ATRUE TALEOFROBIN HOOD.

"Now God forbid, then said the King,That thou should shoot at me.I give thee Eighteen pence a Day,And my Bow shalt thou bear,Yea, over all the North Country,I make thee Chief Keeper.Ill give thee Thirteen pence a Day,Said the Queen, by my fayCome fetch the payment when thou wiltNo man shall say thee Nay.William, I make thee Gentleman,Of Clothing and of Fee,Thy Brethren of my BedchamberFor they are lovely to see.Your Son, for he's of tender age,Of my Cellarists shall be;And when he comes to Man's EstateBetter preferr'd shall be;And William bring your wife, said she,I long full sore to see;She shall be chief GentlewomanTo govern my Nursery."

"Now God forbid, then said the King,

That thou should shoot at me.

I give thee Eighteen pence a Day,

And my Bow shalt thou bear,

Yea, over all the North Country,

I make thee Chief Keeper.

Ill give thee Thirteen pence a Day,

Said the Queen, by my fay

Come fetch the payment when thou wilt

No man shall say thee Nay.

William, I make thee Gentleman,

Of Clothing and of Fee,

Thy Brethren of my Bedchamber

For they are lovely to see.

Your Son, for he's of tender age,

Of my Cellarists shall be;

And when he comes to Man's Estate

Better preferr'd shall be;

And William bring your wife, said she,

I long full sore to see;

She shall be chief Gentlewoman

To govern my Nursery."

It will be seen from the foregoing short description, that the frontispiece has nothing to do with the book. It is very evidently belonging to some history of Robin Hood, as he is represented in the centre at the top, having on one side either the Bishop of Carlisle or the Abbot of St. Mary's, and on the other the beggar, tinker, or shepherd who thrashed him, while at the bottom are Little John, Friar Tuck, and Maid Marian.

*"Adam bel Clym of the cloughe and wyllyym of cloudesle. (colophon) Imprinted at London in Lothburye by Wyllyam Copland." Black letter.

ROBIN HOOD

Printed and sold in Aldermary Church YardLondon

ROBIN HOOD

Whilst the poems and ballads on Robin Hood are more plentiful than on any other Englishman, the Chap-books are comparatively scarce, probably on account of the impossibility of condensing his numerous adventures and exploits into the conventional twenty-four pages. There are several editions printed in London, all having similar engravings, of which, however, but three or four belong properly to the work, which are reproduced below, the first being Robin Hood and the Abbot of St. Mary.

He bound the Abbot to a tree

"He bound the Abbot to a tree,And would not let him passBefore that to his men and he,His Lordship had said Mass."

"He bound the Abbot to a tree,

And would not let him pass

Before that to his men and he,

His Lordship had said Mass."

The next is Robin's attack on the Bishop of Ely.

The next is Robin's attack on the Bishop of Ely

"He riding down towards the North,With his aforesaid trainRobin and his men did issue forth,Them all to entertain.And with the gallant grey goose wing,They shew'd to them such play,That made their horses kick and fling,And down their riders lay.Full glad and fain the Bishop was,For all his thousand men,To seek what means he could to passFrom out of Robin's ken.Two hundred of his men were kill'd,And fourscore horses good,Thirty who did as captives yield,Were brought to the Green Wood—Which afterwards were ransomedFor twenty marks a man,The rest set spurs to horse and fledTo the town of Warrington."

"He riding down towards the North,

With his aforesaid train

Robin and his men did issue forth,

Them all to entertain.

And with the gallant grey goose wing,

They shew'd to them such play,

That made their horses kick and fling,

And down their riders lay.

Full glad and fain the Bishop was,

For all his thousand men,

To seek what means he could to pass

From out of Robin's ken.

Two hundred of his men were kill'd,

And fourscore horses good,

Thirty who did as captives yield,

Were brought to the Green Wood—

Which afterwards were ransomed

For twenty marks a man,

The rest set spurs to horse and fled

To the town of Warrington."

And there is the representation of the treacherous monk bleeding him to death.

the treacherous monk bleeding him to death

"This sad perplexity did causeA fever as some say,Which him into confusion draws,Tho' by a stranger way.This deadly danger to prevent,He hy'd him with all speedUnto a Nunnery with intentFor health's sake there to bleed.A faithless friar did pretendIn love, to let him blood,But he by falsehood wrought the endOf famous Robin Hood."

"This sad perplexity did cause

A fever as some say,

Which him into confusion draws,

Tho' by a stranger way.

