Macaber Dance in England.—St. Paul’s.—Salisbury.—Wortley Hall.—Hexham.—Croydon.—Tower of London.—Lines in Pierce Plowman’s Vision supposed to refer to it.
Macaber Dance in England.—St. Paul’s.—Salisbury.—Wortley Hall.—Hexham.—Croydon.—Tower of London.—Lines in Pierce Plowman’s Vision supposed to refer to it.
We are next to examine this subject in relation to its existence in our own country. On the authority of the work ascribed to Walter de Mapes, already noticed in p.24, it is not unreasonable to infer that paintings of the Macaber Dance were coeval with that writer, though no specimens of it that now remain will warrant the conclusion. We know that it existed at Old Saint Paul’s. Stowe informs us that there was a great cloister on the north side of the church, environing a plot of ground, of old time called Pardon church-yard. He then states, that “about thiscloysterwas artificially and richly painted the Dance of Machabray, or Dance of Death, commonly called the Dance of Paul’s: the like whereof was painted about St. Innocent’s cloyster at Paris: the meters or poesie of this dance were translated out of French into English, by John Lidgate, Monke of Bury, the picture of Death leading all estates; at the dispence of Jenken Carpenter in the reigne of Henry the Sixt.”[78]Lydgate’s verses were first printed at the end of Tottell’s edition of the translation of his Fall of Princes, from Boccaccio, 1554, folio, and afterwards, in Sir W. Dugdale’s History of St. Paul’s cathedral.[79]Inanother place Stowe records that “on the 10th April, 1549, the cloister of St. Paul’s church, called Pardon church-yard, with the Dance of Death, commonly called the Dance of Paul’s, about the same cloister, costly and cunningly wrought, and the chappel in the midst of the same church-yard, were all begun to be pulled down.”[80]This spoliation was made by the Protector Somerset, in order to obtain materials for building his palace in the Strand.[81]
The single figure that remained in the Hungerford chapel at Salisbury cathedral, previously to its demolition, was formerly known by the title of “Death and the Young Man,” and was, undoubtedly, a portion of the Macaber Dance, as there was close to it another compartment belonging to the same subject. In 1748, a print of these figures was published, accompanied with the following inscription, which differs from that in Lydgate. The young man says:
Alasse Dethe alasse a blesful thyng thou wereYf thou woldyst spare us yn ouwre lustynesse.And cum to wretches that bethe of hevy chereWhene thay ye clepe to slake their dystresseBut owte alasse thyne own sely selfwyldnesseCrewelly werneth me that seygh wayle and wepeTo close there then that after ye doth clepe.
Death answers:
Grosless galante in all thy luste and prydeRemembyr that thou schalle onys dyeDeth schall fro thy body thy sowle devydeThou mayst him not escape certaynlyTo the dede bodyes cast down thyne yeBeholde thayme well consydere and seeFor such as thay ar such shalt thou be.
This painting was made about the year 1460, and from the remaining specimen its destruction is extremely to be regretted, as, judging from that of the young gallant, the dresses of the time would be correctly exhibited.
In the chapel at Wortley Hall, in Gloucestershire, there was inscribed, and most likely painted, “an history and Daunce of Deathe of all estatts and degrees.” This inscribed history was the same as Lydgate’s, with some additional characters.[82]From a manuscript note by John Stowe, in his copy of Leland’s Itinerary, it appears that there was a Dance of Death in the church of Stratford upon Avon: and the conjecture that Shakespeare, in a passage in Measure for Measure, might have remembered it, will not, perhaps, be deemed very extravagant. He there alludes to Death and the fool, a subject always introduced into the paintings in question.[83]
On the upper part of the great screen which closes the entrance to the choir of the church at Hexham, in Northumberland, are the painted remains of a Dance of Death.[84]These consist of the figures of a pope, a cardinal, and a king, which were copied by the ingenious John Carter, of well-deserved antiquarian memory.
Vestiges of a Macaber Dance were not long since to be traced on the walls of the hall of the Archiepiscopal palace at Croydon, but so much obscured by time and neglect that no particular compartment could be ascertained.
The tapestries that decorated the walls of palaces, and other dwelling places, were sometimes applied in extension of this moral subject. In the tower of London, the original and most ancient seat of our monarchs, there was some tapestry with the Macaber Dance.[85]
The following lines in that admirable satire, the Vision of Pierce Plowman, written about the year 1350, have evidently an allusion to the Dance, unless they might be thought to apply rather to the celebrated triumph of Death by Petrarch, of which some very early paintings, and many engravings, still exist; or they may even refer to some of the ancient representations of the infernal regions that follow Death on the Pale horse of the Revelations, and in which is seen a grotesque intermixture of all classes of people.[86]
Death came driving after, and all to dust pashedKynges and Kaysers, Knightes and Popes,Learned and lewde: he ne let no man standeThat he hitte even, he never stode after.Many a lovely ladie and lemmans of knightesSwouned and swelted for sorrowe of Deathes dyntes.
It is probable that many cathedrals and other edifices, civil as well as ecclesiastical, in France, Germany, England, and probably other European countries, were ornamented with paintings and sculpture of this extremely popular subject.
