Chambers's Journal of Popular Literature, Science, and Art, Fifth Series, No. 22, Vol. I, May 31, 1884Various
History
Chambers's Journal of Popular Literature, Science, and Art, Fifth Series, No. 22, Vol. I, May 31, 1884
Various
Periodicals
Of historical interest are—the original report of the trial of ‘Johanne
d’Arc,’ dated the 7th of July 1456, and duly signed and attested by the
notaries; the original declaration of eight of the bishops in favour
of Henry VIII.’s assumption of power in church matters, in which they
pronounce that Christian princes may make ecclesiastical laws; and
two little volumes—one about three inches square, containing sundry
calendars and tables, written on leaves of vellum, and bearing on the
fly-leaf, in the handwriting of the Duke of Somerset: ‘Fere of the lord
is the begenning of wisdume: put thi trust in the lord w^h all thine
heart; be not wise in thyne own conseyte but fere the lord and fle from
evele frome the toware the day before deth, 1551. E. SOMERSET.’ The
other booklet is about an inch square, and bound in gold, enamelled in
black, and furnished with two small gold rings, by which it could be
suspended to its owner’s waist. It consists of a hundred and ninety-six
pages of vellum, on which are written the seven penitential psalms.
This was one of Henry VIII.’s gifts to Anne Boleyn, and was given by
her—Horace Walpole says—to her maid of honour Mrs Wyatt, when the
beautiful queen bade farewell to the world on Tower Hill.
Among other originals of political importance may be noted the
return concerning the levy of ship-money, made to Sir Peter Temple,
High-sheriff of Bucks, from the parish of Great Kimble, bearing the
names of those who tendered their refusal to the constables and
assessors; the said constables’ and assessors’ names appearing in
the list of protesters, at the head of which stands the name of John
Hampden. Of a little later date is the secret article of the treaty
made in 1654 between Louis XIV. and the Protector of England for the
expulsion from France of Charles II., the Duke of York, and eighteen
royalists; Cromwell undertaking in return to expel certain Frenchmen
from England. This document is signed by De Bordeaux on the part of
the French king; by Fiennes, Lisle, and Strickland on the part of the
Commonwealth. The Grand Monarch’s own signature appears to an order
addressed to the governor of the Bastile—an order for him to permit the
Countess de Bussy to sleep with her husband.
There are two literary curiosities in the shape of a five-act tragedy
by Bale, Bishop of Ossory, who died in 1563; and a comedy, author
unknown, intended to be played for the amusement of Elizabeth and her
court; the latter ending with the following lines, addressed to Queen
Bess:
May you have all the joys of innocence,
Injoyinge too all the delights of sense.
May you live long, and knowe till ye are told,
T’ endeare your beauty, and wonder you are old;
And when heaven’s heate shall draw you to the skye,
May you transfigured, not transfigured dye!
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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