REVIEW OF NEW PUBLICATIONS. ARCHEOLOGIA; or Miscellaneous Tracts relating to Antiquity. Published by the Society of Antiquaries of London. Volume XXIV. IN noticing this interesting and highly illustrated record of the Society's proceedings, we depart in some degree from the order of the communications as they stand in the volume, that we may bring those papers under consideration together which are intimately connected by treating on similar subjects. I. A Dissertation on St. Æthelwold's Benedictional, an illuminated MS. of the 10th century, in the library of his Grace the Duke of Devonshire. Communicated by John Gage, Esq. F.R.S. Director, in a Letter to the Right Hon. George Earl of Aberdeen, President. A letter from W. J. Ottley, Esq. F.S.A. addressed to Mr. Gage, on the illuminations of the above MS. considered as works of art. II. A description of a Benedictional, or Pontifical, called Benedictionarius Roberti Archiepiscopi, an illuminated MS. of the tenth century, in the public library at Rouen. Communicated as an accompaniment to St. Ethelwold's Benedictional, by John Gage, Esq. XI. Account of Cadmon's metrical Paraphrase of Scripture History, an illuminated MS. of the tenth century, preserved in the Bodleian library at Oxford. Communicated by Henry Ellis, Esq. F.R.S. Secretary. XII. Observations on the History of Cadmon, by Francis Palgrave,, esq. F.R.S. F.S.A. Mr. Gage informs us that St. Æthelwold's Benedictional is the most precious of the MSS. in the Duke of Devonshire's collection. It affords a splendid specimen of the pictorial art, as practised by the Anglo-Saxons in the tenth century. It contains the forms of episcopal benedictions for one hundred and sixteen festivals or solemn occasions throughout the year. Godemann, monk of St. Swithin's, chaplain to Ethelwold, Bishop of Winchester, was the scribe who afterwards, at the instance of his patron, became abbot of Thorney. Whether he was also the illuminator, Mr. Ottley in his remarks has shown to be doubtful. However that may be, it is certain that the MS. was executed. between the years 963 and 984. See page 23 of Mr. Gage's communica tion, who thus describes its principal. characteristics: "The MS. is a folio on vellum, measur ing eleven inches and a half by eight and an half, and contains one hundred and nineteen. leaves, of a thick and soft quality, in extraordinary preservation; the text is what is called by printers, Roman lower case, Anglo-Saxon characters being used in some proper names: each full page has nineteen lines, with letters nearly a quarter of an inch long. The capital initials, some of which are very large, are uniformly in gold; and the beginnings and endings of some hene. dictions, together with the titles, are in gold or red letters. Alternate lines in gold, red, and black, occur once or twice in the same page. All the chrysographic parts of the Benedictional, as well in the miniatures as in the characters of the text, are executed with leaf gold laid upon size, afterward burnished the gold throughout the MS. is solid and bright. : "The book is illuminated with thirty dif ferent miniatures, all of which, by the permission of the illustrious owner of the MS. having been engraved, will be found in the copy of the Benedictional subjoined to this Dissertation. Beside the miniatures, there are thirteen pages highly illuminated, some with arches on ornamented columns; others, decorated with rectangular borders composed of flowers and devices; each page, where the opening of some principal benediction occurs, being in capital letters of gold, and where a miniature or painting fronts a decorated page, the arches, circles, or borders of both pages are made to correspond." On the merits of the Illuminations of the MS., Mr. Ottley, in his letter to Mr. Gage, makes the following among numerous other judicious remarks: "That the illuminations of this Manu script are among the finest and richest of the period, I have little doubt; that they were done in England may be considered as certain. I leave it to you to show that the artist was an Englishman, and not a Greek. They certainly savour much of the Greek school. Had we any thing of the kind, and in nearly the same manner, to show, done in England before the reign of Edgar, I might readily be brought to entertain the opinion that BOANARGES was a feigned name; and that he was not one of those numerous foreigners whom that monarch is said to have encouraged to settle in this country." The From the decided character of the numerous small folds of the draperies of the figures represented in this manuscript, and the nature of the architectural ornaments by which they are surrounded, there can indeed be little doubt that they were executed in imitation of the Greek school. ornamental leafage which every where appears, is nothing more than the acanthus of the Corinthian capital, interwoven into various forms. The fine arts and the cultivation of letters, we well know, had their origin in Greece, and were thence, through the Roman conquests, imparted to the nations of Europe; when the Roman empire in the west was swept away by the barbarian sword, under the Greek Emperors was preserved that portion of the sacred fire of genius and taste which once more lighted up the flame in our quarter of the world. The Latin formulary of Benediction is judiciously thrown into the Appendix; and the form of conferring special benedictions, given