array of mysterious and unusual sites and artefacts.
Firstly, in the vicinity of <st1:city w:st="on">Newport</st1:city>,
there were said to be seven barrows, one of which when opened, contained five
urns full of “burnt bones and ashes”, and whose presence was unexplained.
Additionally, near St David’s was a stone “one hundred oxen could not move”,
called The Rocking Stone, which was apparently rendered immovable by Cromwell’s
soldiers. Finally, Buck’s Pool, near Stackpool, was described as a “pit of
water that cannot be fathomed”. This dubious comment was probably due to the
fact that it was fed from a redundant spring never known to stop in summer or
winter.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
These two blog posts explored only a small sample of the sites
mentioned in Grose’s fascinating book. However, the book and others in the
series are available to view by appointment. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
Carys Aldous-Hughes</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
Worcester Cathedral Libraryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00522255205082082401noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7040400319055700869.post-60096543174090360592014-01-08T13:49:00.001+00:002014-01-08T14:10:09.205+00:00Heritage and History of Wales - Part 1: North Wales<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
Within Worcester Cathedral Library
is a captivating and highly intriguing tour of <st1:country-region w:st="on">Wales. It </st1:country-region>can be found in volume VIII of Grose’s Antiquities of England and <st1:country-region w:st="on">Wales</st1:country-region>,
published in 1789. This is a contemporary history of a multitude of fascinating
sites within the counties of North and <st1:place w:st="on">South Wales</st1:place>.
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
The author, Francis Grose was
born in 1731 in <st1:city w:st="on">London</st1:city>.
He was the eldest child of Francis Joseph Grose, a Swiss immigrant and
jeweller, and his wife Anne Benet. Earlier in his career, Grose had success in
the armed forces, but in 1757, he was elected as a member of the Society of
Antiquaries. As a result, he travelled to many parts of <st1:country-region w:st="on">England</st1:country-region>, <st1:country-region w:st="on">Scotland</st1:country-region>,
<st1:country-region w:st="on">Wales</st1:country-region> and <st1:country-region w:st="on">Ireland</st1:country-region>, in
order to collect material for his volumes on antiquary. He died during his
final expedition of this type to <st1:country-region w:st="on">Ireland</st1:country-region>,
and is buried in <st1:place w:st="on">Dublin.</st1:place></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<st1:place w:st="on"><br /></st1:place></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
This blog focuses upon his
discoveries in North Wales, which encompassed the grand castles of Anglesey,
ancient druidical monuments of Denbighshire and enormous standing stones found
in Montgomeryshire.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijKqQhvdDRh-BiFgiUGmyEPfWG_Nu4LsTDlXtqX3lZhUqff46kzywM0tM4I33NRBglzNJPCIldFURP6zUyv134nqqX47qaS4a5fqYLhpW7b4hyphenhyphenQhS7gS9KyTviQY_QNHiNYWbmebmMmMw/s1600/its+Wales.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijKqQhvdDRh-BiFgiUGmyEPfWG_Nu4LsTDlXtqX3lZhUqff46kzywM0tM4I33NRBglzNJPCIldFURP6zUyv134nqqX47qaS4a5fqYLhpW7b4hyphenhyphenQhS7gS9KyTviQY_QNHiNYWbmebmMmMw/s1600/its+Wales.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is a map of Wales .By permission of the Dean and Chapter of Worcester Cathedral (UK)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
Being one of the smallest
counties in Wales at the time, Anglesey’s population numbered only 12,000
inhabitants and despite being “stony and mountainous”, produce from the island
included wheat, cattle, sheep and fish, in addition to copper, mill stones and
red, yellow and blue ochre. Anglesey’s most impressive site was Beaumaris
castle, built in 1295 by Edward I, which, during the English Civil War, was
held for the King until 1649, when it was surrendered to General Mitton. It is
possible, however, that all the riches were buried in preference to being
surrendered to the Roundhead leader, as there have long been suspicions that
large amounts of treasure were concealed both within the vault and the vicinity
of the castle.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
On the Welsh mainland, to the
South East of Anglesey was the striking <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placetype w:st="on">county</st1:placetype> of <st1:placename w:st="on">Caernarvonshire</st1:placename></st1:place>,
surrounded on three sides by the sea, with “fruitful valleys” and perpetual
snow covered mountains. It contains a multitude of features from Snowdon Hills
to Orme’s Head and <st1:placename w:st="on">Dolwyddelan</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Castle</st1:placetype> to <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Caernarvon</st1:placename>
<st1:placetype w:st="on">Castle</st1:placetype></st1:place>. Of particular interest
to Grose is Dolwyddelan, built in the year 500, on an ancient road through the
mountains called Helen’s Way (aka Sarn Helen). The birthplace of Llewellyn the
Great and residence of Gryffydd ap Tudor, the castle was later purchased by
Meredydd ap Jevan during the reign of Henry VII. Despite being resided in by
outlaws, Meredydd favoured the castle over his former family residence, as it
was said that relations with his family were so poor, that it was said to be a case of either “kill or be killed”. At
the castle, however, he established a successful garrison, which included “seven
score of the tallest and ablest bows men”.</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn8pWrm4bBHfutWAUilSN0Km3_DtLuMAhMNoyzwlR6IC0Ty-iilxwcftZbLb5JGSDVjtB2jnMD6gF67AInUJwtoq-Zz8N1rlkjWsr5JO99LlIOCIR4Hg3hqTSJ80_vbLBTuQVG9j6PXCs/s1600/Delwydellan+Castle.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn8pWrm4bBHfutWAUilSN0Km3_DtLuMAhMNoyzwlR6IC0Ty-iilxwcftZbLb5JGSDVjtB2jnMD6gF67AInUJwtoq-Zz8N1rlkjWsr5JO99LlIOCIR4Hg3hqTSJ80_vbLBTuQVG9j6PXCs/s1600/Delwydellan+Castle.JPG" height="243" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An engraving of Dolwyddelan. By permission of the Dean and Chapter of Worcester Cathedral (UK)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
Of significant Roman and Druid
heritage, the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placetype w:st="on">county</st1:placetype>
of <st1:placename w:st="on">Denbighshire</st1:placename></st1:place>, to the
East of Caernarvonshire, has a variety of Druidical monuments and stones, along
with the remnants of a Roman fortification said to be the camp of Caractacus
and a tomb stone with Roman inscriptions at the Hill of Graves. Additionally,
Denbighshire has a Cistercian abbey dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary called
the Abbey of Valle Cruis, founded in 1200, and is now said to be one of the
best preserved in Wales. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
Despite being the smallest
counties in <st1:country-region w:st="on">Wales</st1:country-region>
at the time, Flintshire contained many sites of historical and religious
significance. Most notable is St Winifred’s Well, which is thought to be the
oldest continually visited pilgrimage site in Great Britain, visited since the
7<sup>th</sup> Century. James II and his wife Mary were among the many
visitors, prompted by Mary’s inability to conceive, and shortly after their pilgrimage
Mary became pregnant with a son. More ominous however, is the locally named
“Stone of Lamentation”, a sandstone monolith, thought to mark the site of
ancient treasure, but apparently with the power to conjure lightning and storms
to deter possible treasure hunters.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSpnyXoROEXqdGFuWLtKZ3CnRZcMH2YpS3ojT7T1p4tsf-Vd4cZL5FA9dVGu2XoZz-3psDZOKlPocTYWUdyVsHbEqjMQDxI6v-r4w5bqOJeD3aJ-DVrSAdKvaK9j-l7szvZr9xShQANZQ/s1600/Denbighshire.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSpnyXoROEXqdGFuWLtKZ3CnRZcMH2YpS3ojT7T1p4tsf-Vd4cZL5FA9dVGu2XoZz-3psDZOKlPocTYWUdyVsHbEqjMQDxI6v-r4w5bqOJeD3aJ-DVrSAdKvaK9j-l7szvZr9xShQANZQ/s1600/Denbighshire.JPG" height="320" width="313" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A map of Denbighshire. By permission of the Dean and Chapter of Worcester Cathedral (UK)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
The county of Merionethshire,
situated on the Irish Sea, to the South of Denbighshire and Caernarvonshire is
described by Grose as “mountainous and unwholesome” and subject to a “livid
fire or vapour”, which caused destruction to land and livestock, prominently
in the years 1542 and 1584. Of particular interest is <st1:placename w:st="on">Harlech</st1:placename>
<st1:placetype w:st="on">Castle</st1:placetype>, which was of great military
significance for both <st1:country-region w:st="on">England</st1:country-region>
and <st1:country-region w:st="on">Wales</st1:country-region>.