List of editions of the Macaber Dance.—Printed Horæ that contain it.—Manuscript Horæ.—Other Manuscripts in which it occurs.—Various articles with letter-press, not being single prints, but connected with it.
List of editions of the Macaber Dance.—Printed Horæ that contain it.—Manuscript Horæ.—Other Manuscripts in which it occurs.—Various articles with letter-press, not being single prints, but connected with it.
It remains only, so far as regards the Macaber Dance, to present the reader with a list of the several printed editions of that celebrated work, and which, with many corrections and additions, has been chiefly extracted from M. Peignot’s “Recherches historiques et litteraires sur les Danses des Morts,” Paris et Dijon, 1826, 8vo.
The article that should stand at the head of this list, if any reliance could be had on a supposed date, is the German edition, intitled, “Der Dotendantz mit figuren. Clage und Antwort Schon von allen staten der welt,” small folio. This is mentioned in Braun Notitia de libris in Bibliotheca Monasterii ad SS. Udalricum et Afram Augustæ, vol. ii. 62. The learned librarian expresses his doubts as to the date, which he supposes may be between 1480 and 1500. He rejects a marginal note by the illuminator of the letters, indicating the date of 1459. Every page of this volume is divided into two columns, and accompanied with German verses, which may be either the original text, or a translation from the French verses in some early edition of the Macaber Dance in that language. It consists of twenty-two leaves, with wood-cuts of the Pope, Cardinal, Bishop, Abbot, &c. &c. accompanied by figures of Death.
1. “La Danse Macabre imprimée par ung nomméGuy Marchand, &c. Paris, 1485,” small folio. Mons. Champollion Figeac has given a very minute description of this extremely rare, and perhaps unique, volume, the only known copy of which is in the public library of Grenoble. This account is to be found in Millin’s Magazin Encyclopedique, 1811, vol. vi. p. 355, and thence by M. Peignot, in his Recherches, &c.
2. “Ce present livre est appelle Miroer salutaire pour toutes gens, et de tous estatz, et est de grant utilité et recreation pour pleuseurs ensegnemens tant en Latin comme en Francoys lesquels il contient ainsi compose pour ceulx qui desirent acquerir leur salut: et qui le voudront avoir. La Danse Macabre nouvelle.” At the end, “Cy finit la Danse Macabre hystoriee augmentee de pleuseurs nouveaux pârsonnages (six) et beaux dis. et les trois mors et trois vif ensemble. Nouvellement ainsi composee et imprimee par Guyot Marchant demorant a Paris au grant hostel du college de Navarre en champ Gaillart lan de grace, 1486, le septieme jour de juing.” A small folio of fifteen leaves, or thirty pages, twenty-four of which belong to the Danse Macabre, and six to the Trois morts et les trois vifs.
On the authority of the above expression, “composée,” and also on that of La Croix du Maine, Marchant has been made the author as well as the printer of the work; but M. De la Monnoye is not of that opinion, nor indeed is there any other metrical composition by this printer known to exist.
3. “La Danse Macabre des femmes, &c. Paris, par Guyot Marchant, 1486, le septieme jour de Juillet,” small folio, of fifteen leaves only. This is the first edition of the Macaber Dance of females; and though thirty-two of them are described, the Queen and Duchess only are engraved. See No. 6 for the rest. This and the preceding edition are also particularly described by Messrs. Champollion Figeac and Peignot.
4. “Chorea ab eximio Macabro versibus Alemanicisedita, et a Petro Desrey emendata. Parisiis per magistrum Guidonem Mercatorem pro Godeffrido de Marnef. 1490,” folio. Papillon thought the cuts were in the manner of the French artist Jollat, but without foundation, for they are much superior to any work by that artist, and of considerable merit.
5. “La nouvelle Danse Macabre des hommes dicte miroer salutaire de toutes gens et de touts etats, &c. Paris, Guyot Marchant. 1490.” folio.
6. “La Danse Macabre des femmes, toute hystoriée et augmentée de nouveaulx personnages, &c. Paris, Guyot Marchant, le 2 Mai, 1491,” folio. This edition, the second of the Dance of females, has all the cuts with other additions. The list of the figures is in Peignot, but with some doubts on the accuracy of his description.
7. An edition in the Low German dialect was printed at Lubeck, 1496, according to Vonder Hagen in his Deutschen Poesie, p. 459, who likewise mentions a Low German edition in prose, at the beginning of the 15th (he must mean 16th) century. He adds, that he has copied one page with cuts fromKindeling’s Remains, but he does not say in what work.
8. “La grant Danse Macabre des hommes et des femmes hystorice et augmentée de beaulx dits en Latin, &c. &c. Le tout composé en ryme Francoise et accompagné de figures. Lyon, le xviii jour de Fevrier, l’an 1499,” folio. This is supposed to be the first edition that contains both the men and the women.