with all its verbal contractions from the Pontifical of Leo X. might have found a place there; or an abstract from it in English, would have prevented it from obstructing somewhat heavily this elaborate dissertation. Mr. Gage has deserved well of the Society of Antiquaries for the pains he has bestowed in illustrating so interesting a monument of chirographic and pictorial art. Of the Bencdictional of Archbishop Robert at Rouen, Mr. Gage says, "On comparing together the writing of St. Ethelwold's and Archbp. Robert's Benedictionals, they both appear to have been written about the same time; no difference is perceptible between them, excepting what might be looked for in MSS. by different scribes. "The decorations of the Benedictionals are also very similar, though the capital letters throughout this MS. are less splendid. In respect to the three miniatures which it contains, the general design, as well as the style of each of them, correspond so remarkably with the miniatures in the other MS. that, if not painted by Boanarges himself, they certainly come from the same school; and I have no other grounds for thinking that this MS. was written by the monks of Winchester." We cannot dismiss the subject of these ancient formularies, without paying our tribute of approbation to the etchings of their illuminations, executed by Mr. Storm. Cædmon's metrical paraphrase of Scripture History, which is about to be published by the Society of Antiquaries, accompanied by a literal translation, is a very remarkable production. Mr. Ellis tells us, that Junius, who printed the text of Cadmon, 1655, received this MS. from Archbishop Usher. The earliest mention of the name of Cadmon occurs in Bede's Ecclesiastical History, where a whole chapter is devoted to the account of the poet. He is stated to be a man of humble birth, of little or no learning, a monk of the Abbey of Streanshal, now Whitby in Yorkshire, but possessed of so great a portion of that divine fervour with which the true poet is inspired, that neither toil nor effort were necessary to him in the composition of his lays. Mr. Ellis subjoins to his communication Mr. Conybeare's analysis of Cadmon's composition, in which we are told that in the course of his work the paraphrast enters upon a distinct narrative, having for its subject the fall of man, ushered in by a repetition (but more in detail) of the circumstances introduced in the exordium of his work, of the pride, rebellion, and punishment of Satan and his powers, with a resemblance to Milton so remarkable, that much of this portion might be almost literally translated by a cento of lines from that great poet. He introduces us to the debates of the fallen angels, and ascribes to their prince a speech of much spirit and character, although injured by the repetitions common to the poetry of a rude period. The object of Mr. Palgrave's letter is to show that there are strong reasons for supposing that the real name of the paraphrast has not been preserved, and that his history is "one of those tales floating upon the breath of tradition, and localized from time to time in different countries and in different ages." All Anglo-Saxon names being significant, any name not referable to Sir William Morice, and Secretary of State to Charles II.; both, at the date of this letter, members of Cromwell's first Parliament. Cromwell desired that this Parliament should confirm his protectoral dignity, but had reason to fear that his enemies, of whom there were many in the house, designed to give him a mortal blow by voting his usurped authority illegal. He therefore fell upon the expedient of making every member previously to his admission into the House, subscribe to the following engagement: "I, A. B. do hereby freely promise and engage myself to be true and faithful to the Lord Protector and to the Commonwealth of England, Scotland, and Ireland, and shall not, according to the tenor of the indenture, whereby I am returned to serve in this preseut Parliament, purpose or give any consent to alter the Government, as it is settled in one single person and a Parliament." an Anglo-Saxon root, may be strong- to William Morice, esq. afterwards ly presumed to be borrowed from another tongue. Cædmon has no meaning in Anglo-Saxon, but the titles of the books of the Bible being affixed by the Jews from the initial words of these books, that very same name will be found to be the initial word in the book of Genesis in the Chaldee paraphrase, or Targum of Onkelos: a, b’Cadmin or b’Cadmon, signifying "in the beginning," the b' attached to the word is a mere prefix. Cadmon also in pure Hebrew signifies Oriental, or from the East; it is therefore probable, Mr. Palgrave conceives, that the Anglo-Saxon poet, using the Targum for his text, and being also familiar with the Cabalistic doctrines, assumed the name of Cadmon, from the one or the other, either to associate it with the book he had translated, or to designate himself as an eastern visitor or pilgrim. Certainly there is much ingenuity in these suggestions, although we may hesitate to subscribe to them. Of the two we should prefer the last, as we doubt the probability that a scribe would call himself Genesis, because he had transcribed that portion of the Bible. The illuminations accompanying this MS. are in a barbarous style of art, and amount almost to caricatures of the subjects which they delineate. They have nevertheless their value in showing the rude attempts of an early age at personifying sacred mysteries, and at historical design. The uprearing of the firmament, Noah's ark, the angels proceeding to Paradise, are curious examples. The swathings of the legs, which appears so frequently on the male figures, Mr. Gage has told us was common in France among the rustics, even in the sixteenth century, when they were made of white linen, and called les lingettes.