It was Owain Glydwr’s home and military base from 1404 to 1409, and later
was held by the Lancastrian forces for seven years during the Wars of the
Roses, before its siege by the Yorkist troops in 1468. It is now classed as a
world heritage site and regarded as one of the finest examples of 13<sup>th</sup>
and 14<sup>th</sup> Century military architecture in <st1:place w:st="on">Europe</st1:place>.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
Grose states that at the time,
Montgomeryshire was the home to a very impressive collection of standing stones
such as those found at <st1:place w:st="on">Stonehenge</st1:place> in
Wiltshire. They were said to be so large that it would be “hardly possible to
move them with 50 yoke of oxen”. A particularly interesting and unusually site
is <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Dolforwyn</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Castle</st1:placetype></st1:place>, due to the legendary origins of
its name. Dolforwyn (Meadow of the Maiden) is thought to allude to Sabra of
Sabrina, the illegitimate daughter of Locrine (a king of ancient <st1:country-region w:st="on">Britain</st1:country-region>). She
was drowned in the River Severn by Gwendolen, Locrine’s wife, following his
death, and she is said to be the inspiration for a poem, reproduced in Grose’s
book, a sample of which is below:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
“She guiltless damsel, flying the
mad pursuit, </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
Of her enraged stepdame Gwendolen</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
Commended her fair innocence to the flood”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
To discover
the mysteries of some of South Wales heritage, read next month’s blog. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Carys Aldous-Hughes</div>
Worcester Cathedral Libraryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00522255205082082401noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7040400319055700869.post-3383247332422766872013-12-23T15:15:00.001+00:002013-12-23T15:15:52.100+00:00Worcester Cathedral Christmas Services and Concerts in the 1920's and 1930's<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">At sometime over Christmas many people will visit their local church for a service. But what were the Christmas services of the past like? In the cathedral’s archives are scattered notes of the
Christmas services held in the Cathedral in the 1920's and 1930's which offer some interesting reports from a broken musical instrument, the first performance of an Elgar carol, and charitable gifts and concerts.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmQALYaoVwDbVLWu-qD9Nw7iOOsTE6d7x05MUa2QYNlDLlHlmSIZhAF5QJJu6E31eYTxJ-h4cE-OWJLjJWQB0UQHt7FIOeR0hWeCIRqSxR4TTIRJNBA80s7yTW3dqQF399WYCbBrteEtY/s1600/001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmQALYaoVwDbVLWu-qD9Nw7iOOsTE6d7x05MUa2QYNlDLlHlmSIZhAF5QJJu6E31eYTxJ-h4cE-OWJLjJWQB0UQHt7FIOeR0hWeCIRqSxR4TTIRJNBA80s7yTW3dqQF399WYCbBrteEtY/s320/001.JPG" width="214" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The cover of the 1920 Carol Service for Worcester Cathedral. Image copyright the Dean and Chapter of Worcester Cathedral (U.K.)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">What
sort of music and carols were sung?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">There are two copies of a carol
service that was often used between 1920 and at least 1931. Some of the carols sung may be unfamiliar to you. A processional hymn
<i>Christe Redemptor Omnium</i>, the words
of which were written in the sixth century and the melody composed in the
eleventh were sung first, followed by the bidding prayer and the hymn <i>O Come all ye Faithful</i>. The carol <i>From Jesse’s stock up-springing</i> followed,
which is an ancient melody arranged by M. Praetorius (1571-1621), and the carol <i>In Dulci Jubilo</i>
arranged by R. L. De Pearsall (1795-1856), followed by <i>A Carol for Christmas Day</i> from William Byrd’s <i>Song of Sundry Natures</i> dating to 1589.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The Cathedral choir then
sang <i>In the bleak Mid Winter</i> by
Gustav Holst, words by Christina Rossetti, and then everyone sang <i>The First Noel the angel did say</i>,
followed by a 15<sup>th</sup> century carol from the Processional of the Nuns
of Chester - <i>Qui creavit coelum</i>, and
then three carols: <i>The Babe in Bethlehem’s manger laid</i>,
and <i>Three Kings have come from the eastern
land</i>, and <i>A babe is born of maiden
pure</i>, with the recessional hymn being <i>While
shepherds watch’d their flocks by night</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZmhn-SkzKep1nO-CFJQX7vp1ARJR590dgmww_h6rqmyyWG-YXVWfd9wLGYxA3jMiOU6pmNVsuSQ2odQbbYfiveUtIXmDef1QU5Wz9KXyYgZD73YCR42iApF-1skS3GPq7s6YgfKeE-aE/s1600/002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZmhn-SkzKep1nO-CFJQX7vp1ARJR590dgmww_h6rqmyyWG-YXVWfd9wLGYxA3jMiOU6pmNVsuSQ2odQbbYfiveUtIXmDef1QU5Wz9KXyYgZD73YCR42iApF-1skS3GPq7s6YgfKeE-aE/s320/002.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The 1934 Worcester Cathedral programme for its Christmas Nativity play. Image copyright the Dean and Chapter of Worcester Cathedral (U.K.)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Notable
events in the Christmas services<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In 1921 the cathedral’s new organ
broke down at Evensong on Christmas Eve, whilst the Bishop of Worcester and the
Countess of Beauchamp were attending. Thankfully, the services continued
smoothly without it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In 1928, the Cathedral’s
Christmas time music was interesting for two reasons. Between 16<sup>th</sup>
and 23<sup>rd</sup> December the Advent Antiphons, copied down in the Worcester
Antiphoner were sung again in the cathedral. The Antiphoner dates to c.1230 but
the music is from an earlier time. Boxing Day 1928 also saw the first
performance in Worcester of Sir Edward Elgar’s Christmas carol <i>I sing the birth</i>. On Boxing Day 1930 Sir
Edward was present in the Cathedral to hear another performance of
his carol.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In Christmas 1931 a special
music concert organized by Sir Ivor Atkins was held in College Hall to raise
money for the building of an extension onto the Worcester Royal Infirmary. At
that time, Christmas fundraising concerts were unusual at Worcester Cathedral, and had
only happened on two other occasions- once in 1923 to raise funds for the organ
and another in 1917 to help the Red Cross Depots in Worcester.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In January 1934, for the
first time since the monastic era, a nativity play was performed in the
cathedral entitled The Christmas Mystery. This included carols, readings from the
Gospels, and tableaux of ‘actors’ in elaborate costumes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTkUrtH_pYQhyphenhyphenM9Gy7X13qVnO-eDQ1K55Cndk1sBrs5rfxnAtO08FgPYQjkivBoz6T06TkYLs6Uj5bqswH-T6SC6kNQeBLN0LVPLydlRSY_JoE6XO4SbxK7AZlNGHPfbcZdTzQD-A3tm4/s1600/003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTkUrtH_pYQhyphenhyphenM9Gy7X13qVnO-eDQ1K55Cndk1sBrs5rfxnAtO08FgPYQjkivBoz6T06TkYLs6Uj5bqswH-T6SC6kNQeBLN0LVPLydlRSY_JoE6XO4SbxK7AZlNGHPfbcZdTzQD-A3tm4/s320/003.JPG" width="249" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dean William Moore Ede who urged the congregation to donate to help German refugees. Photograph Copyright the Dean and Chapter of Worcester Cathedral (U.K.)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Collections
for Charity and Good Causes<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The collection on Christmas
Day in the Cathedral in 1920 was for the Save the Children Fund, and in 1931 it
was for the St. Lawrence’s home (Church of England’s Waifs and Strays Society).