9. There is a very singular work, intitled “Icy est le compost et kalendrier desBergeres, &c. Imprimè à Paris en lostel de beauregart en la rue Cloppin à lenseigne du roy Prestre Jhan. ou quel lieu sont à vendre, ou au lyon dargent en la rue Sainct Jaques.” At the end, “Imprimè à Paris par Guy Marchant maistre es ars ou lieu susdit. Le xvii iour daoust mil cccciiiixx·xix.” This extremely rare volume is in the British Museum,and is mentioned by Dr. Dibdin, in vol. ii. p. 530 of his edition of Ames’s typographical antiquities, and probably nowhere else. It is embellished with the same fine cuts that relate to the females in the edition of the Macaber Dance, Nos. 4 and 11. The work begins with the words “Deux jeunes Bergeres seulettes,” and appears to have been composed for females only, differing very materially from the well-known “Kalendrier des Bergers,” though including matter common to both.
10. “Chorea ab eximio Macabro versibus Alemanicis edita et à Petro Desrey Trecacio quodam oratore nuper emendata. Parisiis per Magistrum Guidonem Mercatorem pro Godeffrido Marnef. 15 Octob. 1499,” folio, with cuts.
11. “La Danse Macabre, &c. Ant. Verard, no date, but about 1500,” small folio. A vellum copy of this rare edition is described by M. Van Praet in his catalogue of vellum books in the royal library at Paris. A copy is in the Archb. Cant. library at Lambeth.
12. “La Danse Macabre, &c. Ant. Verard, no date, but about 1500,” folio. Some variations from No. 9 are pointed out by M. Van Praet. This magnificent volume on vellum, and bound in velvet, came from the library at Blois. It is a very large and thin folio, consisting of three or four leaves only, printed on pasteboard, with four pages or compartments on each leaf. The cuts are illuminated in the usual manner of Verard’s books. In the beginning it is marked “Marolles, No. 1601.” It is probably imperfect, the fool not being among the figures, and all the females are wanting, though, perhaps, not originally in this edition. It is in the royal library at Paris, where there is another copy of the work printed by Verard, with coloured prints, but differing materially from the other in the press-work. It is a common-sized folio, and was purchased at the sale of the Count Macarthy’s books.[87]
13. “La grant Danse Macabre des hommes et des femmes, &c. Imprimèe à Troyes par Nicolas Le Rouge demourant en la grant rue à l’enseigne de Venise auprès la belle croix.” No date, folio. With very clever wood-cuts, probably the same as in the edition of 1490; and if so, they differ much from the manner of Jollat, and have not his well-known mark.
14. “La grant Danse Macabre des hommes et des femmes, &c. Rouen, Guillaume de la Mare.” No date, 4to. with cuts, and in the Roman letter.
15. “La grande Danse Macabre des hommes et des femmes, ou est démonstré tous humains de tous estats estre du bransle de la Mort. Lyon, Olivier Arnoulet.” No date, 4to.
16. “La grant Danse Macabre des hommes et des femmes, &c. Lyon, Nourry, 1501,” 4to. cuts.
17. “La grant Danse Macabre des hommes et des femmes, &c. Imprimé à Genesve, 1503,” 4to. cuts.
18. “La grant Danse Macabre, &c. Paris, Nicole de la Barre, 1523,” 4to. with very indifferent cuts, and the omission of some of the characters in preceding editions. This has been privately reprinted, 1820, by Mr. Dobree, from a copy in the British Museum.
19. “La grant Danse Macabre des hommes et des femmes. Troyes, Le Rouge, 1531,” folio, cuts.
20. “La grand Danse Macabre des hommes et des femmes. Paris, Denys Janot. 1533,” 8vo. cuts.
21. “La grand Danse Macabre des hommes et des femmes, tant en Latin qu’en Francoys. Paris, par Estienne Groulleau libraire juré en la rue neuve Nostre Dame à l’enseigne S. Jean Baptiste.” No date, 16mo. cuts. The first edition of this size, and differing in some respects from the preceding.
22. “La grand Danse Macabre des hommes et des femmes, &c. Paris, Estienne Groulleau, 1550,” 16mo. cuts.
23. “La grande Danse des Morts, &c. Rouen, Morron.” No date, 8vo. cuts.
24. “Les lxviii huictains ci-devant appellés la Danse Machabrey, par lesquels les Chrestiens de tous estats tout stimulés et invités de penser à la mort. Paris, Jacques Varangue, 1589,” 8vo. In Roman letter, without cuts.
25. “La grande Danse Macabre des hommes et des femmes, &c. Troyes, Oudot,” 1641, 4to. cuts. One of the bibliothèque bleue books.
26. “La grande Danse Macabre des hommes et des femmes, renouvellée de vieux Gaulois en langage le plus poli de notre temps, &c. Troyes, Pierre Garnier rue du Temple.” No date, but the privilege is in 1728, 4to. cuts. Thepolishedlanguage is, of course, for the worse, and Macaber is called “des Machabées,” no doubt, the editor’s improvement.
27. “La grande DanseMacabredes hommes et des femmes, renouvellée, &c. Troyes, chez la veuve Oudot, et Jean Oudot fils, rue du Temple, 1729,” 4to. cuts. Nearly the same as No. 25.
These inferior editions continued, till very lately, to be occasionally reprinted for the use of the common people, and at the trifling expense of a very few sous. They are, nevertheless, of some value to those who feel interested in the subject, as containing tolerable copies of all the fine cuts in the preceding edition, No. 11.