* The style of the Saxon age in representing trees, will also be remarked at fol. 39, precisely the same as it is found on the font at Darent, and in the Bayeux tapestry. III. Letter from Henry Ellis, Esq. F.R.S. to the Right Hon. the Earl of Aberdeen, K. T. President, accompanying transcripts of three Letters illustrative of English History. The most remarkable of these three letters is one from Mr. Thomas Gewen Dissert. on Benedictional, p. 37. It appears that Mr. Morrice had some very reasonable scruples of the propriety of fettering himself with such an engagement. Mr. Gewen in the taste of puritan hypocrisy then so prevalent, for endeavouring to keep terms with God and the Devil at the same time, thus reasons with him on the dis-sinfulness, as he terms it, of subscribing to the above. The following are his arguments: "The maine which I intend is to give you satisfaction touching the dis-sinfulness of subscribing the engagement, in order to your retorne to the House, according to the Scripture rule, when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.' I suppose you did observe by me before you went hence, that I was never fixt in a resolution against subscribing, for it was always my opinion, although there were undoubtedly syn in imposing, yet it will not follow thence that there is syn in the subscribing: you may remember I did instance in the case of usury, wherein the lender may syn, and yet the borrower not." How admirably has Butler lashed this miserable sophistry! That redoubted knight errant of puritanism thus addresses his saintly squire Ralpho, learned in all points of conscience casuistry : "A breach of oath is duple, And he that made and forc'd it broke it, Not he that for convenience took it !* Had Butler Mr. Thos. Gewen in his eye, when he designed his Ralpho? Mr. Ellis tells us he was the same person who in 1657-8 moved that Cromwell should be invested with the title and dignity of a King. † IV. Remarks upon the Coins lately discovered in the bed of the river Dove near Tutbury, Staffordshire, by Edward Hawkins, Esq. F.R.S. and S.A. Keeper of the Antiquities and Medals in the British Museum. The discovery of these coins has already been noticed in our last volume, pt. i. p. 546, pt. ii. p. 552. Of the 1489 coins recovered by the Commission from the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Mr. Hawkins gives very minute particulars; and observes, that if any considerable number of coins of the period should be henceforward discovered, which do not correspond with the deposit at Tutbury, they may be fairly concluded to have been struck at a time posterior to that deposit; much difficulty existing in the appropriation of the coins of this age to their respective monarchs. V. Observations on the fashions of Hats, Bonnets, and coverings for the head, chiefly from the reign of Henry VIII. to the eighteenth century. By John Adey Repton, F.S.A. This is an ingenious and amusing paper; but, brought down as its subject is to a period so closely connected with our own time, we cannot consider it as purely archæological. The word Hat, we are told, was derived from the Saxon, Paet, German hat. Woollen or felt hats were known to the Saxons. Passages from Chaucer are cited to show that the hat was well known in his day. Mr. Repton appears to us in error, when he converts, in following an old paraphrastic translation, the whitehoods into the white hats of Ghent. From a passage in Hall's Chronicle, we suspect the chapeau montauban to be a steel defence to the head; it would therefore rather come under the description of helmets than hats. From the broad-brimmed hats of Hudibras, part 2, canto 2, line 269, &c. + Burton's Diary, vol. II. P. 424. I See Froissart. the Cardinals, Mr. Repton turns to those of the Quakers. Barclay, in his Apology, complains, "Many of us have been sorely beaten and buffetted, yea, and several months imprisoned, for no other reason, but because we could not so satisfie the proud unreasonable humours of proud men, as to uncover our heads and bow our bodies. Nor doth our innocent practice of standing still, though upright, not putting off our hats any more than our shoes, the one being the covering of our heads, as well as the other of our feet, show so much rudeness, as their beating and knocking us, because we cannot bow to them contrary to our consciences." In an account of Bartholomew Fair in 1740, there is a description of the renowned Tiddy Doll, "Who was dressed in a very fashionable suit of white trimmed with gold lace, a lace ruffled shirt, and a large cocked hat, formed of gingerbread fringed and garnished with Dutch gold." Clergymen formerly wore woollen caps : The foule ille take me, mistresse, quoth long Meg of Westminster, if I misreck on the limmer lowne one penny, and therefore, Vicar, I tell thee, 'fore thou goe out of these doores, I'le make thee pay every farthing, if thy cap be of wool." formerly called castors; so they