The Pictorial Press: Its Origin and ProgressJackson, Mason
History
The Pictorial Press: Its Origin and Progress
Jackson, Mason
Illustration of books; Newspapers -- Illustrations
When the Irish Rebellion of 1641 broke out, many news-books were
published describing the transactions in that country, and several of
them are illustrated. I may here remark that the illustrations of events
in these pamphlets, as well as many of those contained in the numerous
tracts published during the Civil War in England, appear to be works of
pure imagination, and were, probably, invented by the artist just as a
modern draughtsman would illustrate a work of fiction. Others, again,
were evidently old woodcuts executed for some other purpose. A few
instances occur, however, where drawings have been made from actual
scenes, and sometimes maps and plans are given as illustrations of a
battle or a siege. This rising of the Roman Catholics in Ireland began
with a massacre of the Protestants, and, according to the tracts
published at the time, the atrocities of recent wars in Bulgaria and
elsewhere were equalled in every way by the Roman Catholics in Ireland
in the seventeenth century. The illustrations in these tracts are very
coarse woodcuts. One represents the arrest of a party of conspirators,
and another is a view of a town besieged, while a third gives a group of
prisoners supplicating for mercy. The best illustration that I have met
with of this Irish news is contained in a pamphlet entitled, '_Approved,
good and happy Newes from Ireland; Relating how the Castle of Artaine
was taken from the Rebels, two of their Captaines kild, and one taken
prisoner by the Protestants, with the arrival of 2000 foot, and 300
horse from England. Also a great skirmish between the Protestants and
the Rebels at a place near Feleston, wherein the English obtained great
renowne and victory: Whereunto is added a true relation of the great
overthrow which the English gave the Rebels before Drogheda, sent in a
letter bearing date the 27 of February to Sir Robert King, Knight, at
Cecill house in the Strand. Printed by order of Parliament. London,
Printed for John Wright 1641._' The woodcut on the title-page of this
tract represents the taking of the castle of Artaine, but there is only
the following very short paragraph relating to it:--'The last news from
Ireland 7 March 1641. The 10 of February our men went to _Artaine_
against a castle so called, which had before done some mischiefe, to
some of our men, the enemy being in it. But the enemy fled before our
second coming, and left the Castle, and a garrison was left in it by
us.' The other news is related more at length, and one of the paragraphs
runs thus:--'On the 13 a man was brought to our City, being taken by
some of our scattering men scouting about our City, who confest without
constraint, that he had killed an _Englishwoman_ at a place called
_Leslipson_, 6 Miles West of our City, and washed his hands in her
bloud, being set on by the popish Priests so to doe; he was presently
hanged, but dyed with much repentance and a protestant, which few do.'
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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