The Pictorial Press: Its Origin and Progress — John Shaqi
The Pictorial Press: Its Origin and ProgressJackson, Mason
History
The Pictorial Press: Its Origin and Progress
Jackson, Mason
Illustration of books; Newspapers -- Illustrations
'Young Cartwright standing by, not able any longer to contain himselfe
tooke occassion hereupon to breake forthe abruptly into these wordes:
The Priest deserveth a good Fee, he speaketh so like a Lawyer. Maister
Storre having often aforetime had experience of his hotte stomacke and
hastinesse as well towards others as himselfe, thought it best to reply
little against him for that present.' The Rev. Mr. Storre's forbearance
was of no avail, for next day young Cartwright took occasion to renew
the quarrel, and in the public market-place 'proclaymed that Storre was
a scurvie, lowsie, paltrie Priest; that whoever sayd he was his friend
or spake in his cause, was a Rogue and a Rascall, that he would (but for
the Law) cut his Throat, tear out his Heart, and hang his Quarters on
the May-pole.' These sanguinary threats caused Mr. Storre to seek the
protection of the Magistrates; and he afterwards preached a sermon
containing words which young Cartwright thought were purposely directed
against him, so that he 'more and more thirsted for revenge.'
'About a week after, he espied Mr. Storre walking about eight of the
clocke in the morning alone, by the south side of the Towne in his
cloake, went to a cutler's shop, and tooke out of the same a short
sword, formerly provided and made very sharpe for that purpose, and
presently overtooke him.' The young man attacked the clergyman, and the
pamphlet gives a minute account of the dreadful wounds he inflicted
upon him until 'A Mayde coming that way by occassion of businesse,
cried out, whereupon he fledde.'
The clergyman died of the frightful wounds he received, and the murderer
was taken and carried before a justice, 'where, either for lacke of
their due information of the truth, or by the corrupt and favourable
affection of the magistrate, or both, there was a very slender bayle
taken, and the malefactor by this flight sent away.' Cartwright's
friends 'laboured by corrupt dealing and wrong information' to procure
his pardon; but so barbarous a murder could not be hushed up, and the
culprit eventually 'fled beyonde the seas.'
[Illustration: MURDER OF THE REV MR. STORRE, 1613.]
On the title-page of the pamphlet is a woodcut representing the murder
of the Rev. Mr. Storre, which is copied above.
The two other murders are not related at such great length, and are not
illustrated.
This is the earliest example I have met with of a kind of illustrated
news that is very popular even in our own day. From the pains taken to
describe all the circumstances of the crime and its consequences, the
author evidently regarded it as a subject of the highest interest, and
worthy of all the elaboration he was capable of bestowing upon it.
[Illustration: NEWS FROM PENRHYN IN CORNWALL, 1618.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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