Ten Thousand Wonderful Things: Comprising whatever is marvellous and rare, curious, eccentric and extraordinary in all ages and nations
History
Ten Thousand Wonderful Things: Comprising whatever is marvellous and rare, curious, eccentric and extraordinary in all ages and nations
Curiosities and wonders; Encyclopedias and dictionaries; Folklore
Times have changed for the better since the "Scavenger's Daughter," and
the other matters represented, were amongst the mildest of the methods
used for the purposes of punishment and intimidation. The stocks,
the public whipping-posts, boilings, and burnings in Smithfield and
elsewhere, the exhibition of dead men's heads over gateways, the boot,
the rack, the pillory, the practice of making men eat their own books
in Cheapside, drawing on hurdles to the place of execution, and then
hanging, drawing, and quartering, chopping off hands and ears, and
other revolting punishments, have gone out of use, and it is gratifying
to know that we are all the better for it.
A BEAU BRUMMELL OF THE 17TH CENTURY.
[Illustration: [++] Picture of an English Anticke.]
This very curious representation of a first-rate exquisite is copied
from a very rare broadside, printed in 1646, and styled _The Picture
of an English Anticke, with a List of his ridiculous Habits and apish
Gestures_. The engraving is a well-executed copperplate, and the
description beneath is a brief recapitulation of his costume: from
which we learn that he wears a tall hat, with a bunch of riband on
one side, and a feather on the other; his face spotted with patches;
two love-locks, one on each side of his head, which hang upon his
bosom, and are tied at the ends with silk riband in bows. His beard on
the upper lip encompassing his mouth; his band or collar edged with
lace, and tied with band-strings, secured by a ring; a tight vest,
partly open and short in the skirts, between which and his breeches
his shirt protruded. His cloak was carried over his arm. His breeches
were ornamented by "many dozen of points at the knees, and above them,
on either side, were two great bunches of riband of several colours."
His legs were incased in "boot-hose tops, tied about the middle of the
calf, as long as a pair of shirt-sleeves, double at the ends like a
ruff-band; the tops of his boots very large, fringed with lace, and
turned down as low as his spurres, which gingled like the bells of a
morrice-dancer as he walked;" the "feet of his boots were two inches
too long." In his right hand he carried a stick, which he "played with"
as he "straddled" along the streets "singing."
PRAYING FOR REVENGE.
In North Wales, when a person supposes himself highly injured, it is
not uncommon for him to go to some church dedicated to a celebrated
saint, as Llan Elian in Anglesea, and Clynog in Carnarvonshire, and
there to offer his enemy. He kneels down on his bare knees in the
church, and offering a piece of money to the saint, calls down curses
and misfortunes upon the offender and his family for generations to
come; in the most firm belief that the imprecations will be fulfilled.
Sometimes they repair to a sacred well instead of a church.
A FEMALE SAMPSON: FROM A HANDBILL.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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