This deadly danger to prevent,

He hy'd him with all speed

Unto a Nunnery with intent

For health's sake there to bleed.

A faithless friar did pretend

In love, to let him blood,

But he by falsehood wrought the end

Of famous Robin Hood."

Young Monford Riding to the Wars where he unhapily lost his Eyesight

Licensed and Enterd according to Order

Printed forT. Norris, at theLooking-GlassonLondon Bridge.

The illustrations to this very scarce Chap-book are evidently of earlier date than 1715, to which it is assigned, and, with the exception of the one of the blind beggar and his dog, have probably very little to do with the letter-press. The frontispiece is more likely to represent "Prince Rupert and his dogge Pudle" than "Young Monford Riding to the Wars." The ballad is well known, and extremely popular in England; it was written in the reign of Elizabeth, to commemorate the tradition of Henry de Montfort, a son of Simon de Montfort, the famous Earl of Leicester, founder of the House of Commons, who was slain at the battle of Evesham, August 4, 1265. His son, Henry, who was left for dead on the field, was found, according to the ballad, by a baron's daughter, who had come to search for her father, but finding young Montfort half dead and deprived of sight by his wounds, she "was moved with pitye and brought him awaye."

"In secret she nurst him, and swaged his paine,While hee through the realme was beleev'd to be slaine;At length his faire bride she consented to bee,And made him glad father of prettye Bessee.And now lest oure foes oure lives sholde betraye,Wee clothed ourselves in beggar's arraye;Her jewelles shee sold, and hither came wee;All our comfort and care was our prettye Bessee."

"In secret she nurst him, and swaged his paine,

While hee through the realme was beleev'd to be slaine;

At length his faire bride she consented to bee,

And made him glad father of prettye Bessee.

And now lest oure foes oure lives sholde betraye,

Wee clothed ourselves in beggar's arraye;

Her jewelles shee sold, and hither came wee;

All our comfort and care was our prettye Bessee."

The Chap-book differs somewhat in detail from the ballad. It places the time in the wars with France, and the scene itself in France, whither Monford went, accompanied by his wife in man's attire. He was wounded and blind, and was discovered on the field by his wife and servant, and on his recovery to health they all returned to England; but his relations, for some unknown reason, treated him very coldly, and this their high spirits could not brook, so it ended in their settling down at Bethnal Green, where she spun and he turned beggar.

Here a professional beggar named Snap introduced himself to him, and "invited him to their Feasts, or Rendezvouse inWhite chappel, whither he having promised to come, and they between them tipp'd off four black Pots of Hum, they at that time parted." His wife took him to the "rendezvouse," where he not only thoroughly enjoyed himself, but the beggars presented him with a dog trained to the business.

... she spun ...

Soon after this pretty Betty was born, and at fifteen years of age was a marvel of beauty, and a paragon of accomplishments. Betty then left her parents, and obtained a situation at an inn at Rumford, where she found plenty of lovers, all of whom, except the knight, withdrew their pretensions to her hand when they heard she was only the daughter of a blind beggar. The knight, however, was constant, and they had just set out together to see old Monford, when the knight's uncle cameup, and, having followed them, created a scene at the beggar's residence, when, to end it, Monford proposed to give angel for angel with the knight's uncle, as a fortune for the young people. The uncle's servant was sent for coin, and the two old gentlemen set themselves to their task of dropping angels against each other; but the beggar kept producing cats' skins filled with gold, and beat the knight's uncle. This money was made up to £3000 by Monford, who also gave Bessie "a hundred more to buy her a gown." Monford declared his pedigree; everybody was pleased and happy, and the young couple were duly married.

... with a dog trained to the business

The young Knight that Married pretty Betty

His going to the Wars, losing his sight, and turning Beggar at Bethnal Green. Of his getting Riches, and the Education of his Daughter; who is courted by a young Knight.—Of the Beggar's dropping Gold with the Knight's Uncle.—Of the Knight's Marriage with the Beggar's Daughter; and the Discovery of his famous Pedigree.

Of the Beggar's dropping Gold with the Knight's Uncle

Printed and Sold in Aldermary Church YardBow Lane London

"The Beggar Trav'lling with his Dog,Brings home good store of Wealth to prog

"The Beggar Trav'lling with his Dog,

Brings home good store of Wealth to prog

The Beggar Trav'lling with his Dog

With which he does outvie the Knight,And weds his Child to her delight."

