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Ebook has 865 lines and 72761 words, and 18 pages

Let us now glance at the bibliographical aspect of the book.

"Arise erly, serue God deuouteli, and the world besily." &c. &c.

Also the folks proverb:--

"Too wyues in oon hous, Too cattys and oon mous, Too dogges and oon boon, Theis shall ne? accorde oon."

Then the list of proper terms to be used by gentlemen and those curious in their speech is of very common occurrence:--

"An herde of Hertis An herde of all ma? dere A pride of Lionys A sleuth of Beeris." &c. &c.

This was evidently copied from some MS., and ends with "? Explicit," and nothing more. On the next page we have the proper terms for carving or dismembering beasts, fowls, and fishes, followed on the last leaf by a list of bishoprics and provinces.

This is extremely interesting, both in matter and in the very rude woodcut representations of armorial bearings with which the text is profusely illustrated. Except in one or two cases of uncommon tints, these are all colour-printed, as are the initials to paragraphs. In the Grenville copy, the pressman having forgotten to roll the "forme," the initials all appear in that semi-tinted state which would be the natural result of such an omission. We notice, too, that where the coats of arms require, say, three colours on one page, then the initials are also in three colours; but if only one colour is required for the arms, only one colour, and that the same, is used for the initials. Occasionally, where a peculiar colour was necessary, a brush was used to insert that tint by hand.

In workmanship the St. Albans printer, especially in the English books, is much inferior to the contemporary issue from the Westminster press. The types are worse, the arrangement worse, the presswork worse, and the ink worse. From this point of view alone, the theory that he would print for Caxton so much better than he did for himself, is not worth serious consideration.

The Book of St. Albans went through many editions, particulars of which are difficult to obtain.

How did the schoolmaster at St. Albans obtain his types? This is a puzzling question in the present state of palaeotypography. Mr. Bradshaw of Cambridge has, by unwearied study of early printed books, thrown great light upon the connection and genealogy of numerous founts used by fifteenth-century printers, and systematic attention to the minute peculiarities of each printer is doubtless the only way in which those old books can be forced to yield up their secrets; but the task is immense, and beyond the powers of any one man to complete. Some day, however, when the palaeotypography of this country, as well as of the Continental presses, shall have received that full technical and philosophical analysis which time is sure to bring, the more fortunate bibliographer of the future will be able with certainty to track the footsteps and operations of the early typefounders, and will be enabled to state for certain to what extent Caxton and the St. Albans printer were their own typefounders, and to what extent and to whom they looked for outside help. As the case now stands, we can only confess our ignorance of where the St. Albans types came from.

In the rude civilisation of the fifteenth century, a year's experience of which would send most of us to our graves, the mental occupation as well as the bodily recreation of our ancestors was almost confined to hunting and hawking. "Fishing with an Angle" came in as a bad third, being too tame a pursuit for men who were no men if not men of war. Mimic war--war on the beasts of the field and the fowls of the air--war which could be pursued in times of peace, and which yet required knowledge, patience, fortitude, and courage--this had great attractions, and we cannot wonder at the general popularity of these pursuits.

The first treatise in the following reprint is upon Hawking, a pastime essentially aristocratic from the great expense it entailed in the purchase, breeding, and maintenance of the birds. This, indeed, coupled with the diminution of game consequent on the progress of civilisation and the increase of the population, led to the gradual decadence of the sport, and nearly to its extinction in the eighteenth century, although, in very rare cases, falconry is even now practised.

As we have seen, one of the most difficult objects in hawking was to obtain an easy command of the proper vocabulary, and so at first start our author instructs us in "The manner to speak of Hawks, from the egg." We must not say a young hawk is hatched, but 'disclosed;' they do not breed but "eyer;" it was a want of culture in any falconer to say that hawks were building their nest, they "timbered" it. When the young could first leave the nest they were "Bowesses," and when they could fly they were "Branchers," and then was the time to catch and train them.

When the young were caught, which was with nets, the first thing was to "ensile" them, that is, to "take a needle and thread and sew up the eyelids," so that they "see never a dele." After a night and a day the threads were cut softly for fear of breaking the "lyddis of the ighen," then they were fed with well-washed flesh, but kept awake the next night and day, after which they were supposed to be tame, or "reclaimed."

The various diseases to which Hawks are liable are then explained, and medicines prescribed for them. Some of these are very absurd and some contradictory. Then comes a variety of terms for every movement and habit, for every limb or part of the body, and for almost every feather in the plumage. In this minute description the author begins at the feet of the bird and so works upwards, as when "Knyghttis been harnesside."