Dr. Dibdin saw in the public library at Munich a very old series of a Macaber Dance, that had been inserted, by way of illustration, into a German manuscript of the Dance of Death. Of these he has given two subjects in his “Bibliographical Tour,” vol. iii. p. 278.
But it was not only in the above volumes that the very popular subject of the Macaber Dance was particularly exhibited. It found its way into many of the beautiful service books, usually denominated Horæ, orhours of the Virgin. These principally belong to France, and their margins are frequently decorated with the above Dance, with occasional variety of design. In most of them Death is accompanied with a single figure only, characters from both sexes being introduced. It would be impossible to furnish a complete list of them; but it is presumed that the mention of several, and of the printers who introduced them, will not be unacceptable.
No. I. “Las Horas de nuestra Senora con muchos otros oficios y oraçiones.” Printed in Paris by Nicolas Higman for Simon Vostre, 1495, 8vo. It has two Dances of Death, the first of which is the usual Macaber Dance, with the following figures: “Le Pape, l’Empereur, le Cardinal, l’Archevesque, le Chevalier, l’Evesque, l’Escuyer, l’Abè, le Prevost, le Roy, le Patriarche, le Connestable, l’Astrologien, le Bourgoys, le Chanoine, le Moyne, l’Usurier, le Medesin, l’Amoureux, l’Advocat, le Menestrier, le Marchant, le Chartreux, le Sergent, le Cure, le Laboureur, le Cordelier.” Then the women: “La Royne, la Duchesse, la Regente, la Chevaliere, l’Abbesse, la Femme descine, la Prieure, la Damoissele, la Bourgoise, la Cordeliere, la Femme daceul, la Nourice, la Theologienne, la nouvelle mariee, la Femme grosse, la Veufve, la Marchande, la Ballive, la Chamberiere, la Recommanderese, la vielle Damoise, l’Espousée, la Mignote, la Fille pucelle, la Garde d’accouchée, la jeune fille, la Religieuse, la Vielle, la Revenderesse, l’Amoureuse, la Sorciere, la Bigote, la Sote, la Bergere, la Femme aux Potences, la Femme de Village; to which are added, l’Enfant, le Clerc, l’Ermite.”
The second Dance of Death is very different from the preceding, and consists of groupes of figures. The subjects, which have never yet been described, are the following:
1. Death sitting on a coffin in a church-yard. “Discite vos choream cuncti qui cernitis istam.”
2. Death with Adam and Eve in Paradise. He draws Adam towards him. “Quid tum prosit honor glorie divitie.”
3. Death helping Cain to slay Abel. “Esto meorum qui pulvis eris et vermibus esca.”
4. Death holding by the garment a cardinal, followed by several persons. “In gelida putrens quando jacebis humo.”
5. Death mounted on a bull strikes three persons with his dart. “Vado mori dives auro vel copia rerum.”
6. Death seizing a man sitting at a table with a purse in his hand, and accompanied by two other persons. “Nullum respectum dat michi, vado mori.”
7. An armed knight killing an unarmed man, Death assisting. “Fortium virorum est magis mortem contemnere vitam odisse.”
8. Death with a rod in his hand, standing upon a groupe of dead persons. “Stultum est timere quod vitari non potest.”
9. Death with a scythe, having mowed down several persons lying on the ground. “Est commune mori mors nulli parcit honori.”
10. A soldier introducing a woman to another man, who holds a scythe in his hand. Death stands behind. “Mors fera mors nequam mors nulli parcit et equam.”
11. Death strikes with his dart a prostrate female, who is attended by two others. “Hec tua vita brevis: que te delectat ubique.”
12. A man falling from a tower into the water. Death strikes him at the same time with his dart. “Est velut aura levis te mors expectat ubique.”
13. A man strangling another, Death assisting. “Vita quid est hominis nisi res vallata ruinis.”
14. A man at the gallows, Death standing by. “Est caro nostra cinis modo principium modo finis.”
15. A man about to be beheaded, Death assisting. “Quid sublime genus quid opes quid gloria prestant.”
16. A king attended by several persons is struck by Death with his dart. “Quid mihi nunc aderant hec mihi nunc abeunt.”
17. Two soldiers armed with battle-axes. Death pierces one of them with his dart. “Ortus cuncta suos: repetunt matremque requirunt.”
18. Death strikes with his dart a woman lying in bed. “Et redit in nihilum quod fuit ante nihil.”
19. Death aims his dart at a sleeping child in a cradle, two other figures attending. “A, a, a, vado mori, nil valet ipsa juventus.”
20. A man on the ground in a fit, Death seizes him. Others attending. “Mors scita sed dubia nec fugienda venit.”
21. Death leads a man, followed by others. “Non sum securus hodie vel cras moriturus.”
22. Death interrupts a man and woman at their meal. “Intus sive foris est plurima causa timoris.”
23. Death demolishes a group of minstrels, from one of whom he has taken a lute. “Viximus gaudentes, nunc morimur tristes et flentes.”