With which he does outvie the Knight,

And weds his Child to her delight."

THE BLIND BEGGAR RECEIVING ALMS.

MONTFORT RETURNING FROM THE BEGGARS' FEAST.

PRETTY BESSIE RECEIVING HER FATHER'S BLESSING

BESSIE AND THE KNIGHT GOING TO SEE HER FATHER.

The HISTORY of The Two Children in the WOOD

The happy Loves and Lives of their Parents, the Treachery and barbarous Villany of their Unkle, the duel between the Murdering Ruffians, and the unhappy and deplorable death of the two innocent Children.As also an Account of the Justice of God that overtook the Unnatural Unkle; and of the deserved Death of the two murdering Ruffians.

As also an Account of the Justice of God that overtook the Unnatural Unkle; and of the deserved Death of the two murdering Ruffians.

TO WHICH IS ANNEX'D

THE OLD SONG UPON THE SAME

London: Printed by and for W.O., and sold by the Booksellers.

The date given to this rare and most interesting Chap-book is 1700, but though the frontispiece apparently points to an earlier date, it seems to have been executed specially for this work, as the nearest approach to it, a ballad in the Bagford Collection

varies from it in some slight particulars, and this is undoubtedly the finest engraving of the subject extant. Almost all the ballads of the seventeenth, and the Chap-books of the eighteenth, century give a similar treatment: the duel between the ruffians, the birds covering the children with leaves, the deserved chastisement of the good robber, and the fearful punishment that fell upon the wicked uncle thus described in this book. "But tho' he had contriv'd all this so privately, yet Divine vengeance follow'd him; affrighting Dreams terrifying him in his Sleep, and the image of the murther'd children still staring him i' th' Face; and he that egg'd him on to all this wickedness, now in most horrid Shapes appear'd to him, and threat'ning every Moment to destroy him. Besides, most of his Cattle dy'd of the Murrain, his Corn was blasted, and his Barns were fir'd by Lightning; Mildews and Catter-pillars destroy'd all his Fruits; two of his Sons, for whom he coveted his Brother's Lands, were cast away at Sea. His company was hated by all honest Men, and he was forc'd to herd with Rogues and Villains out of meer necessity, amongst whom when he had profusely lavish'd his Estate, he run in Debt, and was cast into Prison, where through Despair and Want he dy'd unpitied."

"The Old Song upon the Same" is identical with the earliest (1640) in the British Museum (Rox. I. 284), and may be considered as the standard ballad. Indeed, another ballad (Rox. III. 588) in the same collection (1720) has been corrected in ink from this model.