The "Gesse," or strip of leather by which the Hawk is held when carrying her on the hand, is next described, together with the creance or long line. More medicines still, and then how to treat Hawks when "in mew," or moulting, a matter of great importance. To promote "mewing" give the flesh of a kid, a young swan, and especially rats flesh; stewed adders are also strongly recommended, or chickens which have been fed upon wheat soaked in broth of vipers.

Gout seems a common disease in various parts of the Hawk's body, which may be known by swelling and "ungladness;" also rheum and fever and blains and agrum, which last is cured by a red-hot silver needle thrust into the nostrils. Botches in the jaw should be "kutte with a knyfe." More terms follow for various habits and actions, the last paragraph being upon the variety of Bells used for Hawks. There should be two, one a "semytoyn" below the other. "The Bells of Melen were the best, but," says the author, "there be now used Dutchland bells, of a town called durdright , and they be passing good, sonowre of ringing in shrillness, and well lasting."

The whole ends with a list of various species of Hawks and their appropriateness to the various stations of life, among which are--

An Eagle for an Emperor. A Gerfalcon for a King. A Peregrine for an Earl. A Merlyon for a Lady. A Goshawk for a Yeoman. A Sparehawk for a Priest. A Muskyte for "an holiwater clerke."

The second treatise is upon Hunting, and has a short preface, which probably came, like the first, from the pen of the Schoolmaster.

The work is all in metre, and evidently intended for boys to learn by heart. It begins by telling "my dere chylde" the various kinds of beast to be hunted; the changes of name they take as they grow older; the variety of horns; how to skin and dismember; the various cries and noises to be used; the seasons of hunting various beasts.

Then follow instructions how to hunt the Hare, and what to say to the hounds, who must always be addressed in French, as "arere!" when he enters the kennel-door; "this is the first word, my son, of venery." "Sa sa cy auaunt," "Sweff mon amy sweff," and other similar cries are noted down, some to be shouted twice only and some thrice, the chief cry being "So how." The knowledge of when and how often these cries should be used was most important, as their proper use would bring "worship among all men." Here, apparently, in the midst of one essay, another is interpolated, and we are treated to a portion of some old dialogue like "The Master of the Hunt," in which the "Man" asks all sorts of questions and the "Master" replies. It might indeed be dubbed "The Hunter's Catechism." This occupies eight pages, and then we fall back upon the original rhyme again and the instructions of the Dame to "my childe," ending with the "Explicit" of Dam Julyans Barnes. Some leaves remaining to be filled up, the moral and other sentences, as already described at page 21, were added.

Perhaps the third treatise upon Coat Armour and the Blason of Arms is the most interesting portion of the book. The quaintness of some of the explanations is very amusing, and many people will find more points of sympathy, both historical and technical, with this than with the others.

The headline, "Incipit Liber Armorum," gives us at once the title of the manuscript from which the text was compiled. "Heraldry Run Mad" might indeed have been an appropriate title for this, as well as all similar tractates; for the author, in his anxiety to honour the science, does not scruple to take the reader back historically not to Noah only, but to Adam, whose spade, he tells us, was the first shield in Heraldry, and who was the first to bear Coat Armour. The argument, if it may so be called, is:--All "gentilnes" comes from God; there were originally in heaven ten Orders of Angels bearing Coat Armour, but now only nine, Lucifer with "mylionys of aungelis" having fallen out of heaven into hell and other places. As a bondman might say that all men come from Adam, so might Lucifer say he and his angels came from heaven.

Cain, for his wickedness, was the first churl, and all his offspring were churls also by the curse of God. Seth, on the other hand, was a gentleman by his father's blessing; Noah, too, was a gentleman by nature, but of his three sons, "Sem, Cham, and Jafeth," Cham, for his unfilial conduct, was made "ungentle." The address of Noah to his three sons is curious, and is thus supplemented:--

"Of the offspring of the gentleman Japhet came Abraham, Moses Aaron, and the prophets, and also the King of the right line of Mary, of whom that gentleman Jesus was born, very God and man, after his manhood King of the land of Judah and of Jews, a gentleman by his mother Mary, and Prince of Coat Armour."

