UC-NRLF B M 7D3 133 ^^^^H&x ^K^«i^ ^H HP/j| ^^^ \ -^ ^H^ ■'C. '^ ^^wk ^^^^muS^^^*'^^*^~ ^J^^^^lL— -=:33!§S fl^H PK^ H -^^^ ^(t'li p ^'1^^ T^V / '^-' >5^-^ > / ^^ ^^/^ //' S' /, THE PICTORIAL PRESS. XT. S '« g S 5 § P THE PICTOEIAL PEESS ITS ORIGIN AND PROGRESS. J!Y MASON. JA('KSON^ Mxth &m lumbrcb ai.t) 4fitlg IHusirations. LONDON : HURST AND BLACKETT. PUBLISHERS. 13 GREAT MARLBOROUGH STREET. 1885. .411 Eights reserved. '> ^^i^ SCHOOL NOTE. Some of the chapters of this book in a coudeused form were published a few years ago in the Illustrated London News, and my acknowledgments are due to the proprietors of that journal for permission to reprint such of the woodcuts as accompanied the text in that form. I have also to thank them for their courtesy in allowing me to use several other engravings from the Illustrated London Neivs, including some from the early numbers, which must now be reckoned among the curiosities of the Pictorial Press. M.J. a 3 250246 CONTENTS. CHAPTER 1 1 The Pictorial Taste Universal — The Early ' News-books ' — Development of the Newspaper Press— General use of News- papers — Establishment of Illustrated Journals — Wandering Ballad-Singers the First Newsvendors — The English Mercurie of i5g8 — The Abolition of the Star Chamber and its Effect on the Press. CHAPTER II 8 Illustrated Broadsides — Sir Francis Drake's Operations against the Spaniards — Papers of News in the Eeign of James I. — The first Periodical Newspaper published in England — Illustrated Tracts relating to Storms and Floods — Remarkable Murders favourite subjects with the early News- waiters — JNIurder of the Rev. Mr. Storre — Murder in Cornwall — Apparition of Three Skeletons — Visions in the Air — Attempt on the Life of the Duke of Buckmgham — Fall of Meteors at Bawlkin Green, Berkshire — The Swedish Intelligencer — Passage of the River Leek by Gustavus Adolphus— The SaUee Rovers— The WeeMij News of 1638, an Illustrated Paper— The Irish Rebelhon of 1641— The Plague in London — Murder on board an English Ship — The Eari of Strafford— His Execution on Tower HiU— Arch- bishop Laud — A Burlesque Play about him — Attack by the Mob on Lambeth Palace— Caricature of the Devil offering Laud a Cardinal's Hat. CHAPTER III 63 Ben Jonson's Ridicule of the Early Newspapers — Fond- ness of the Old News -Writers for the Marvellous — The Smithfield Ghost— The Wonderful AVhale — The Newbury Witch— Satirical Tracts and Caricatures at the Commence- X Contents. PAGE ment of the Civil War — Religion Tossed in a Blanket — Caricatures of the Pope and the Bishops — Pluralists and Pa- tentees — Taylor, the Water Poet — Mercurius Aulicus — Ac- tivit}^ of the Pamphleteers — Welshmen Satirised — Satires on Prince Rupert — On the King and Queen — The Ladies' Par- liament — Illustrated Tracts relating to Social and PoUtical Subjects— Sir Kenelm Digby's Duel — The King entertained by the City of London, 1G41 — Executions in 1641 — The Liquor Traffic and Sunday Closing in 1641— Abuses of the Ecclesi- astical Courts — Ritualism and Nunneries in 1641 — Truths enforced by Lieing— Stage Players and the Plague in 1641 — Bartholomew Fair in 1641 — Destruction of Charing Cross and Cheapside Cross — Strange Apparition — Method of enforcing their Views adopted by the Puritan Pamphleteers — Parodies of Roundhead Sermons — Matthew Hopkins the AVitch-finder —The Welsh Post of 1643— William Lilly the Astrologer- Three Suns seen in London on the King's Birthday. CHAPTER IV 108 The Civil War — Flying Sheets of News — Disturbance at Kingston-on-Thames — Plot against London — Riotous