24. Death leads a hermit, followed by other persons. “Forte dies hec est ultima, vado mori.”
This Dance is also found in the Horæ printed by Godar, Vostre, and Gilles Hardouyn, but with occasional variations, as to size and other matters, in the different blocks which they respectively used. The same designs have also been adopted, and in a very singular style of engraving, in a work printed by Antony Verard, that will be noticed elsewhere.
Some of the cuts, for they are not all by the same artist, in this very rare and beautiful volume, and not found in others printed by or for Simon Vostre, may be very justly compared, in point of the delicacy of design and engraving, though on wood, with the celebrated pax of Maso Finiguerra at Florence, accurately copiedin Mr. Ottley’s history of engraving. They are accompanied with this unappropriated mark[monogram].
No. II. “Ordinarium beate Marie Virginis ad usum Cisterciensem impressum est caracteribus optimis una cum expensis honesti viri Symonis Vostre commorantis Parisiis in vico novo Dive Marie in intersignio Sancti Joannis Evangeliste, 1497,” 12mo. This beautiful book is on vellum, with the same Danse Macabre as in the preceding, but the other cuts are different.
No. III. “Hore presentes ad usum Sarum impresse fuerunt Parisiis per Philippum Pigouchet Anno SalutisMCCCCXCVIIIdie vero xvi Maii pro Symone Vostre librario commorante, &c.” 8vo. as above.
Another beautiful volume on vellum, with the same Danse Macabre. He printed a similar volume of the same date, for the use of Rome, also on vellum.
A volume of prayers, in 8vo. mentioned by M. Peignot, p. 145, after M. Raymond, but the title is not given. It is supposed to be anterior to 1500, and seems to contain the same personages in its Danse Macabre, as in the preceding volumes printed by Simon Vostre.
No. IV. “Heures à l’usage de Soissons.” Printed by Simon Vostre, on vellum, 1502, 8vo. With the same Danse Macabre.
No. V. “Heures à l’usage de Rheims, nouvellement imprimées avec belles histoires, pour Simon Vostre,” 1502, 8vo. This is mentioned by M. Peignot, on the authority of Papillon. It was reprinted 1513, 8vo. and has the same cuts as above.
No. VI. “Heures à l’usage de Rome. Printed for Simon Vostre by Phil. Pigouchet,” 1502, large 8vo. on vellum. With the same Danse Macabre. This truly magnificent volume, superior to all the preceding by the same printer in beauty of type and marginal decoration, differs from them in having stanzas at the bottom ofeach page of the Dance, but which apply to the figure at the top only. They are here given.
Pope.Vous qui vivez certainementQuoy qu’il tarde ainsi danserezMais quand Dieu le scet seulementAvisez comme vous ferezDam Pape vous commencerezComme le plus digne SeigneurEn ce point honorire serezAu grant maistre est deu l’honneur.King.Mais maintenant toute haultesseLaisserez vous nestes pas seulPeu aurez de votre richesseLe plus riche n’a qung linseulVenez noble Roy couronneRenomme de force et prouesseJadis fustez environneDe grans pompes de grant noblesse.Archbishop.Que vous tirez la teste arriereArchevesque tirez vous près,Avez vous peur qu’on ne vous fiereNe doubtez vous viendres aprèsN’est pas tousjours la mort empresTout homme suyvant coste a costeRendre comment debtez et presUne foys fault coustera loste.Squire.Il n’est rien que ne preigne coursDansez et pensez de suyrVous ne povez avoir secoursIl n’est qui mort puisse fuyrAvencez vous gent escuyerQui scavez de danser les toursLance porties et escuz hyerAujourdhuy finerez voz jours.Astrologer.Maistre pour vostre regarderEn hault ne pour vostre clergieNe pouvez la mort retarderCi ne vault rien astrologieToute la genealogieD’Adam qui fust le premier hommeMort prent se dit theologieTous fault mourir pour une pomme.Merchant.Vecy vostre dernier marcheIl convient que par cy passezDe tout soing serez despechieTel convoiste qui a assezMarchant regardes par decaPlusieurs pays avez cerchieA pied a cheval de piecaVous n’en serez plus empeschie.Monk.Ha maistre par la passeresN’est ja besoing de vous defendrePlus homme nespouvanteresApres Moyne sans plus attendreOu pensez vous cy fault entendreTantost aurez la bouche closeHomme n’est fors que vent et cendreVie donc est moult peu de chose.Lover.Trop lavez ayme cest foleurEt a mourir peu regardeTantost vous changerez couleurBeaulte n’est que ymage fardeGentil amoureux gent et friqueQui vous cuidez de grant valeurVous estez pris la mort vous piqueCe monde lairez a douleur.Curate.Passez cure sans long songierJe sans questes habandonneLe vif le mort soulier mengerMais vous serez aux vers donneVous fustes jadis ordonneMiroir dautruy et exemplaireDe voz faitz serez guerdonneA toute peine est deu salaire.Child.Sur tout du jour de la naissanceConvient chascun a mort offrirFol est qui n’en a congnoissanceQui plus vit plus a assouffrirPetit enfant naguerez neAu monde aures peu de plaisanceA la