In December 1933 or 1<sup>st</sup> January 1934 the Dean William Moore Ede made an
urgent appeal to the congregation for a collection to help refugees who had
escaped to England from Germany.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Have a very Happy Christmas from everyone at Worcester Cathedral Library and archive.</span></div>
Worcester Cathedral Libraryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00522255205082082401noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7040400319055700869.post-61756944703334142232013-12-10T09:23:00.001+00:002013-12-10T11:03:43.763+00:00A sheepskin manuscript with mysterious, missing artwork<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Worcester Cathedral library MS
F.9 is a fourteenth century manuscript of Flavius Josephus’ <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Jewish War and the Antiquities of the
Jews</i>, which is thought to have been professionally made by a team of lay
scribes and artists, though the exact location of production is unknown. Unlike
many of our manuscripts, the monks of the Cathedral priory had no physical role
in the production of F9, and we can provide no evidence for the priory owning
the manuscript before the seventeenth century. As to how this MS came to the
Cathedral is a mystery. Upon displaying it to visitors this summer we found it
was a rather curious manuscript indeed, with a lot of scribal quirks and
artistic oddities (such as the one pictured below). This week I explore what
makes F9 an unusual item that stands out from the rest of our collection. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; height: 478px; width: 230px;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim7A0yfLeoHTGKpWfWL0GqVNGFa9SHSs350WUDQCGhP2FklJ7bTiuv9IF7pM5iJyV57zF3_vizegsc0JfG3T9PI7d30rP1TJfnICQepIiPvFi8k4fOQBD5O8X8HFKtGKwDSIar6LGa5bM/s1600/014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim7A0yfLeoHTGKpWfWL0GqVNGFa9SHSs350WUDQCGhP2FklJ7bTiuv9IF7pM5iJyV57zF3_vizegsc0JfG3T9PI7d30rP1TJfnICQepIiPvFi8k4fOQBD5O8X8HFKtGKwDSIar6LGa5bM/s400/014.JPG" width="237" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">F9. A detail from the top line of a page, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">the scribe has drawn a small profile head with</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">a large pointed nose. Photograph
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">© the Chapter of Worcester Cathedral (U.K.)</span></span></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">T</span>he</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> first unusual point about MS
F9 is that it is made from 324 leaves of thick sheep skin, rather than vellum
(calf skin). This is uncommon for manuscripts of this date. Vellum was the
usual choice of skin after the ninth-century, though the Saxons did reserve
sheepskin for some special liturgical texts (for example the Echternach
Gospels). Sheepskin is greasier than vellum and can often be more translucent,
making painting directly onto it more difficult. F9 evidences some of the
problems associated with using sheepskin for manuscripts. The hair side of
sheepskin parchment yellows overtime and F9 has certain leaves which are
severely yellowed. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">This manuscript of <em>The Jewish War</em> has an unusually large
number of (probably contemporary) repairs also; every few folios you will find
a hole which has been sewn or repaired by pasting another bit of parchment on
top. There are more holes found in F9 than you would normally find with a
vellum manuscript, because the layers of sheepskin are fattier, therefore more
prone to separating and allowing holes to develop. Even in cases where small
holes are stitched up, it is not uncommon that the hole continues to grow and
eventually bursts open the repair.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Yet by far the most puzzling thing about F9 is to be found
on folio 229 (see pic below), where we can see that the artist has drawn out
the border and square of an illuminated letter but left the space blank. A
similar blank space for a decorated initial with a border is left on folio
230.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Illumination is generally accepted
as the last stage in manuscript production. Only once the scribe or scribes
have written the text block will the quires of parchment be passed on to an
artist or a team of artists for decorating. Could it be that the artist simply
forgot these pages? Did they make a mistake? Was the illuminated letter stolen
from the manuscript at a later date? </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggenhyQxdH1zEOP51gxVXBrq7CCshBB2-UODwf92NfNwcIaRUMx95G413oh0nZ3xoehVt-mH8cUjx0piARyEiHMzkc8GYaxQLduyL-aI05TC6l4IXPJ82tKnwE_zXVkMbu7yc2yJzrMSE/s1600/010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggenhyQxdH1zEOP51gxVXBrq7CCshBB2-UODwf92NfNwcIaRUMx95G413oh0nZ3xoehVt-mH8cUjx0piARyEiHMzkc8GYaxQLduyL-aI05TC6l4IXPJ82tKnwE_zXVkMbu7yc2yJzrMSE/s640/010.JPG" width="414" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: xx-small;">Photograph </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">© the Chapter of Worcester Cathedral (U.K.)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">We will
never definitively know the answer as to why these two folios remain undecorated.
It cannot be because they were considered unimportant, for within the
manuscript folio 229 marks the beginning of the prologue by Josephus and folio
230 signals the beginning of the main text of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Jewish War</i>. I also think it’s unlikely that these pages were
forgotten, for the artist took the time to draw the title of the section at
the top of the page in alternating blue and red. Moreover, the scribes
or the artists have continued throughout the book to extend the
descenders of letters on the last line of each page and embellish them artistically either with grotesques or frilled designs.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Looking at the
manuscript, I’d like to suggest that there is evidence that these two
illuminated letters with part borders were done, or at least designed, on a
separate piece of parchment which was intended to be pasted onto the main body
of the manuscript at the end. This was not an uncommon practice for
illustrators working on sheepskin. As early as the ninth-century, according to
Bischoff, miniatures were being painted onto separate pieces of calfskin and
pasted onto folios of sheepskin, because the rough surface of calfskin proved
better suited for coloured painting.</span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7040400319055700869#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[1]</span></span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Looking
through F9, you can see instances where the translucency of the sheepskin
causes coloured inks to bleed from the verso to the recto, which must surely
have been a source of frustration for the artists! Below is a picture of a
completed illuminated initial in blue from f. 279. You can see that the
sheepskin has been difficult to paint onto, and when the book has been closed,
blue ink has bled onto the opposite page as the greasy nature of sheep skin means
it struggles to absorb paint. It seems likely that these sizeable spaces have
been left, then, with intention of pasting completed artwork onto them so as to
avoid the inks running through to the underside of the page or blotting onto
the other. If you run your finger over folio 229 (pictured above), the border is definitely raised suggesting that the outline in blue may be pasted down. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7bviZ2T2-9J4w3xTQNgBrTkQrKevwNK1BDR5rNcz8VSdqqXhyphenhyphenXuknX0XHHZySreqHR5_AiVWBUUazz_IgYCoKVmB507C9sTLrAOispRGXhij5BDxOgdwAr1IaAOcAluxT2wutSJSYIwk/s1600/016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7bviZ2T2-9J4w3xTQNgBrTkQrKevwNK1BDR5rNcz8VSdqqXhyphenhyphenXuknX0XHHZySreqHR5_AiVWBUUazz_IgYCoKVmB507C9sTLrAOispRGXhij5BDxOgdwAr1IaAOcAluxT2wutSJSYIwk/s400/016.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">F9. an illuminated letter with border, looking to the opposite page there is blue ink which has been transferred. <span style="font-family: Arial;">Photograph </span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">© the Chapter of Worcester Cathedral (U.K.)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Perhaps
the ultimate question with F9 is not 'why are these two folios missing
decoration' but 'why did the stationer or workshop in which the manuscript was
made opt for sheep skin in the first place, when it was known to be of lesser
quality'? It could be that calf skins were in short supply at that time in the
region where the manuscript was made, but we have no way of knowing this
because no information or research has been done to shed light on where this manuscript was produced. Though
we currently know little about the context of the production of this manuscript, F9 nonetheless provides a useful contrast to the rest of Worcester Cathedral Library's manuscript
collection, the majority of which is done on vellum. It also evidences how making manuscripts, even in a professional
context, could still have many challenges in the later middle ages and suggests that artists and scribes had to come up with inventive solutions to circumvent the challenges of working on sheepskin. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="mso-element: footnote-list;">
<br />
<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" />
<div id="ftn1" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7040400319055700869#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[1]</span></span></span></span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
Bischoff, Latin Palaeography trans. Daibhi O Croinin and David Ganz (Cambridge:
Cambridge UP, 1990), p. 10. </span></span></div>
</div>
</div>
Worcester Cathedral Libraryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00522255205082082401noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7040400319055700869.post-55156820029675880132013-11-25T12:10:00.001+00:002014-01-21T10:39:44.989+00:00Surgery and Medical Treatment by a Royalist Surgeon at the Battle of Worcester 1651<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;">In 1676 Serjeant-Chirurgeon
Richard Wiseman published his <i>Severall
Chirurgicall Treatises</i><span style="font-size: small;">. Richard Wiseman was a surgeon who served in the
Royalist army during the English Civil War, then as a Navy surgeon, and after
the Restoration, acted as one of Charles II’s surgeons. His book covers such
topics as a treatise on tumours, a treatise on ulcers, haemorrhoids, the King’s
Evill, a treatise on wounds, gun-shot wounds, fractures, and venereal disease. In
this week blog we look at just a few of the cases which he encountered.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSiSCYfWSVpLxTrGsLkqv5-hwXRL_ZDYN5uKnN6UiZBa9yeobwTpsjBH-EAzjY9mKJcG4nBAGO2_Pt2LhhoDMGnP_4fmXVeDtCWVgjm4q4o5OvXe3UGUeiC8p4Q7Z1WOjcaZiw9sg_NZs/s1600/Battle+of+Worcester+again.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSiSCYfWSVpLxTrGsLkqv5-hwXRL_ZDYN5uKnN6UiZBa9yeobwTpsjBH-EAzjY9mKJcG4nBAGO2_Pt2LhhoDMGnP_4fmXVeDtCWVgjm4q4o5OvXe3UGUeiC8p4Q7Z1WOjcaZiw9sg_NZs/s320/Battle+of+Worcester+again.JPG" height="245" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The battle of Worcester 1651. Photograph by David Morrison. Reproduced by permission of the Chapter of Worcester Cathedral (U.K.)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;">Just before the Battle of
Worcester, Wiseman was treating soldiers wounded in skirmishes. One man had a
musket ball lodged on the right side of his head. Wiseman’s servant assistant
William Clarke, whilst dressing the wound, felt the musket ball in the skull.