"Now ponder well, you Parents dear, these words which I shall write,A Doleful Story you shall hear, in time brought forth to light;A Gentleman of good account, in Norfolk dwelt of late,Whose Wealth and Riches did surmount, most men of his Estate.Sore sick he was, and like to dye, No help that he could have;His Wife by him as sick did lye, and both possess'd one Grave,No love between these two was lost, each was to other kind,In love they liv'd, in love they dy'd, and left two Babes behind.The one a fine and prity Boy, not passing three Years old,The other a Girl more young than he, and made in Beauty's Mould;The Father left his little Son, as plainly doth appear,When he to perfect Age should come, three hundred Pounds a year.And to his little Daughter Jane, five hundred Pound in Gold,To be paid down on Marriage day, which might not be controul'd;But if the Children chance to dye, e're they to Age should come,Their Uncle should possess their Wealth, for so the Will did run.'Now, brother, (said the dying Man) look to my children dear,'Be good unto my Boy and Girl, no Friends else I have here:'To God and you I do commend my children night and day,'A little while be sure we have within this world to stay.'You must be Father and Mother both, and Uncle all in one;'God knows what will become of them, when I am dead and gone.'With that bespoke their Mother dear, O Brother kind quoth she,'You are the Man must bring my Babes to Wealth or Misery.'If you do keep them carefully, then God will you reward.'If otherwise you seem to deal, God will your Deeds regard.With lips as cold as any stone, he kist the Children small,'God bless you both, my Children dear; with that the tears did fall.These Speeches then their Brother spoke, to this sick Couple there,'The keeping of your Children dear, sweet Sister, do not fear;'God never prosper me nor mine, nor aught else that I have,'If I do wrong your Children dear, when you are laid in Grave.'Their Parents being dead and gone, the Children home he takes,And brings them home unto his House, and much of them he makes.He had not kept those prity Babes, a Twelvemonth and a Day,But for their Wealth he did devise to make them both away.He bargain'd with two Ruffians rude, that were of furious Mood,That they should take the Children young, and slay them in a Wood.And told his Wife and all he had, he did the Children sendTo be brought up in fair London, with one that was his friend.Away then went these prity Babes rejoycing at that Tide,Rejoycing with a merry mind, they should on Cock horse ride:They prate and prattle pleasantly, as they rode on the way,To those that should their Butchers be, and work their Lives decay.So that the prity speech they had, made Murtherers hearts relent,And they that took the Deed to do, full sore they did repent.Yet one of them more hard of heart, did vow to do his charge,Because the wretch that hired him, had paid him very large.The other would not agree thereto, so here they fell at Strife,With one another they did fight about the Children's Life:And he that was of mildest mood, did slay the other there,Within an unfrequented Wood, where Babes did quake for fear.He took the Children by the hand, when tears stood in their eye,And bade them come and go with him, and look they did not cry:And two long Miles he led them thus, while they for Bread complain,Stay here, quoth he, I'll bring ye Bread, when I do come again.These prity Babes with hand in hand, went wandering up and down,But never more they saw the Man, approaching from the Town:Their prity lips with Black berries, were all besmear'd and dy'd,And when they saw the darksome night, they sat them down and cry'd.Thus wandered these two prity Babes, till death did end their grief;In one another's arms they dy'd as Babes wanting Relief;No Burial these prity Babes of any Man receives,Till Robin red breast painfully, did cover them with Leaves.And now the heavy Wrath of God upon their Uncle fell,Yea, fearful Fiends did haunt his house, his Conscience felt an Hell:His barns were fir'd, his goods consum'd, his lands were barren made,His Cattle dy'd within the Field, and nothing with him staid.And in the Voyage of Portugal, two of his sons did dye;And to conclude, himself was brought unto much Misery;He pawn'd and mortgag'd all his land, e're seven years came about;And now at length this wicked Act, did by this means come out:The Fellow that did take in hand these Children for to kill,Was for a Robbery judg'd to dye, as was God's blessed Will;Who did confess the very Truth of what here is exprest;Their Uncle dy'd while he for debt, did long in Prison rest.All you that be Executors made, and Overseers eke,Of Children that be Fatherless, and Infants mild and meek;Take you Example by this thing, and yeild to each his Right,Least God with such like Misery, your wicked Minds requite.

"Now ponder well, you Parents dear, these words which I shall write,

A Doleful Story you shall hear, in time brought forth to light;

A Gentleman of good account, in Norfolk dwelt of late,

Whose Wealth and Riches did surmount, most men of his Estate.

Sore sick he was, and like to dye, No help that he could have;

His Wife by him as sick did lye, and both possess'd one Grave,

No love between these two was lost, each was to other kind,

In love they liv'd, in love they dy'd, and left two Babes behind.

The one a fine and prity Boy, not passing three Years old,

The other a Girl more young than he, and made in Beauty's Mould;

The Father left his little Son, as plainly doth appear,

When he to perfect Age should come, three hundred Pounds a year.

And to his little Daughter Jane, five hundred Pound in Gold,

To be paid down on Marriage day, which might not be controul'd;

But if the Children chance to dye, e're they to Age should come,

Their Uncle should possess their Wealth, for so the Will did run.

'Now, brother, (said the dying Man) look to my children dear,

'Be good unto my Boy and Girl, no Friends else I have here:

'To God and you I do commend my children night and day,

'A little while be sure we have within this world to stay.

'You must be Father and Mother both, and Uncle all in one;

'God knows what will become of them, when I am dead and gone.

'With that bespoke their Mother dear, O Brother kind quoth she,

'You are the Man must bring my Babes to Wealth or Misery.

'If you do keep them carefully, then God will you reward.

'If otherwise you seem to deal, God will your Deeds regard.

With lips as cold as any stone, he kist the Children small,

'God bless you both, my Children dear; with that the tears did fall.

These Speeches then their Brother spoke, to this sick Couple there,

'The keeping of your Children dear, sweet Sister, do not fear;

'God never prosper me nor mine, nor aught else that I have,

'If I do wrong your Children dear, when you are laid in Grave.'

Their Parents being dead and gone, the Children home he takes,

And brings them home unto his House, and much of them he makes.