danse sera meneComme autre car mort a puissance.Queen.Noble Royne de beau corsageGente et joyeuse a ladvenantJay de par le grant maistre chargeDe vous enmener maintenantEt comme bien chose advenantCeste danse commenseresFaictes devoir au remenantVous qui vivez ainsi feres.Lady.C’est bien chasse quand on pourchasseChose a son ame meritoireCar au derrain mort tout enchasseCeste vie est moult transitoireGentille femme de chevalierQue tant aymes deduit et chasseLes engins vous fault habillerEt suyvre le train de ma trasse.Prioress.Se vous avez sans fictionTout vostre temps servi à DieuDu cueur en sa religionLa quelle vous avez vestueCeluy qui tous biens retribueVous recompenserer loyalmentA son vouloir en temps et lieuBien fait requiert bon payment.Franciscan nun.Se vos prieres sont bien dignesElles vous vauldront devant DieuRien ne vallent soupirs ne signesBone operacion tient lieuFemme de grande devocionCloez voz heures et matinesEt cessez contemplacionCar jamais nyres a matines.Chamber-maid.Dictez jeune femme a la crucheRenommée bonne chambriereRespondez au moins quant on hucheSans tenir si rude maniereVous nirez plus a la riviereBaver au four na la fenestreCest cy vostre journee derniereAusy tost meurt servant que maistre.Widow.Cest belle chose de tenirLestat ou on est appelleeEt soy tousjours bien maintenirVertus est tout par tout louee.Femme vesve venez avantEt vous avancez de venirVous veez les aultres davantIl convient une fois finir.Lying-in nurse.Venez ca garde dacoucheesDresse aves maintz bainz perdusEt ses cortines attacheesOu estoient beaux boucques pendusBiens y ont estez despendusTant de motz ditz que cest ung songeQui seront cher vendusEn la fin tout mal vient en ronge.Shepherdess.Aux camps ni rez plus soir ne matinVeiller brebis ne garder bestesRien ne sera de vous demainApres les veilles sont les festesPas ne vous oublieray derriereVenez apres moy sa la mainEntendez plaisante bergiereOu marcande cy main a main.Old woman.Et vous madame la gourreeVendu avez maintz surplisDonc de largent est fourreeEt en sont voz coffres remplisApres tous souhaitz acomplisConvient tout laisser et ballierSelon la robe on fait le plisA tel potaige tel cuiller.Witch.Est condannee comme meurtriereA mourir ne vivra plus gaireJe la maine en son cimitiereCest belle chose de bien faireOyez oyez on vous fait scavoirQue ceste vielle sorciereA fait mourir et decepvoirPlusieurs gens en mainte maniere.
In the cut of the adoration of the shepherds their names are introduced as follows: Gobin le gay; le beau Roger; Aloris; Ysauber; Alison, and Mahault. The same cut is in two or three other Horæ mentioned in this list.
No. VII. “Heures à l’usaige de Rouan. Simon Vostre, 1508, 8vo.” With the same Danse Macabre.
No. VIII. “Horæ ad usum Romanum. Thielman Kerver,” 1508, 8vo. Vellum. With the same Danse Macabre.
No. IX. “Hore christofere virginis Marie secundum usum Romanum ad longum absque aliquo recursu, &c.” Parisiis. Simon Vostre, 1508, 8vo. M. Peignot has given a very minute description of this volume with a list of the different persons in the Danse Macabre.
No. X. “Heures à l’usage de ... Ant. Verard,” 1509, 8vo. with the same Danse Macabre.
No. XI. “Heures à l’usaige d’Angers. Simon Vostre,” 1510, 8vo. With the same Danse Macabre. Particularly described by M. Peignot.
No. XII. “Heures à l’usaige de Rome. Guil. Godar,” 1510, large 8vo. vellum illuminated. A magnificent book. It contains the Danse Macabre as in No. I. But it is remarkable for a third Dance of Death on the margins at bottom, consisting of small compartments with a single figure, but unaccompanied in the usual manner by Death, who, in various shapes and attitudes, is occasionally introduced. The characters are the following, without the arrangement commonly observed, and here given in the order in which they occur. 1. La Prieuse. 2. La Garde dacouche. 3. L’Abesse. 4. Le Promoteur. 5. Le Conestable. 6. Le Moine, without a label. 7. La Vielle Demoiselle. 8. La Baillive. 9. LaDuchesse. 10. Le Sergent. 11. La Nourrice. 12. La femme du Chevallier. 13. La Damoiselle. 14. Le Maistre descole. 15. La Femme du village. 16. La Rescomanderese. 17. La Revenderese. 18. Le Laboureur. 19. La Bourgoise. 20. L’Usurier. 21. Le Pelerin. 22. Le Berger. 23. La Religieuse. 24. L’Home d’armes. 25. La Sorciere. 26. Le Petit enfant. 27. Le Clerc. 28. Le Patriarche. 29. Le Cardinal. 30. L’Empereur. 31. Le Roy. 32. La Marchande. 33. Le Curé. 34. La Theologienne. 35. La Jeune fille. 36. Le Sot. 37. Le Hallebardier. 38. La Pucelle vierge. 39. L’Hermite. 40. L’Escuier. 41. La Chamberiere. 42. La Femme de lescuier. 43. La Cordeliere. 44. La Femme veuve. 45. Le Chartreux. 46. La Royne. 47. La Regente. 48. La Bergere. 49. L’Advocat. 50. L’Espousée. 51. La Femme amoureuse. 52. La Nouvelle Mariee. 53. Le Medecin. Wherever the figure of Death is introduced, he is accompanied with the motto “Amort, amort.”