He called over Wiseman who noticed the man could not speak. They made a
circular incision, allowing the trapped blood to escape. Having cleaned the wound
with a sponge dipped in vinegar they filled the gap with lint. When the
bleeding had stopped some time later, they tried unsuccessfully to get the
bullet out. Using an instrument called a Trepan; they cut away another hole
nearby, which again released more trapped blood. This enabled them to pull out
the bullet and the depressed bone fragments. They now saw that there was a large
wound in the <i>Dura Mater</i> (one of the outer layers surrounding the brain).
Nevertheless they dressed the wounds in the skull and bandaged the head. Whilst
they did this, the man suddenly regained consciousness, and asked where he was.
He survived the operation, but after the chaos of the ensuing battle Wiseman
never saw him again. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin: 0px;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigFkVHTzzDEzt3h5rDTR2dkCZwv072RL3HiqFywE6vcUPdT1uM7i2lYY9tJzvBPsg48jHYQwI_WRwcQA1-A_U5HlKb-3JNn9BXD3C_Sotn0nB931m0Zz3p447ZlH9b9z0UkTKfg-faXo4/s1600/Battle+of+Worcester.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigFkVHTzzDEzt3h5rDTR2dkCZwv072RL3HiqFywE6vcUPdT1uM7i2lYY9tJzvBPsg48jHYQwI_WRwcQA1-A_U5HlKb-3JNn9BXD3C_Sotn0nB931m0Zz3p447ZlH9b9z0UkTKfg-faXo4/s320/Battle+of+Worcester.JPG" height="205" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></div>
</td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;"><div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: small;">An eighteenth century depiction of the battle of Worcester 1651. Photograph by David Morrison. Reproduced by permission of the Chapter of Worcester Cathedral (U.K.)</span></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;">During the battle, a
royalist garrison held Fort-Royal just outside the city. The next case is of a
soldier in the fort, who during the fighting was using his bonnet to carry a
fresh supply of gunpowder to his fellows on the ramparts. He was just refilling
his bandoliers (ammunition pouches to hold the powder), when a fellow soldier
fired his musket too close to him. A spark from the musket ignited the powder
and both men were horribly burned. Wiseman and his assistants dressed the
wounds as best they could, covering the burns with some sort of oil and egg
white mixture. William Clark, managed to cure the first soldier, and the latter
was bandaged enough to allow him to escape the city.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;">In a case of a musket ball
entering a soldier through one side of his chest, which passed out between two
ribs on the other side of his body, they cleaned the wounds, and kept the hole
between the ribs open to allow discharge of any matter. The wound was later
cleaned, and the patient attended to after the battle by Wiseman’s assistant
William Clarke, who later lived in Bridgenorth. The soldier was concealed in
the city until he could make his escape. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin: 0px;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIkCqEB6MdvCBaBNAbpMRuJBeSTADIJDvzMoD3s8VVV5XyfjZJJ1EHPbJtN3v_rShNpi7INX0khbRRgwFPFd4-bblq_F1BS3005Hz6N2oI4gIOOTCSe2iJotiuSUIPDx1mA654zBrvyC4/s1600/Surgeon+Wiseman's+book.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIkCqEB6MdvCBaBNAbpMRuJBeSTADIJDvzMoD3s8VVV5XyfjZJJ1EHPbJtN3v_rShNpi7INX0khbRRgwFPFd4-bblq_F1BS3005Hz6N2oI4gIOOTCSe2iJotiuSUIPDx1mA654zBrvyC4/s320/Surgeon+Wiseman's+book.JPG" height="289" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></div>
</td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;"><div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Richard Wiseman's book on surgery. Photograph by David Morrison. Reproduced by permission of the Chapter of Worcester Cathedral (U.K.)</span></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">During the battle, a soldier
came to where Surgeon Wiseman was working. The soldier was still clutching his
broken sword and was covered in wounds, particularly around the head. Wiseman
saw that the hairy scalp of one side of his head was hanging down his neck, and
calling over his colleague William Clarke, they cleaned the wound with a
sponge. They noticed many fissures, and some fractures on the head caused by
various weapons. They freed the scalp of some bone fragments, and dressed the
wound, applying liniment. At this point the Parliamentarians broke into
Worcester. Wiseman decided it was time to leave in the middle of treating the
soldier. However his young assistant and servant William Clarke remained and
carried on treating the wounded even after the fighting was
over. He later wrote to Wiseman and told him about the case. Three days after
treating him, the soldier seemed in good spirits, but the head wounds were causing
discomfort, and Clarke loosened two of the stitches to vent the wounds. He
dressed penetrating wounds, and discarded damaged bone fragments. The soldier
eventually recovered, </span></span><span style="line-height: 18px;">traveled</span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> to the Indies and then served in the Tower of
London. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6W2xXDGJHu8_Ngmt818a9cY8S2Nrxyv8tzUFtJtZaXFZqk3CNhnzSa7fxB_oXn0FiJM_Zs0OsO5MjUdzdyeLK6dGoKZpcsrTpiFACWzK5m9S5top36GW2ohvTMBEnA_ZTyypiMGqoius/s1600/DSC01346.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6W2xXDGJHu8_Ngmt818a9cY8S2Nrxyv8tzUFtJtZaXFZqk3CNhnzSa7fxB_oXn0FiJM_Zs0OsO5MjUdzdyeLK6dGoKZpcsrTpiFACWzK5m9S5top36GW2ohvTMBEnA_ZTyypiMGqoius/s320/DSC01346.JPG" height="320" width="170" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-size: small;">A 1616 book on anatomy Wiseman might have seen. Photograph by David Morrison. Reproduced by permossion of the Chapter of Worcester Cathedral (U.K.)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span>
</div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;">Meanwhile, Captain Smith,
leading a Company of Dragoons, was pursuing Wiseman and the defeated Royalist
soldiers as they fled from the battle. In the ensuing skirmish Smith was wounded
across the right Temporal Muscle (on the side of the head) and was bleeding to
death. He was brought to surgeon Wiseman’s quarters. Wiseman stitched his wound
and, lacking enough medicines, dressed it with a little wheat-flower and the
white of an egg, applying over it a compress which he described as being
pressed out of vinegar, and secured with a bandage. Three days later Wiseman
took off the bandages and found the wound to be healing. By this time, he had
managed to get medical supplies from an Apothecary and sprinkled the lips of
the wound with these. Two days afterwards he cut the stitches and applied “<i>epuloticks”</i> and after a couple more sets
of fresh dressings the man recovered. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
David Morrison<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Worcester Cathedral Libraryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00522255205082082401noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7040400319055700869.post-48204285668113771022013-11-18T13:27:00.001+00:002013-11-18T14:32:47.011+00:00John Calvin's Preface to the Institution of the Christian religion. <span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">How did a book intended for sixteenth century Spanish humanists and Spanish reformers end up in Worcester? Still in its original binding, it is still uncertain who purchased it, or donated it here. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS7gCV3kTpTBRnRQSc1N6bzxTis3CJd0663ZAwKaLc9R2ebus_YKGQKZstjXx5WtoTDvtW-5d9ZyBG-skzHXZmM6tFojtmCYa9SzXJR_3iMR6Ji7OdqUzu-2dABhYPPxM9GNK8xP0HKQU/s1600/Calvin+in+Spain.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS7gCV3kTpTBRnRQSc1N6bzxTis3CJd0663ZAwKaLc9R2ebus_YKGQKZstjXx5WtoTDvtW-5d9ZyBG-skzHXZmM6tFojtmCYa9SzXJR_3iMR6Ji7OdqUzu-2dABhYPPxM9GNK8xP0HKQU/s320/Calvin+in+Spain.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">John Calvin's Insitution of the Christian Religion in Spanish. Photograph by David Morrison by permission of the Dean and Chapter of Worcester (U.K.).</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The Cathedral library has a copy of the second edition of
John Calvin’s book entitled <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Institution
of the Christian religion</i>, comprising of four parts, each divided into
chapters. It was published in 1597 by Ricardo del Campo after being translated
into Spanish or the “Castilian tongue” by Cypriano de Valera.</span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMcXEad8A3Rlx1HSDvKQEky01X4EPmDLJGGTyi4PveB2wMB8iJJZNGHm_QLd_HRfroSreuxVNGxMHDRDHmeiGo4A3pgrOmTKeQ2pvgoJ-lOIH8ctT7weno-ezqXaiTdF4HGvHdsZ5cPME/s400/Calvin1+(3).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="290" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Woodcut of John Calvin, from . Reproduced by the permission of the Dean and Chapter <br />
of Worcester Cathedral (U.K.) </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Calvin prefaced his book with two introductions addressed to