Some say that Coat Armour began at the siege of Troy, but it was of far greater antiquity than that, and was founded upon the nine Orders of Angels, who were crowned each with a diadem of precious stones--the Topaz , Smaragdus , Amethyst , Loys , Ruby , Sapphire , Diamond, a black stone , Carbuncle . These represent Gentleman, Squire, Knight, Baron, Lord, Earl, Marquis, Duke, and Prince. Here we probably have the origin of the shape of various crowns and coronets. Everything is treated in nines, and the nine virtues and nine vices of gentleness follow, with nine rejoicings, nine articles that every knight should keep, and nine manner of gentlemen, in which we learn that the Evangelists and Apostles were all gentlemen of the right line of that worthy conqueror, Judas Machabeus, who in course of time had fallen to labour, and so were not called gentlemen. The four doctors of the Church--St. Jerome Ambrose, Augustine, and Gregory--were also gentlemen of blood and of Coat Armour. There are nine differences of Coat Armour and nine quadrats, all of which are explained. The "Blasyng of Arms" comes next, the preface to which is by the author, and not by the printer. It begins with the varieties of the Cross as borne in arms, each being illustrated by a rude woodcut printed in its proper colours, and the blason, or technical description of each is given in Latin, French, and English. All varieties of arms follow, with the mysteries of bends, engrail, borders, chequers, balls, cakes, rings, &c., offering but little which can be quoted, but forming an interesting and useful book of reference.

Footnote 5:

The following vocabulary will show the chief words in which peculiarity of spelling or dialect are noticeable:--

We have now traced the various aspects in which this curious work may be viewed. There is not one of them that would not repay much deeper study, and the reader will, doubtless, sympathise with the writer in the wish that more could be discovered concerning the schoolmaster-printer. That his pioneer attempts to establish a printing press met with many discouragements was a matter of course; and, doubtless, he had many technical, business, and even social difficulties to overcome; for a reading public had to be created and patronage was scantily afforded. Nevertheless he struggled on for at least seven years, as we learn from the dates on his books, and whatever may have been his shortcomings, either as author or as printer, the fact of his having been one of the earliest promoters in this country of the grandest discovery which the mind of man has yet made, will unite all of us in honouring the memory and respecting the name, shadowy though it be, of the "Scole mayster of St. Albon."

WILLIAM BLADES.

In so moch that genti?? men and honest persones haue greete delite in haukyng and desire to haue the maner to take haukys: and also how and in waat wyse they shulde gyde theym ordynateli: and to knaw the genti?? termys in communyng of theyr haukys: and to vnderstonde theyr sekeneses and enfirmitees: and also to knawe medicines for theym accordyng. and mony notabu?? termys that ben vsed ? hawkyng both of their haukys and of the fowles that their hawkys sha?? sley. Therfore thys book fowlowyng in a dew forme shewys veri knawlege of suche plesure to genti?? men and ?sonys disposed to se itt.

Thys is the maner to begynne to kepe hawkys: bot not a?? maner hawkys. bott oonli Goshawkys: and Tercellis of Goshawkys. and spare hawkys. and in watt maner thay sha?? be taake.

The maner to speke of hawkis fro an eeg to thei be habu?? to be takene.

Now to speke of hawkys. first thay been Egges. and afterwarde they bene disclosed hawkys. and communeli goshawkys been disclosed. as sone as the choughe and in some place more tymeli after the contre is of hete. and tymeli bredyng. ? And we s?a?? say that hawkis doon Eyer. and not brede. in the woodes. And we sha?? say that howkys doon draw when they bere tymbering to their nestes. and nott they beld ne make ther nestes And in the tyme of their loue they ca??. and not kauke. And we sha?? say that they trede. ? And when they bene vnclosed and begynneth to feder any thyng of lengthe Anoon be kynde they wi?? draw somwatt out of the nest: and draw to bowis. and come agayn to ther nest And then thay be clepit Bowessis ? And after saynt Margaretis day thay wi?? flie fro tree to tree. And then thay bene calde Brawncheris. And then it is time for to take hem ? And .vij. nighttis be fore saynt Margaritis day &? .vij. nightis after is beste takyng of spare hawkes.