No. XIII. “Hore ad usum Romanum. Thielman Kerver,” 1511, 8vo. Vellum, with the Danse Macabre.
No. XIV. “Heures à l’usage de Langres. Simon Vostre,” 1512, 8vo. In the possession of Mons. G. M. Raymond, who has described it in Millin’s “Magazin Encyclopédique,” 1814, tom. iii. p. 13. Mentioned also by M. Peignot.
No. XV. “Heures à l’usage de Paris. Simon Vostre,” 1515, 8vo. With the Danse Macabre, and the other mentioned in No. I.
No. XVI. “Heures de Nostre Dame à l’usage de Troyes.” Th. Englard, pour G. Goderet, vers 1520. Vellum. Described by M. Peignot.
No. XVII. “Hore ad usum Romanum. Thielman Kerver,” 1526, 8vo. Vellum. A beautiful volume. Prefixed to the Danse Macabre are two prints of the Trois morts et trois vifs.
In all the above Horæ the Macaber Dance is represented nearly alike in design, the variations beingchiefly in the attitudes of the figures, which are cut on different blocks, except in a few instances where the printers have borrowed the latter from each other. Thus Vostre uses Verard’s, and Pigouchet Godar’s. The number of the subjects also varies, Vostre and Kerver having more than Verard, Godar, and Pigouchet.
Exceptions to the above manner of representing the Macaber Dance, occur in two Horæ of singular rarity, and which are therefore worthy of particular notice.
No. XVIII. “Officium beatæ Mariæ Virginis ad usum Romane ecclesie. Impressum Lugduni expensis Bonini de Boninis Dalmatini,” die xx martij, 1499, 12mo. On vellum. Here the designs are very different, and three of the subjects are placed at the bottom of the page. They consist of the following personages, there being no females among them. It was reprinted by the same printer in 1521.
No. XIX. “Hore beate Marie Virginis ad usum insignis ac preclare ecclesie Sarum cum figuris passionis mysterium representātibus recenter additis. Impresse Parisiis per Johannem Bignon pro honesto viro RichardoFakes, London, librario, et ibidem commorante cymeterie Sancti Pauli sub signo A. B. C.” 1521. A ledger-like 12mo. This Macaber Dance is unfortunately imperfect in the only copy of the book that has occurred. The figures that remain are those of the Pope, King, Cardinal, Patriarch, Judge, Archbishop, Knight, Mayor, and Earl.
Under each subject are Lydgate’s verses, with some slight variation; and it is therefore very probable that we have here a copy, as to many of the figures, of the Dance that was painted at St. Paul’s in compartments like the other Macaber Dance, and not as the group in Dugdale, which has been copied from a wood-cut at the end of Lydgate’s “Fall of Prynces.” As all the before-mentioned Horæ were printed at Paris, with one exception only, and many of them at a very early period, it is equally probable that they may be copies of the Dance at the Innocents, unless a preference in that respect should be given to the figures in the French editions of the Danse Macabre.
Manuscript Horæ, or books of prayers, which contain the Macaber Dance are in the next place deserving of our attention. These are extremely rare, and two only have occurred on the present occasion.
1. A manuscript prayer book of the fifteenth century is very briefly described by M. Peignot,[88]which he states to be the only one that has come to his knowledge.
2. An exquisitely beautiful volume, in large 8vo. bound in brass and velvet. It is a Latin Horæ, elegantly written in Roman type at the beginning of the 16th century. It has a profusion of paintings, every page being decorated with a variety of subjects. These consist of stories from scripture, sports, games, trades, grotesques, &c. &c. the several employments of themonths, which have also the signs of the zodiac, are worth describing, there being two sets for each month.
The side margins have the following Danse Macabre,consisting as usual of two figures only. Papa, Imperator, Cardinalis, Rex, Archiepiscopus, Comestabilis, Patriarcha, Eques auratus, Episcopus, Scutarius, Abbas, Prepositus, Astrologus, Mercator, Cordiger, Satelles, Usurarius, Advocatus, Mimus, Infans, Heremita.
The margins at bottom contain a great variety of emblems of mortality. Among these are the following:
1. A man presents a mirror to a lady, in which her face is reflected as a death’s head.
2. Death shoots an arrow at a man and woman.
3. A man endeavouring to escape from Death is caught by him.
4. Death transfixes a prostrate warrior with a spear.
5. Two very grotesque Deaths, the one with a scythe, the other with a spade.
6. A group of five Deaths, four dancing a round, the other drumming.
7. Death on a bull, holding a dart in his hand.
8. Death in a cemetery running away with a coffin and pick-axe.
9. Death digging a grave for two shrouded bodies on the ground.
10. Death seizing a fool.
11. Death seizing the master of a family.
12. Death seizing Caillette, a celebrated fool mentioned by Rabelais, Des Periers, &c. He is represented in the French translation of the Ship of Fools.