He had not kept those prity Babes, a Twelvemonth and a Day,

But for their Wealth he did devise to make them both away.

He bargain'd with two Ruffians rude, that were of furious Mood,

That they should take the Children young, and slay them in a Wood.

And told his Wife and all he had, he did the Children send

To be brought up in fair London, with one that was his friend.

Away then went these prity Babes rejoycing at that Tide,

Rejoycing with a merry mind, they should on Cock horse ride:

They prate and prattle pleasantly, as they rode on the way,

To those that should their Butchers be, and work their Lives decay.

So that the prity speech they had, made Murtherers hearts relent,

And they that took the Deed to do, full sore they did repent.

Yet one of them more hard of heart, did vow to do his charge,

Because the wretch that hired him, had paid him very large.

The other would not agree thereto, so here they fell at Strife,

With one another they did fight about the Children's Life:

And he that was of mildest mood, did slay the other there,

Within an unfrequented Wood, where Babes did quake for fear.

He took the Children by the hand, when tears stood in their eye,

And bade them come and go with him, and look they did not cry:

And two long Miles he led them thus, while they for Bread complain,

Stay here, quoth he, I'll bring ye Bread, when I do come again.

These prity Babes with hand in hand, went wandering up and down,

But never more they saw the Man, approaching from the Town:

Their prity lips with Black berries, were all besmear'd and dy'd,

And when they saw the darksome night, they sat them down and cry'd.

Thus wandered these two prity Babes, till death did end their grief;

In one another's arms they dy'd as Babes wanting Relief;

No Burial these prity Babes of any Man receives,

Till Robin red breast painfully, did cover them with Leaves.

And now the heavy Wrath of God upon their Uncle fell,

Yea, fearful Fiends did haunt his house, his Conscience felt an Hell:

His barns were fir'd, his goods consum'd, his lands were barren made,

His Cattle dy'd within the Field, and nothing with him staid.

And in the Voyage of Portugal, two of his sons did dye;

And to conclude, himself was brought unto much Misery;

He pawn'd and mortgag'd all his land, e're seven years came about;

And now at length this wicked Act, did by this means come out:

The Fellow that did take in hand these Children for to kill,

Was for a Robbery judg'd to dye, as was God's blessed Will;

Who did confess the very Truth of what here is exprest;

Their Uncle dy'd while he for debt, did long in Prison rest.

All you that be Executors made, and Overseers eke,

Of Children that be Fatherless, and Infants mild and meek;

Take you Example by this thing, and yeild to each his Right,

Least God with such like Misery, your wicked Minds requite.

"FINIS."

In "The History of the Children in the Wood; or Murder Revenged," published in Aldermary Churchyard, and all other Chap-books, the name of the father is changed from Arthur Truelove to Pisaurus, the wicked uncle is called Androgus, and the children are named Cassander and Jane.

The three illustrations therefrom tell their own story.

bequeathed to their unkle's care

carried to the wood

abandoned in the wood

Sir Richard Whittington

Printed and Sold in Aldermary Church Yard.Bow Lane.

The common version of Whittington's story is well known, and not worth repeating at length. The headings of the chapters tell the tale succinctly, and are all that is wanted to explain the illustrations.

The two illustrations, one taken from a Chap-book published at Newcastle (1770?), show Fitzwarren receiving his servants' ventures.

Fitzwarren receiving his servants' ventures, including Dick Whittington's cat

This illustration shows the dreadful condition of the Court of Barbary as regards rats, and by the style the cat is killing her foes, the casket of jewels, valued at £300,000, was not too dear for her purchase.

Dick Whittington's cat at the court of Barbary

Lord Mayor of London

As a matter of fact, the common story of Sir Richard Whittington is full of error. So far from being a poor obscure boy, he was the third son of Sir William Whittington, lord of the manor of Pauntley, in Gloucestershire, who died in 1360. He was sent to London to be a merchant, then a not unusual course to pursue with cadets of good families, and eventuallybecame enormously rich. He was thrice Lord Mayor of London, in 1397, 1406, and 1419, besides having been named by Richard II. to succeed a Mayor who died in his year of office. He was a mercer, and enjoyed royal patronage, his invoices of the wedding trousseau of the Princesses Blanche and Philippa, daughters of Henry IV., being still in existence. He died, leaving no issue, in 1423. He rebuilt Newgate, founded the library in Guildhall, and the Grey Friars, repaired St. Bartholomew's Hospital, and materially contributed towards the rebuilding of the nave of Westminster Abbey. These are the bare facts of his life. His cat still remains a mystery. It has been said that he made money by carrying coals in vessels called cats or "cattes." Mr. Riley, who edited the famous "Liber Albus" (which compilation we owe to Whittington), suggests that his fortune was made by "achats," which was the French name for trading; and Mr. Lysons, in his charmingbook, "The Model Merchant of the Middle Ages," defends the ordinary story on these grounds:

The reader may decide which of the three theories he prefers.

fortune made by a cat

Sir William Walworth

Printed and Sold in Aldermary Church Yard.