are in Beaver hats, Mr. Repton says, were slang language at this day. Plumes of the larger sort in hats, we believe, were adopted towards the close of the 16th century, and were continued to the reign of Queen Anne. Of the three-cornered hats of the middle of the last century, we hear "that there is the military cock, and the mercantile cock, and while the beaux of St. James's wear their hats under their arms, the beaux of Moorfields wear theirs diagonally over their left eye." Seven plates, consisting of divers specimens of hoods, caps, and hats, from the time of Richard II. to the year 1760, illustrate Mr. Repton's paper. In the third illustrative plate we remark several specimens taken from the fanciful head-dresses designed in the Triumphs of the Emperor Maximilian, which are certainly no authority for real costume. In his last plate Mr. Repton exhibits two figures of guardsmen with three-cornered hats, and tremendous queues; these sculptures are modern additions to the staircase of Blickley Hall, Norfolk. He adds what is called a sketch of a young dragoon of twentyfive years since. The period is not beyond our recollection, and at that time military costume was familiar to us; any thing in his Majesty's forces, similar to this caricature of a bold hussar, we cannot recollect to have seen. (To be continued.) A History of Northumberland. In Three Parts. By John Hodgson, Clerk, M.R.S.L. Part II. Vol. II. Newcastle. 4to. pp. 576. WE have perused this volume with considerable attention; and have been struck in almost every page with its fullness of information, its judicious arrangement and condensation, and, last not least, with the diffidence and modesty of its author. In a sensible Preface Mr. Hodgson apologizes for the length of time that has elapsed since his subscribers received a volume of his work, and laments that he possesses not greater facilities in means, books, and situation, to proceed more rapidly with his labours. "I rise to this labour," says the author, "every morning, with increasing desire to complete it. It keeps in delightful employment a mind that finds it as impossible to be idle, as to be soured by disappointment, or insensible to encouragement. Periculorum præmia et laborum fructum contemnere, is a stoical virtue which I cannot boast of; and for the distinguished encouragement I have received, I feel cheered and gratified." Thus modestly, and even gratefully, does Mr. Hodgson speak of the results of his labours; at the same time that we are assured that the pecuniary expenses of producing the volume have been so large, that the sale of the whole impression will not repay him. To a person of Mr. Hodgson's turn of mind, however, the compilation of his History has, we can easily conceive, proved its own reward. It has also been the means of his attracting the notice of several valuable friends of congenial taste. It introduced him to the patronage of the late amiable and excellent Bp. Barrington (who presented Mr. Hodgson to his vicarage), and to the notice of the present Bishop of Durham. It obtained for him the kind approval of Sir J. E. Swinburne, Bart., who became a sharer with him GENT. MAG. July, 1832. in the expenses of his work. It also led to effectual assistance from the generous and graphic hand of Edward Swinburne, Esq. who has contributed so largely to the embellishment of his "History;" and was the origin of numerous other acts of kindness from literary characters, which are handsomely acknowledged in the Preface to this volume. These were agreeable set-offs to the care, expence, and labour bestowed by Mr. Hodgson on a work, so varied, large, and profitless as this unfortunately is to its author. Indeed, when we reflect on the disadvantages under which it has been written, far from public libraries or even a post-town, we are perfectly astonished at the immense mass of amusement and instruction which it comprises. If the present age has not taste to appreciate so painful a task, yet we entreat Mr. Hodgson to persevere,-posterity will be grateful for his useful labours. The district which Mr. Hodgson has undertaken to describe is one particularly interesting, as having been the theatre, from the days of Edward the First, the conqueror of Scotland, to the union of the two Crowns in James the First, of many battles, sanguinary skirmishes, and other important events, between the rival nations. To the honour of this district it may here be incidentally mentioned, that, instead of the rancour, robbery, burning, and rapine, that formerly distinguished the Borderers, the arts of civilization, concord, and peace have so far supplanted them, that this same district is now, according to the reports made to Parliament, become the most free from crime, and perhaps the most peaceful and happy, of any in the kingdom. Among the fine old families which Mr. Hodgson has had the honour to commemorate, are those of Widdrington, Mitford, Howard, Bertram, Fenwick, Swinburne, and many others, his memoirs of which have gratified us much. His pedigrees are full and overflowing. They contain more reading than perhaps any pedigrees before given to the public; although this does not add to their clearness. The interest is greatly increased, from the perpetuity with which these truly ancient families have remained on their manorial estates; so different from the ever-changing nature of landed property around the metropolis. Mr. |