13. Death seizing a beggar.
14. Death seizing a man playing at tennis.
15. Death striking the miller going to his mill.
16. Death seizing Ragot, a famous beggar in the reign of Louis XII. He is mentioned by Rabelais.
This precious volume is in the present writer’s possession.
Other manuscripts connected with the Macaber Dance are the following:
1. No. 1849, a Colbert MS. in the King of France’slibrary, appears to have been written towards the end of the fifteenth century, and is splendidly illuminated on vellum with figures of men and women led by Death, the designs not much differing from those in Verard’s printed copy.
2. Another manuscript in the same library, formerly No. 543 in that of Saint Victor, is at the end of a small volume of miscellanies written on paper about the year 1520; the text resembles that of the immediately preceding article, and occasionally varies from the printed editions. It has no illuminations. These are the only manuscript Macaber Dances in the royal library at Paris.
3. A manuscript of the Dance of Death, in German, is in the library of Munich. See Dr. Dibdin’s bibliographical Tour, vol. iii. 278; and Vonder Hagen’s history of German poetry. Berlin, 1812, 8vo. p. 459. The date of 1450 is given to this manuscript on the authority of Docen in his Miscellanies, vol. ii. p. 148, and new Literary Advertizer for 1806, No. 22, p. 348. Vonder Hagen also states that Docen has printed it in his Miscellanies, p. 349-52, and 412-16.
4. A manuscript in the Vatican, No. 314. See Vonder Hagen, ubi supra, who refers to Adelung, vol. ii. p. 317-18, where the beginning and other extracts are given.
5. In the Duke de la Valliere’s catal. No. 2801, is “La Danse Macabre par personnages, in 4to. Sur papier du xv siecle, contenant 12 feuillets.”
In the course of this enquiry no manuscript, decorated with a regular series of a Dance of Death, has been discovered.
The Abbé Rive left, in manuscript, a bibliography of all the editions of the Macaber Dance, which is at present, with other manuscripts by the Abbé, in the hands of M. Achard, a bookseller at Marseilles. See Peignot, Diction. de Bibliologie, iii. 284.
The following articles, accompanied by letter-press,and distinguishable from single prints, appear to relate to the Macaber Dance.
1. The Dance and song of Death is among books licensed to John Awdeley.[89]
2. “The roll of the Daunce of Death, with pictures and verses upon the same,” was entered on the Stationers’ books, 5th Jan. 1597, by Thomas Purfort, sen. and jun. The price was 6d.This, as well as that licensed to Awdeley, was in all probability the Dance at St. Paul’s.
3. “Der Todten Tantz au Hertzog Georgens zu Sachsen schloss zu Dresden befindlich.”i. e.“Here is found the Dance of Death on the Saxon palace of Duke George at Dresden.” It consists of twenty-seven characters, as follow: 1. Death leading the way; in his right hand he holds a drinking glass or cup, and in his left a trumpet which he is blowing. 2. Pope. 3. Cardinal. 4. Abbot. 5. Bishop. 6. Canon. 7. Priest. 8. Monk. 9. Death beating a drum with bones. 10. Emperor. 11. King. 12. Duke. 13. Nobleman. 14. Knight. 15. Gentleman. 16. Judge. 17. Notary. 18. Soldier. 19. Peasant. 20. Beggar. 21. Abbess. 22. Duchess. 23. Old woman. 24. Old man. 25. Child. 26. Old beggar. 27. Death with a scythe. This is a single print in the Chronicle of Dresden, by Antony Wecken, Dresden, 1680, folio, already mentioned in p.44.
4. In the catalogue of the library of R. Smith, which was sold by auction in 1682, is this article “Dance of Death, in the cloyster of Paul’s, with figures, very old.” It was sold for six shillings to Mr. Mearne.
5. A sort of Macaber Dance, in a Swiss almanack, consisting of eight subjects, and intitled “Ein Stuck aus dem Todten tantz,” or, “a piece of a Dance of Death:” engraved on wood by Zimmerman with greatspirit, after some very excellent designs. They are accompanied with dialogues between Death and the respective characters. 1. The Postilion on horseback. Death in a huge pair of jack-boots, seizes him by the arm with a view to unhorse him. 2. The Tinker. Death, with a skillet on his head, plunders the tinker’s basket. 3. The Hussar on horseback, accompanied by Death, also mounted, and, like his comrade, wearing an enormous hat with a feather. 4. The Physician. Death habited as a modern beau, with chapeau-bras, brings his urinal to the Doctor for inspection. 5. The fraudulent Innkeeper in the act of adulterating a cask of liquor is seized and throttled by a very grotesque Death in the habit of an alewife, with a vessel at her back. 6. The Ploughman, holding his implements of husbandry, is seized by Death, who sits on a plough and carries a scythe in his left hand. 7. The Grave-digger, is pulled by Death into the grave which he has just completed. 8. The lame Messenger, led by Death. The size of the print 11 by 6½ inches.
6. Papillon states that Le Blond, an artist, then living at Orleans, engraved the Macaber Dance on wood for the Dominotiers, or venders of coloured prints for the common people, and that the sheets, when put together, form a square of three feet, and have verses underneath each figure.[90]