“All the faithful of the Spanish nation” who desire the advancement of Christ’s
Kingdom”. He was in a buoyant mood because his first book had been warmly
received in other European countries and he was very optimistic of its success
in Spain also. In the second, shorter introduction he is full of thanks to
Almighty God for looking favourably on his first book and he believes that he
is duly bound to serve Him and all converts to his new doctrine to
bring more and more people to Christ with his new improved volume into which he
has poured his “meagre god given talents”. He stresses how hard he has worked
in God’s service, to the extent that he became seriously ill and almost died
from quartan fever one winter, but did not rest until he had got his book into
its desired shape. Now, whatever happens to its author, it will stand as
testament to the power of God and the rightness of the teaching based on the
close study of the text of the Bible and the strict observance in everyday life of its
laws.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">He sets out his work as a lawyer might, illustrating his
arguments with detailed references from the Old Testaments and the gospels,
writing with fervour and convinced that his Protestant ideas on the Reform of
the Christian church are the only valid ones; that he is a warrior of Christ
combatting the corrupt practices of the Catholic Church with his teaching and
preaching. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Calvin saw the Roman Catholic Church as in the power of
Satan, and took every opportunity to condemn its way of worshipping Christ. In his
Preface he mentioned the Diet of Augsburg, one of the conferences organized by
the Catholic Church to promote the Counter Reformation and heaped scorn on the
“lies” they published about him. His duty was, with God’s grace, “to so prepare
and instruct those who wish to study theology that they might easily learn Holy
Scripture, have a clear understanding of what they might read and walk a
straight path from which they never depart.” The end of the shorter preface
stresses that the book deals so fully and clearly with all matters of religion
that every reader who perseveres will be given a very useful tool with which to
live a godly life and refute the statements of “the Enemny”. Calvin wanted no
praise for his achievement but to be remembered before God by those who found
spiritual benefit in the pages of the book. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
Like other reformers, Calvin was a product of ideas stemming
from the Renaissance. Scholars prized the Greek and Roman civilizations and in
their intensive study of Green and Latin discovered new ways of looking at the
language and meaning of the Bible in its original tongues, and the enigma of
human existence. Such men were called “humanists”. Unfortunately the different
ways they interpreted what they found set in motion religious divisions which
remain to this day. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz4oYUjbciw3Tu6yVjct6PopV7ZFByYtlmWpJEOUPxR3Ob5NG-pcYXPCK7uy9moFhaq2XYRLyk3CTk9LIyZaqnJNo4C-vIUNZTxEO-mt-bN_ej2GSVPQFPxmw8XJ-mP7xs_VSUzPpRVe8/s1600/Erasmus+02.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz4oYUjbciw3Tu6yVjct6PopV7ZFByYtlmWpJEOUPxR3Ob5NG-pcYXPCK7uy9moFhaq2XYRLyk3CTk9LIyZaqnJNo4C-vIUNZTxEO-mt-bN_ej2GSVPQFPxmw8XJ-mP7xs_VSUzPpRVe8/s320/Erasmus+02.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Erasmus from a Worcester Cathedral Library book. Photograph by David Morrison, by permission of the Dean and Chapter of Worcester Cathedral (U.K.)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">In
Spain humanism began to take root in the very early sixteenth century, when
Erasmus’ writings began to be read in Spain. Spanish universities began to
study and discuss the new religious ideas. The Catholic Church, however, was
quick to imprison even moderate thinkers like Luis de León whose statue stands
facing the old university building of Salamanca today. By the time Erasmus died
in 1536, the Inquisition had pounced upon any attempt at reform and religious
humanism was sent underground, though in the plastic arts and in literature the
study of Renaissance ideas brought about what is called in Spain “El Siglo de
oro” (“The Golden Age”), which spanned two centuries and produced world class
artists and authors, reflecting the influence and splendour of the Catholic
Church. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>Betty Eggby</strong> <o:p></o:p></span>Worcester Cathedral Libraryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00522255205082082401noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7040400319055700869.post-13766591307097229372013-11-01T16:39:00.002+00:002014-05-17T23:25:27.823+01:00A Medieval and an Elizabethan Maths Book<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Love it or loathe it maths is a useful skill. This week I
thought I’d seek out what the Cathedral library has in terms of historic maths
books and found two gems. </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The first treasure is Anianus’ <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Computus cum commento </i>(Computus with commentary), a late fifteenth-century
arithmetic manual with instructions and demonstrative woodcuts. This short
guide was printed in Paris by Guy Marchant in 1497, and the Worcester Cathedral
library copy is the only one surviving in the UK. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Anianus, the author of the commentary, is a figure whom we
know little about, but some believe he was a French Benedictine monk. He wrote
his computus guide at the end of the fourteenth-century and numerous manuscript
copies survive. It was so popular in the century that followed that the
commentary was printed in Paris, Rouen, Lyon and Basel. The title page of Marchant’s
1497 edition opens with this splendid woodcut:</span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqwI9A_YJns5pNSvrtN85DTrz5gtjH6Td7zIdxvjdofCGhTfqPZZnq5069NLtpQmzdtaE-rvSLjyZek5-id5NGZgmedPeTNtlKdpprxF5py0u7UhQBOVHgSx5JVkc2c0j1m_qABXDssHQ/s1600/comp2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqwI9A_YJns5pNSvrtN85DTrz5gtjH6Td7zIdxvjdofCGhTfqPZZnq5069NLtpQmzdtaE-rvSLjyZek5-id5NGZgmedPeTNtlKdpprxF5py0u7UhQBOVHgSx5JVkc2c0j1m_qABXDssHQ/s640/comp2.jpg" height="640" width="404" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photograph, <em>Compotus cum commento</em>. Reproduced by the permission of the Dean and Chapter of Worcester Cathedral (U.K.)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">This is just one of six woodcuts which link books to
Marchant’s workshop. It depicts two shoe makers working and includes a central
shield containing two hands holding open a book. At the top you can see an
abbreviated form of his motto “Sola fides suficit” ,“faith alone suffices”. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Computus, for those wondering, was the major form of mathematical
learning in the middle Ages. Put simply, it is the mathematical working out of
the dates of Lent and Easter for any given year. In Western Christianity,
Easter is the first Sunday after the first full moon after the spring equinox.
Once this date has been calculated, the rest of the church’s moveable festivals
and celebrations can be worked out in relation to this date. Historians of
mathematics have stressed the overwhelming complexity of early computus
manuals. Anianus’ compoutus manual was likely popular because it followed a
much simpler format than others on the subject, such as those written by Bede
and Arnold of Villanova. The commentary is written in prose, and explains how
to use the hand as a mnemonic device on which to calculate. Here are some of
the woodcuts from Marchant’s edition showing how to use the left hand:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
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<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglGKKVP3DaGFaOl2vng8Sclp3pAS_RbGcP_nyl2W_hlsN0fPBuYx5QTsi5xKTr8nXCE6TtqX1AhwDHAv9b_OTw9qTRvXt1fOJzuNpP-4w2mMcuXgevEYzAnFJfpdMegweKJvpaInmrlCc/s640/comp1.jpg" height="478" width="640" /></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Photograph, <em>Compotus cum commento</em>. Reproduced by the permission of the Dean and Chapter of Worcester Cathedral (U.K.)</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Fast forward around a hundred and fifty years and we find
the second of the Cathedral library’s interesting maths books: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">A geometrical treatise named pantometria</i>.
This Elizabethan geometry book, written by Thomas Digges c. 1570 presents an
array of technologies and tools developed in the Elizabethan era for the study
of mathematics and topographical work. Pictured below is one such tool, called a Theodelitus, which is described
as a “circle divided into 360 grades”, the diameter of which was 2 feet,
meaning that the sizeable instrument had to be held down by some type of clamp.