This Chap-book gives a very fair account of the domestic troubles of Richard II.'s reign, especially of the poll-tax rising of 1381; but it stigmatizes as "scum," "rake shames," and "rake hells" those poor men who then rose against oppression.

The frontispiece represents Sir William Walworth, and gives due prominence to the famous dagger, with which he is said to have killed Wat Tyler, and which is still shown at Fishmonger's Hall.

There was a play, "The Life and Death of Iake Straw, a notable Rebell in England; who was kild in Smithfield by the Lord Maior of London—Printed at Lond. by Iohn Danter and are to be sold by William . Barley 1593;" and a tract, which was taken from the "Chronicle of the Schoolmaster of St. Albans," called "The just Reward of Rebels, or the Life and Death of Jack Straw and Wat Tyler 1642." There was also another little book, of which two editions appeared in 1654, called "The Idol of the Clownes or Insurrection of Wat the Tyler."

THE CLOTHIER OF ENGLAND

Printed and Sold in London.

Of Jack of Newbury, as he is familiarly called, very little is known certainly. He lived in the reigns of Henry VII. and VIII., and was said to be the largest clothier or clothmaker in England. He sumptuously entertained Henry VIII. and Queen Catherine on their visit to the town, and built the vestry to the church, besides having liberally contributed towards its improvement. He also left £40 for the same object. In his will he describes himself as "John Smalwoode the Elder al͂s John Wynchcombe." He was twice married, and left his wife Joan behind him. There is a brass to him and his first wife: "Off yo charitie pray for the soule of John Smalwode als Wynchcom & Alys hys Wyfe. John dyed the 15 day of February AoDm. MoCCCCCoXIX."

The Chap-book version is, that he was apprenticed to a rich clothier at Newbury, and married his master's widow, and a great portion of the book is taken up with their courtship. "Shortly after the king had occasion to raise an army against the Scots, who were risen against the English, Jack of Newbury raised at his own expense one hundred and fifty men, and cloathed them with white coats, red caps and yellow feathers, and led them himself." This was to the famous battle of Flodden.

Jack of Newbury's troop

Jack's wife died, and he married one of his maids, whosefather came to see her, and was astonished at Jack's magnificent establishment, making a speech which would delight the Philological Society. "Sir, quoth the old man, I wize you be abominable rich, and cham content you should have my daughter, and God's blessing and mine light on you both. I waith cham of good exclamashon amongst all my neighbours, and they will as soon ask my 'vize for any thing as rich men. So thick I will agree. You shall have her with my very good will, because we hear a very good commendation of you in every place, therefore besides thick, I will give you twenty marks and a weaning calf that's a year old, and when I and my wife die then you shall have the revolution of our goods."

Jack, however, gave the old man twenty pounds and other things. The book ends with Jack's death, and an imaginary epitaph.

Thomas Deloney wrote a novel called "The Pleasant History of John Winchcomb, in his younger yeares called Jack of Newberie, the famous and worthy clothier of England," which was licensed to three several persons in 1595 and 1596; but the earliest known edition is the eighth, published in 1619.

Shewing her being poisoned by Queen Eleanor

Printed and sold in Aldermary Church Yard, London

Perhaps the earliest book about this frail beauty is "The Life and Death of Fair Rosamond, King Henry the Seconds Concubine, and how she was Poysoned to death by Queen Elenor. Printed for F. Coles" (circa 1640); but afterwards her story became very popular, and numerous editions were published. She has more than once been made the subject of a drama. There is one, however, by John Bancroft, which is replete with historical recollections. It is called "Henry the Second, King of England; with the death of Rosamond. A Tragedy Acted at the Theatre Royal, by their Majesties Servants. Printed for Jacob Tonson, at the Judges Head in Chancery Lane near Fleet Street 1693." Thackeray's "poor Will Mountfort" wrote the "epistle dedicatory;" Dryden wrote the epilogue. Betterton played King Henry II.; Doggett took the part of Bertrand, a priest; whilst Queen Eleanor and Rosamond were respectively represented by Mrs. Barry and Mrs. Bracegirdle!