How ?e shall deme?n ?ow ? tak?ng of hawkis & with wat instrum?tis & how ?e shall kide them

Who so wi?? take hawkes he must haue nettis wich ben kalled vrines and tho must be made of good small threde. and it hade need to be died other green or blwe for espieng of thee hawke. and he most take with hym neede?? and threde to ensile the hawkes that ben takien. And in this maner they must be ensiled. Take the neede?? and threde: and put it thorow the ouer igh lid and so of that other. and make hem fast vnder the beke: thatt she se neuer a dee?? and then s?e is ensiled as she awthe to be. Sum vsen to ensile hem with the needer igh lidde a bone the beke on the hede almost: bot that is the wors way For of reeson the ouer igh lidde closith more iustly then the nether be cause of the largenesse. When she is ensiled then bere thi hawke home on thi fiste and cast hir on a perch and let hir stande ther a night and a day and on that other day towarde eeuen. then take and cut eseli the thredes and take hem a way softeli for brekyng of the lyddis of the ighen. Then softe and faire begynne to fede her. and fair fare with her ti?? s?e wi?? sitte wee?? vppon the fist. For it is drede for hurtyng of hir wengys. And then thessame night after the fedyng wake her a?? nyght and the morow a?? day. Then shee wi?? be preui Inowgh to be reclamed. And the first meete that she sha?? eete: lett it be hoot. and yeue her Inough ther of

Whan ?owre hawke ma? be draw to recla?me and the maner of hir d?ette

And if yowre hawke be harde pennyd: she may be drawne to be reclaymed For a?? the while that she is tender pennyd: she is not habu?? to be reclaymed ? And if she be a Goshawke or Terce?? that sha?? be reclaymed euer fede hym with was?e meete at the drawyng. and at the reclaymyng. bot loke that hit be hoote. and in this maner was?e it. Take the meet and go to the water and strike it vpp and downe in the water. and wringe the waater owte. and fede hir ther with and she be a brawncher. And if it bene an Eyesse thow most was? the meete clenner then ye doo to the brawncher. and with a linne cloth wipe it and fede hir. And euermore the thrid day yeue her castyng when she is fleyng if she be a Goshawke or Terce?? in this maner: Take new blanket cloth and cut .v. pelettis therof of an inche longe. And take the fles? and cutt .v. morceilis: and withe a knyues poynt make an hoole in eueri morce??. and put therin the pellettis of cloth. and take a fair dis? with water and put hem therin. Then take the hawke and yeue her a morce?? of hoote meete the mowntenawns of halfe hir soo?. Then take hit that lyth in the waa?. and fede hir for a?? nyght.

How ?e shall fede ?owre hawke. and to knawe hir infirmiteis. & ther bene mon? diueris of them

If yowre hawke be a spare hawke: euer fede hir with vnwasc? meet and looke that hir castyng be plumage. than looke that it be cleyn vnder the perch. and in the morow ye shal fynde the castyng vnder the perch. and ther ye sha?? knowe whether the hawke be clene or noo. For sum gobbit wi?? be yolow and sum greene. and sum glaymous. and sum cleere And if itt be yolow she engenderith the frounce. the wych is an eue?? that wi?? riese in the mowothe or in the cheke. And if it be grene. she engenderith the Ry. The condicion of this eue?? is this. it wil arise in the hede and make the hede to swe??. &? the iyen a?? glaymous. and dyrke? and bot it haue helpe: it wi?? downe in to the legges. and maake the legges to rancle. and if it goo fro the legges in to the hede a gayne. thi hawke is bot loost. And if it be glaymous and roping she engenderith an eue?? callid the Cray. that is whan an hawke may not muteyse

Merke wele ?owre medicines here folow?ng

? A medicine for the frounce ? the mowth

Take a siluer spoone and put the sma?? ende in the fyre ti?? it be hoote. Then let holde the hawke and oppyn hir beke and brin the soore and anoynte it with the mary of a goose that hathe lyne longe. and she sha?? be hoole. And if the frounce be wex as greete as a note. Than ther is a grubbe ther in. and then thow most cutt it with a Rasure in this maner. Lette hoolde the hawke: and slitte ther the soore is. and thew shalte fynde ther as it ware the mawe of a pegeon. Take it owte a?? hoole. and take a payre of sheeris and cutt the hoole of the soore. and make it as fayre as ye may with a lynne cloth. and wipe clene the bloode a way. and anoynt the soore with bawme .iiii. dais arewe and afterwarde with papylyen. ti?? it be hoole.

? how the frounce comm?the.

The frounce commyth whan a man fedith his hawke withe Porke or cattis fles? .iiii. days to geyder.

? how the R? comm?the.

For defawte of hoote meete this sekenese the Ry commyth.

? how the Cra? comm?the.

The Cray commyth of was? meete the wich is was? withe hoote water in the defawte of hoote meete. Also it commythe of thredis the wtch ben in the fles? that the hawke is fedde with. For though thow pike the fles? neuer so clene. yit thow shalte fynde thredes ther in.

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