</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjxp9ZcE5J60HbDuIbQKmiBljDO-VsVh7BMXlle_4uMQP9yeyXEEhwOuiEXlSDMY-DVuaLieN1QSqrrj1R_yS31NHLSHSyzfh1-YYiYZ2slfbJF-fQlJ6y1H5JFdydHFkd1sF6YDXRv14/s1600/comp7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjxp9ZcE5J60HbDuIbQKmiBljDO-VsVh7BMXlle_4uMQP9yeyXEEhwOuiEXlSDMY-DVuaLieN1QSqrrj1R_yS31NHLSHSyzfh1-YYiYZ2slfbJF-fQlJ6y1H5JFdydHFkd1sF6YDXRv14/s320/comp7.jpg" height="320" width="286" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><o:p> Reproduced by the permission of the Dean and Chapter of Worcester Cathedral (U.K.)</o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The tool is thought to have been invented by Digges’ father,
Leonard. Leonard Digges’ died when his son was aged thirteen and left a
partially completed manuscript copy of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Pantometria</i>
to his son. Thomas Digges completed his father's work. As a child Thomas Digges
became a ward of the renowned Elizabethan astronomer and mathematician, John
Dee, who you can find out about by clicking <a href="http://worcestercathedrallibrary.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/john-dee-mathematician-and-crystal-ball.html">here.</a> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">What’s most interesting about <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Pantometria </i>is the consistent application of geometry to solving military problems and war-related scenarios. Though composed
centuries apart, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Pantometria</i> is reminiscent
of the military-style textbooks produced for young school children in Nazi
Germany, which superimpose basic maths problems with militaristic images. If you
look at the woodcut below you can see how one problem is put in the
context of an observer trying to estimate how far two rather threatening looking,
incoming ships are away. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3unvcIhX4EAfOqoOdKJkC4EV1rpit-OH8v70Ga04B7_lSZZ4ufpfv7gJ9e489ew7HlY1lR_NI14UrFlBg7ecg1iejWNtjNf4sFxWShmr2d1ZKyLSnITC6ZqA5Y6VkPL5NitnMMZCwSqk/s1600/comp4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3unvcIhX4EAfOqoOdKJkC4EV1rpit-OH8v70Ga04B7_lSZZ4ufpfv7gJ9e489ew7HlY1lR_NI14UrFlBg7ecg1iejWNtjNf4sFxWShmr2d1ZKyLSnITC6ZqA5Y6VkPL5NitnMMZCwSqk/s400/comp4.jpg" height="231" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Reproduced by the permission of the Dean and Chapter of Worcester Cathedral (U.K.)</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The woodcuts on folio 30 and 32 take on an even more militaristic framework, as you can see two warring parties firing canons at one another. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5gCA_pB1Rf_TUoWQcxqN1xKqzYVvB3m044kPIjxzLkpf-HNsfLZotuhClEKGGMnvZVBDCJXFAsLTnSDDUeaEUUyQUhdFxZh4JEe02hNs9uFe_vv9z9w45kVqj8QSUfKkL2nHdpXC57V8/s1600/comp9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5gCA_pB1Rf_TUoWQcxqN1xKqzYVvB3m044kPIjxzLkpf-HNsfLZotuhClEKGGMnvZVBDCJXFAsLTnSDDUeaEUUyQUhdFxZh4JEe02hNs9uFe_vv9z9w45kVqj8QSUfKkL2nHdpXC57V8/s640/comp9.jpg" height="418" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Photograph reproduced by the permission of the Dean and Chapter of Worcester Cathedral (U.K.)</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">We might read this textbook, therefore, as more than simply
an instructive manual, it’s constant references to spying, even in the more
innocent peeping Tom scenario, conjures to mind the network of
spies at home and abroad employed by Queen Elizabeth I during her reign. Many
of the geometry problems, particularly in the first part of the book, are aimed
at either seeing things you are usually unable to see, or visually penetrating
fortified areas. There is even this excellent woodcut of a man using the
reflection of a pond to spy on his wife situated several stories above.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXtygr8vMr5alC_NCpymi_ofextGpMwSwfyOhI4iov_F5TvR1p2rlfx-QvruJd05S7Pm9DTgr4A4DbWgsUNabzJzEqfzjmcMlXMBkTD6mulnBTw_4iK7mOYwnnOjhThoreCEnygQqmGV8/s1600/006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXtygr8vMr5alC_NCpymi_ofextGpMwSwfyOhI4iov_F5TvR1p2rlfx-QvruJd05S7Pm9DTgr4A4DbWgsUNabzJzEqfzjmcMlXMBkTD6mulnBTw_4iK7mOYwnnOjhThoreCEnygQqmGV8/s640/006.JPG" height="600" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Photograph reproduced by the permission of the Dean and Chapter of Worcester Cathedral (U.K.)</span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">More broadly, the consistent references to sea faring and
sea voyages mean the book is clearly a product of the age of exploration. This
maths book then, might also be a useful source for military historians or
Elizabethan enthusiasts as it clearly reflects national concerns in this period.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Worcester Cathedral Libraryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00522255205082082401noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7040400319055700869.post-29183217037378546372013-10-14T12:30:00.000+01:002013-11-08T09:00:47.876+00:00The coronation feast of James II and Queen Mary<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">One of the many printed books contained in the Cathedral library is
a lavishly illustrated account of the coronation of James II and Queen Mary, which took place on Tuesday 23rd
April, 1685. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This book was commissioned to commemorate James II's coronation and was given to his Majesty as a gift upon his visit to Worcester in 1687. It is a very detailed account of the preparations for the occasion;
a description of the clothing, robes, crowns and sceptres, personnel, seating
arrangements and menus for the day. As this is a very precise (and lengthy) account of the
ceremony, I have chosen to discuss the coronation feast and menu, which visitors to the library often express interest in. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Below is an exquisite engraving depicting the feast in Westminster Hall, in which you can see the Lords and Ladies tucking into an array of foods, as well as the servers located at the sides of the halls. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwyUnywQCfDZMerDZSM6w3esWeGVCBrq4-4cdzHsoUH_ZGlfd0NvWSl6v4CwiYP7NG0DV1itihSwrcRM_oKoywjSXSKKt_Ua7gXcObVKLOG_Ldfj1P1UPgQmGKnoWK87-U24wAJeN4ZWg/s1600/001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwyUnywQCfDZMerDZSM6w3esWeGVCBrq4-4cdzHsoUH_ZGlfd0NvWSl6v4CwiYP7NG0DV1itihSwrcRM_oKoywjSXSKKt_Ua7gXcObVKLOG_Ldfj1P1UPgQmGKnoWK87-U24wAJeN4ZWg/s640/001.JPG" width="450" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">James II's coronation feast (1685). Photograph reproduced by the permission of the Dean and Chapter of Worcester Cathedral (U.K.).</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Their Majesties table alone is described as containing "99 dishes of the most excellent and choicest of all sorts of cold meats,
both flesh and fish, excellently well dressed and ordered all manner of ways, [...] brought up by the gentlemen who served at their majesties cupboards." The engraving certainly conveys the author's point that there was "little vacancy between the dishes, which
were set upon stands of several heights, and all so equally mixed, that it made
an extraordinary good appearance”. At feasts or banquets today, a table is rarely as fully laden with dishes as we see here. This coronation feast makes Christmas dinner look like a light snack!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Another engraving, pictured below, depicts the table layout of the 145 dishes served at the table of King James and Queen Mary. The King's table was located at the upper end of Westminster Hall.You can see that each dish has a small number on it. Below is a list of the dishes to which each number corresponds. Besides these 145 dishes, there were 30 more served up to their Majesties table at the second course, making 175 dishes in all…!!!</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span> <span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>We'd love it if you could pick your favourite item and tell us which dish, if you could, you would order as part of your coronation dinner.</strong> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN6cYDaJXvWY05M4eAtnM8-GtZPFKkbRFNs3KIo6flvvO7vhlU4MAC2Q4nulYA1R_7zsanit3YWrfCTsr_npLZkN_y4xJIcUtg634Sr6Hm1lK7vC5kJJI9ZAUCO2hLpnacQIHt2T1XCnI/s1600/Adrianblog01.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN6cYDaJXvWY05M4eAtnM8-GtZPFKkbRFNs3KIo6flvvO7vhlU4MAC2Q4nulYA1R_7zsanit3YWrfCTsr_npLZkN_y4xJIcUtg634Sr6Hm1lK7vC5kJJI9ZAUCO2hLpnacQIHt2T1XCnI/s640/Adrianblog01.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Table of dishes corresponding with numbers below. Photograph reproduced by the permission of the Dean and Chapter of Worcester Cathedral (U.K.)</span></td></tr>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span></tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>The dishes served at the table of King James and Queen Mary:</strong></span><br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1.Pistacio cream in glasses. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2.Anchoviz (anchovies) </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">3.Custards ) </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">4.Collar Veal
) Cold</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">5.Lamb – stones</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">6.Cocks-combs )</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">7.Marrow patie ) Hot</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">8.Jelly )</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">9.Sallet ) Cold</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">10.Stags tongues.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">11.Sweet-breads.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">12.Patty pidgeon.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">13.Petty-toes.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">14.Cray Fish.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">15.Blumange
) </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">16.Bolonia Sausages
) Cold</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">17.Collops and Eggs.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">18.Frigase Chick )</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">19.Rabbets Ragou )
Hot</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">20.Oysters pickled )</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">21.<st1:country-region w:st="on">Portugal</st1:country-region>
Eggs )
Cold</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">22Dutch Beef )</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">23.Andolioes.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">24.Mushrooms )</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">25.Veal
) Hot</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">26.Hogs tongues )</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">27.Cheese cakes
) Cold</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">28.Ciprus Birds.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">29.Tansy.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">30.Asparagus )</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">31.A Pudding ) Hot</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">32.Ragou of Oysters )</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">33.Scallops
) Cold</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">34.Salamagundy.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">35.Three dozen glasses of lemon Jelly.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">36.Five Neats Tongues
(Cold).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">37.Four dozen wild Pidgeons,12 larded, (Hot).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">38.A whole Salmon
(Cold).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">39.Eight Pheasants,3 larded
(Cold).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">40.Nine small Pidgeon Pies