Respecting Rosamond's tomb, there is no doubt she was buried at Godstow, for her father, Walter de Clifford,*granted the nuns there certain property at Frampton-on-Severn (which tradition says was the birthplace of the fair one), "pro salute animæ meæ, et pro animabus uxoris meæ Margaretæ et filiæ nostræ Rosamundæ." And in another document (same page) Osbertus, son of Hugh, gave to the convent a certain saltpit at Wich, at the instance of the said Walter de Clifford, "pro salute animæ uxoris suæ Margaretæ et animæ filiæ suæ Rosamundæquarum corpora ibidem requiescunt."

The history of the "Rosa Mundi" is not told to advantage in this Chap-book, but its facts are mainly in accordance with the popular tradition; and probably the stratagem used by Queen Eleanor to effect an entrance into her rival's bower,i.e.by sending a sham postman, may be as correct as the generally received notion of the ball of silk being dropped and unrolled, thus betraying the place of her seclusion.

The bowl and dagger scene so vividly given in the frontispiece, is in accordance with tradition, although among nearlycontemporary writers there is no mention of her dying a violent death, nor was such suggested till long afterwards. In fact, we have no evidence at all in support of Eleanor's jealous violence. As before mentioned, Rosamond was buried at Godstow, a convent near Oxford, of which a very ruined portion still exists; but her remains were not suffered to remain undisturbed, for Hugh, Bishop of Lincoln, coming to Godstow in 1191, asked whose tomb that was, and was told it was the tomb of Rosamond, "some time Lemman to Henry II." Then said the stern bishop, "Take out of this place the Harlot, and bury her without the Church." Tradition says her poor bones were then laid in the nun's chapter-house, but at the Reformation they were taken up and her tomb destroyed. Hearne†says, "After this Removal, it continu'd at rest 'till about the time of the Reformation, when 'twas taken up, as Mr. Leland himself acquaints us, and at the same time a Stone was found with it, on which was this Inscription 'Tumba Rosamvnda' which is a different Inscription from this common one:‡

'Hic jacet in Tumba Rosa Mundi, non Rosa MundaNon redolet, sed olet, quæ redolere solet.'

'Hic jacet in Tumba Rosa Mundi, non Rosa Munda

Non redolet, sed olet, quæ redolere solet.'

But the latter possibly is the Epitaph that was fix'd in the Quire of the Church before the Body was remov'd. Mr. Leland, I think, saw the Stone himself, and he tells us that when her Coffin was open'd they found her Bones in it, and a very sweet smell came from it."

*Monasticon, vol. ii. p. 884, ed. orig.

†Leland's "Itinerary" (2nd edit.), p. 101.

‡In Corio's "History of Milan" (vol. i. p. 47) this epitaph is stated to have been placed on the tomb of Rosamunda, queen of the Lombards, who died by poison, in the sixth century.

THE COUNTESS OF SALISBURY

"Know this plain Truth (enough for Man to know)"Virtue alone is Happiness below."

"Know this plain Truth (enough for Man to know)

"Virtue alone is Happiness below."

Printed by J. Briscoe, in theMarket Place Whitehaven.

This Chap-book seems the only edition extant. It is no great loss in a literary point of view, for the supposed history is pure fiction. The countess is represented as the daughter of Earl Varuccio, and the whole novelette is about the endeavours of the king to seduce her. He tries when her husband is alive, and when she is a widow he still presses her to be his mistress, and is firmly but respectfully repulsed. He makes her father and mother sue to her, without success; and finally, being overcome by the sight of such immaculate virtue, marries her amid the plaudits of the people. The episode of the garter only occupies a paragraph at the end of the book.

Son to Edward the Third King of England, his Victory, with about Twelve thousand Archers and Men at Arms, over Philip of France, and an hundred thousand Frenchmen; his Vanquishing King John of France, and taking him and his Son Prisoners; his Love to the Earl of Kent's fair Daughter, and Marriage with her; Being a History full of great and noble Actions in Love and Arms, to the Honour of the English Nation.

THE CONQUEST OF FRANCE

London: Printed and Sold by C. Dicey, in Bow Church Yard;Sold also at his Warehouse in Northampton.

Back to Index Next