(Cold).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">41.Twenty Four fat Chickens,6 larded (Hot).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">42.Twelve Crabs
(Cold).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">43.Twenty Four Partridges,6 larded, (Hot).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">44.A dish of tarts.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">45.Soles marinetted, (Cold).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">46.Twenty Four Tame Pidgeons,6 larded, (Hot)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">47.Four Fawns,2 larded, (Hot).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">48.Four Pullets La Dobe. )
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">49.Twelve Quails ) (Hot) </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">50.Four Partridges – Halved )</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">51.Ten Oyster Pies, (Hot)
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">52.Sallet.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">53.Pease.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">54.Four Dozen of Puddings,(Hot)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">55.Artichokes.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">56.Beef a La Royal, (Hot).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">57.An Oglio, (Hot).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">58.Pease.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">59.A Batalia Pie</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">60.Artichokes.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">61.Sallet.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">62.Three <st1:country-region w:st="on">Turkeys</st1:country-region>
a La Royal, (Hot).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">63.Four Chicks
) </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">64.Bacon Gammon )
(Hot).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">65.Spinage
)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">66.Three Piggs (Hot)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">67.Almond Puff.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">68.Twelve Stump Pies, (Cold).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">69.A square pyramide, rising from four large dishes on the
angles, and four lesser dishes on the
sides, containing the several fruits in season, and all manner of sweet-meats.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">70.A whole Lamb, larded, (Hot).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">71.Twelve Ruffs.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">72.Four dozen Egg –Pies, (Cold).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">73.A very large circular pyramide in the middle of the table,
rising from twelve dishes in the circumference, six of which were large, and
the others six less, containing the several fruits in season, and all manner of
sweet-meats.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">74.Six Mullets, large souc’d.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">75.Eight Godwits.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">76.Eight Neats Tongues and Udders roasted, (Hot).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">77.A square pyramide, rising from four large dishes on the
angles, and four lesser on the sides, containing the several fruits in season, and
all manner of sweet-meats.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">78.Eighteen Minc’d Pies, (Cold).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">79.Marrow Tofts.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">80.Eight wild Ducks, marinated, (Hot).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">81.Gooseberry Tarts
)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">82.Lampreys
) (Cold).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">83.Shrimps
)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">84.Twenty Four Puffins, (Cold).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">85.Smelts.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">86.Trufles.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">87Four Dozen of Petit-Paties, (Hot).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">88.Morels.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">89.Five Carps, (Cold).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">90.Blewmange in shells, (Cold)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">91.Mushrooms.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">92.Four Dozen of Almond Puddings, (Hot).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">93.Asparagus.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">94.Eight Ortelans.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">95.Lamb Sallet, (Cold).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">96.Five Partridge Pies
)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">97.Smelts marinated
) (Cold)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">98.Turt.de Moil
)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">99.Eighteen Turkey Chicks, six larded, (Hot).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">100.Twelve Lobsters, (Cold).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">101.Nine Pullets, for larded, (Hot).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">102.Bacon,two Gammons, (Cold).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">103.Twelve Leverets, four larded, (Hot).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">104,Sturgeon, (Cold).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">105.Twenty Four Ducklings, six larded, (Hot).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">106.Collar’d Beef, (Cold).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">107.Eight Capons, three larded, (Hot).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">108.Five Pullet Pies, (Cold).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">109.Eight Geese, three larded, (Hot).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">110.Three souc’d Pigs, (Cold).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">111.Three Dozen glasses of Jelly.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">112.Botargo
)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">113.Gerkins
) (Cold) </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">114.Souc’d Trout )</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">115.Sheeps Tongues.
)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">116.Skirrets ) (Hot)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">117.Cabbadge Pudding
)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">118.Eight Teals Marin
)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">119.French Beans
) (Cold).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">120.Leveret Pie
)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">121.Lemon Sallet
)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">122.Smelts Pickled
) (Cold).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">123.Periwinkles
)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">124.Chicks marl’d
)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">125.Cavear
) (Cold)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">126.Olives
)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">127.Prawns
)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">128.Samphire
) (Cold)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">129.Trotter Pie
)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">130.Taffata Tarts
)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">131.Razor Fish
) (Cold)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">132.Broom Buds )</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">133.Collar’d Pigs.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">134.Parmazan )</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">135.Capers
) (Cold).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">136.Spinage Tart.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">137.Whitings marinated
)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">138.Cockles ) (Cold).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">139.Pickled Mushrooms
)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">140.Prawns ) (Cold).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">141.Mangoes
)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">142.Bacon Pie
)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">143.Cardoons
) (Cold)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">144.Souc’d Tench )</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">145.Three Dozen Glasses of Blumange, (Cold).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As you can see, many of the items are familiar to us to-day,
although some, if not many, have gone out of fashion. Others are not so
recognizable. All in all this was not a table for the faint hearted….!!!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Clarification of a number of the menu items may well be
required. I hope that the following will help with this; if some are wrong then
please feel free to advise the correct explanation.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There is also a record, of the dishes served at the other
tables. They do differ in some cases to that of their Majesties, but in general
they are a large number of common dishes. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Some spellings are different to what we are familiar with
now, and these I have left in their traditional form.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The more, possibly obscure items, I have attempted to
translate;</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Item 4: Collar Veal – Meat that is rolled up and tied with
string, also to cut up and press into a roll.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Item 5: Lambs-stones
(Testicles)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Item 6: Cocks-combs -
the red fleshy crest on the head of the domestic fowl.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Item 7: Marrow Patie – (Bone Marrow pate.) </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Item 9: Sallet – (Salad.)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Item 11: Sweet-breads – (the pancreas or thymus gland of an
animal – heart, stomach, belly, throat, gullet or neck, - looked upon as a
delicacy.)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Item 13: Petty –toes (pigs
feet).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Item 17: Collops and Eggs
(an egg fried on bacon).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Item 21: Portugal Eggs
(egg tart pastry, similar to custard tart).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Item 23: Andolioes
(ANDOLIANS – the guts of a hog, cooked with salt, pepper, cloves, mace
and coriander).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Item 28: Ciprus Birds
(Preserved Fig Peckers-Beccafico – considered a dainty when it was
fattened on figs and grapes)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Item 29: Tansy (a
pudding, omelette, or the like, flavoured with juice of tansy (an Herbaceous
plant).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Item 34: Salamagundy (a type of salad, made with lettuce, finely
chopped chicken and anchovies, garnished with small poached onions and scalded
grapes.)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Item 36: Neats Tongues
(an Ox or Bullock,a Cow or Heifer).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Item 37,39,41,43,46,47,70,99,101,103,105,107 & 109 (Larded – to insert small strips of bacon
into, before cooking.)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Item 48: Pullets la Dobe
(Chicken Stew)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Item 57:Oglio (a very
large stew with extensive ingredients)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Item 59:Batalia Pie
(a Fish pie)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Item 68: Stump Pies
(Mutton/Lamb Pie) [ ]</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Item 71: Ruffs
(either a small freshwater fish or a male bird of the sandpiper family) </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Item 74,110,114 & 144: Souc’d (Meat, Fish – prepared or preserved in
vinegar/pickle.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Item 75: Godwits (A
type of marshland bird)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Item 79: Marrow Tofts
(Toasts)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Item 82: Lampreys (An eel like sucker fish)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Item 85:Smelts (small
fish)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Item 88: Morels (type
of mushroom)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Item 90: Blewmange: (probably a chicken meat dish served in
pastry shells)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Item 94: Ortelans: (a
small bird of the bunting family: they were captured alive, force fed, then
drowned in armagnac, roasted, then eaten whole, bones and all..!!).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Item 98: Turt de Moil: (a puff pastry dish containing bone
marrow, butter, sweet-meats, cream, eggs, orange-flower-water and sweetened
with sugar.)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Item 103: Leverets (young Hares)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Item 107: Capon
(castrated domestic cock).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Item 112: Botargo (a relish made of Mullet roe or Tunny).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Item 116: Skirrets: (a species of water parsnip).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Item 118: Teals:
(species of wild duck).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Item 128: Samphire:
(sea shore plant, growing on rocks, who’s aromatic, saline, fleshy
leaves were used in pickles).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Item 130: Taffata Tart: ( was a word applied for a cream dish i.e. a cream
tart/pie).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Item 131: Razor Fish: (a mollusc having a long narrow shell like
the handle of a razor).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Item 143: Cardoons:
(edible part of the artichoke).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Item 15 & 145: Blumange:
(a meat concoction) [ ].</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Item 8,35 & 111: Jelly:
(dishes of Jelly – probably refer to gelatine, flavoured with either
Lemon or Orange).</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>by Adrian Skipp.</strong></span></div>
Worcester Cathedral Libraryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00522255205082082401noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7040400319055700869.post-74001162451472947072013-10-04T15:33:00.003+01:002013-11-08T09:01:11.504+00:00Monastic maladies and cures for the plague<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Magazine and newspaper articles are forever telling us to stop smoking, start
exercising, eat “superfoods”, cut out bread, drink less coffee and so on. This
week I take a look at some late medieval dietary advice and
cures for diseases scribbled by the monks of Worcester Cathedral priory
in a sixteenth-century register. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These snippets on <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>monastic diet and medicine feature
as part of the library’s current exhibition, ‘Life in a Benedictine monastery’,
so be sure to call to the North and West cloisters of Worcester Cathedral to
see photographs and full transcriptions. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiME8ojMztPeBaMlyq3KZf0PdYghfpoLoPE0LGTLs6lX2ED21Jqr0BXDG6k1deWuxz8LuFuvSGKvvAJwKIIORrAsxZuhDL_x5YKsWt7kAYUyFPd_0-UnGzUrpu6Bl9LwvxFOqIl5JCWc30/s1600/MSwithcopyright.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiME8ojMztPeBaMlyq3KZf0PdYghfpoLoPE0LGTLs6lX2ED21Jqr0BXDG6k1deWuxz8LuFuvSGKvvAJwKIIORrAsxZuhDL_x5YKsWt7kAYUyFPd_0-UnGzUrpu6Bl9LwvxFOqIl5JCWc30/s400/MSwithcopyright.JPG" width="272" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Poster for the library's exhibition, 'Life in a Benedictine monastery', located in the north and West cloisters until October 16th 2013. Copyright <span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">©<o:p></o:p></span></span><span style="font-size: small;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Dean and Chapter of Worcester Cathedral (U.K.)</span>
</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The
collection of cures and dietary advice in a sixteenth-century monastic
register is a mere four folios in length, written by one scribe in middle English, dating to
around 1540. At the bottom of the first of the four folios (pictured below) is a rather amusing list of foods “which
dothe hurte the eyes”. The list of foods that hurt the eyes include some obvious candidates, such as onions (a
nemesis of your blogger), and garlic. The list also warns that reading
immediately after supper is bad for the eyes, as is “drunkenness, lechery […]
sweet wynes and thycke wynes”. </span></span><br />
<br />
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbAD2go_0NiNry1ezEvSF6GtQgS6gb7fuRGKRnnnjEW0WtOZotkfzk36nX_zku562dKbC4o7vyO2tGVjKZUUWv0_H0yHWPaUqhHmCeVMhpaysgcVoipE6pHMnuEDgDV2m6Tu9ipQ484uM/s1600/004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="346" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbAD2go_0NiNry1ezEvSF6GtQgS6gb7fuRGKRnnnjEW0WtOZotkfzk36nX_zku562dKbC4o7vyO2tGVjKZUUWv0_H0yHWPaUqhHmCeVMhpaysgcVoipE6pHMnuEDgDV2m6Tu9ipQ484uM/s640/004.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Recipes: "meates whiche hurteth the tethe", "meates ingendryng flewme", and "meates whiche dothe hurte the eyes". Photograph of AXII, fol. 166 v. Reproduced by the permission of the Dean and Chapter of Worcester Cathedral (U.K.)<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a> </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The
thickness of wine, how watered down it should be, and the implications that
this would have on health was a matter of debate in the middle ages. The
Dominican General Chapter regulations from Narbonne (1243), for example, stated
that the infirm and young members of the Order should only drink watered down wine.
The Fransiscan Minister-Gerald of Odone was perhaps too well acquainted with
the problems of consuming thick wines; he wrote in 1331 of the headaches,
digestive problems, and corruption to the four humours that could be caused by drinking
wine. Written in a fifteenth-century hand in the margin of a manuscript held in
the Cathedral Library is the below recipe for a hangover cure, suggesting that the
monks at Worcester similarly had experience of the damage potent wines could
do. Titled “A medicine for drunken men”, the author advises:</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><blockquote class="tr_bq">
<strong>“Give to him that is prone to drunkenness the lung of a sheep or a ram for
meat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Afterwards, however much he
drinks, he shall feel no drunkenness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Similarly give to him that is drunk the burnt ashes of a swallow and he
shall never be drunk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Experience says
that it is certain.”</strong></blockquote>
</span></span><br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whilst the author claims “experience says that
it is certain” that upon consuming the above a person will be cured of
drunkenness, I wouldn’t recommend trying this one at home. I would recommend
pizza as my preferred cure for drunkenness. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">In addition
to foods that damage the eyes, the sixteenth-century monastic register also
contains lists of foods that hurt the teeth and engender phlegm (see above), and you can see
transcriptions of these too in the current exhibition in the Cathedral’s north and west cloister.
</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Of particular interest to your blogger, who curated the exhibition, were the recipes
on the last two of the four folios, aimed at curing specific diseases. One
recipe is described as “a medcyne for the gowt”.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Gout or
<em>podagra</em> was a common medieval ailment, linked to the overconsumption of luxury
foods, sugars and beers. Given the variety of spices, meats, fish and so forth
that made up the Benedictine diet over the course of a year, it is unsurprising
that the monks would have sought out a cure for gout. Here is a modernized
transcription of the remedy (cat owners- BE WARNED) <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><blockquote class="tr_bq">
<strong>“Take good grains
and sit in them up to the knees for the space of an hour and a half and then
after […] dry your legs clean and for one day and knight sit your legs before
the fire and after that take a wild cat’s skin and lay the flesh-side to the
sore”.</strong> </blockquote>
</span></span><br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Gout was
similar to rheumatism in terms of pain and so sitting by a fire, warming the inflamed
skin and soothing it with a soft material like cat’s skin, was probably fairly comforting
to the sufferer. If anyone has knowledge of the use of catskin or other skins
in medieval medicine, I’d be interested to know what the healing properties of
these skins were thought to be, and to how widely they were used. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwYdQFCWmrufM2tqKGmHxgjolzs94a2YMtkn_NQk56GRmXAnOUITKa4Jw87uSr2XjimMzmV_LIIziaGc3Sr-pBck2ZZXt16CMzNVp_M-5bPiZh0GACkrdjHly6o43R5-y5poSGCxjGgkI/s1600/006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwYdQFCWmrufM2tqKGmHxgjolzs94a2YMtkn_NQk56GRmXAnOUITKa4Jw87uSr2XjimMzmV_LIIziaGc3Sr-pBck2ZZXt16CMzNVp_M-5bPiZh0GACkrdjHly6o43R5-y5poSGCxjGgkI/s640/006.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Yf a man be stryken w[t] the plage". Photograph of AXII, fol. 170 r. Reproduced by the permission of the Dean and Chapter of Worcester Cathedral (U.K.)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Finally, the
register also includes two “cures” for the plague, pictured above. Neither of the two plague
cures refer to sores on the skin, nor to swellings, making it likely that they
were intended to treat pneumonic plague rather than the bubonic strand of the
disease. The author of the first of the plague cures is Dr. Bentley, who was the physician
to King Henry VIII. The language of the instructions is typical of medieval cures,
in so far as they provide rather vague measurements of quantity and time: “take
a handful of sage and a handful of rue and a handful of elder leaves and a handful
of red brier leaves and stamp them all together in a mortar and strain them
through a linen cloth” etc. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">This first
plague cure tells us that over the course of a fortnight you should drink one
spoonful of the cure daily after a period of fasting. Yet somewhat worryingly,
as soon as you take the first spoonful, the author kindly informs us that you
will come down with a fever for the next 33 days! Apparently, things don’t get
any better with this “cure” as, after you’ve taken the fifteenth and presumably
final spoonful, you come down with a fever for the rest of the year. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Phew, these
recipes make me rather appreciative of lemsip. If you want to find out more
about these medieval recipes or read them up-close, pop into the cloisters of
Worcester Cathedral where you will see them on the exhibition board entitled, “Caring
for the sick”. <strong>Please leave your comments in the visitor comments book. ‘Life
in a Benedictine monastery’ is free to view until the 16<sup>th</sup> of
October, 09:00-17:00.</strong> </span></span></div>
Worcester Cathedral Libraryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00522255205082082401noreply@blogger.com0