Pro- ceedings at York, and Conspiracy in Edinburgh — The House of Commons — The Royal Standard raised at Nottingham — Battle of EdgehiU — Prince Rupert — The Lord Mayor of London — Mercurius Civicus — The Scottish Dove — The Flt/ijic/ Post — The Kinr/doines Weekly Post — Cruelties of the Cavaliers — The ' Levellers '—The King's Escape from Oxford — Funeral of the Earl of Essex — The Great Seal Broken — Fairfax — CromweU — Sea Fight in the Channel — The Prince of Wales's Squadron — Mutiny at Norwich — Siege of Colchester — Exe- cution of Sir Charles Lucas — The King at Carisbrooke Castle — Execution of the King — Confession of Richard Brandon. CHAPTER V 153 Decrease of Newspapers after the Civil War — Mercurius Democritus—The Faithful Pctst—Tha Politique PoaY— Broad- sides for the People — The Hollow Tree at Hampstead — Prodigious Monster taken in Spain — The Restoration — Trial of the Regicides — Execution of the Regicides — Licenser of the Press appointed — Popular Taste for the Supernatural — Apparition in the Air in Holland — Revival of iMercurius Civicus — Murder of Archbishop Sharpe — The Liyal Pro- testant — Frost Fair on the Thames — Monmouth's Rebellion — The Bloody Assizes — Funeral of Queen Mary, Consort of William 111. — Increase of Newspapers after the Revolution. Contents. xi PAGE CHAPTER VI 1-^0 Constant Attempts at Illustrated News — Increase of Caricatures— The Postman, 1704 — Fierj' Apparition in the Air, seen in London — Caricature against the Jacobites — The South-Sea Bubhle — Eclipse of the Sun, 17:24— The Gmh Street Journal an Illustrated Paper — The Daibj Post — Admiral Vernon's Attack on Porto Bello— The Penny London Post — YLemj Fieldino- and the Jacobite's Journal — Oicen's Weekly Chronicle— Lloyd's Evening Post, and the Trial of Lord Byron for the Murder of Mr. Chaworth— The St. James's Chronicle — Illustrated Account of a Strange Wild Beast seen in France — The Gentleman's Journal of Anthony Motteux— The Gentlemar^s Magazine of Edward Cave— The London Magazine — The Scot's Magazine. CHAPTER VII --^is Revival of Wood-engraving by Thomas Bewick — The Observer started, 1791 — The Times an Illustrated Paper — Illustrations of News in the Observer —'Qt. Helena and Napoleon Bonaparte — Abraham Thornton and the 'Assize of Battle' — Mr. William Clement and Illustrated Journalism —The Cato Street Conspiracy— Trial of Queen Caroline — The House of Commons in 1821 — Coronation of George IV. —Royal Visits to Ireland and Scotland — Murder of Mr. ■VVeare— Illustrations of the Murder in the Morning Chronicle, the Observer, and the Englishman — Bell's Life in London — Prize-Fight at Warwick — Listen as 'Paul Pry '—' Gallery of Comicalities,' &c. — Pierce Egans Life in iowJon— Death of the Duke of York — Death of Mr. Canning— Opening of Hammersmith Bridge, 1827 — Mr. Gurney's Steam Coach — The Thames Tunnel— The Murder in the Red Barn— The Siamese Twins— Death of George IV.— Opening of New London Bridge, 18.31 — Coronation of Wilham IV. and Queen Adelaide — Fiescbi's Infernal Machine — Funeral of William IV.— Queen Victoria's First Visit to the City— Coronation and Marriage of the Queen — Christening of the Prince of Wales— The WeeUy Chronicle— 1\\e Greenacre Murder— Mr. Cocking and his Parachute — The Courtney Riots at Canterbury — Burning of the Tower of London, 1841 — The Sunday Times — Burning of the Houses of Parliament, 1834 — The Chaminon — T:]i& Weelcly Herald— The Magnet— 'Re- moving the Body of Napoleon L— The Penny Magazine — Charles Knight — Humorous Journalism of the Victorian Era. xii Contents. PAGE CHAPTER VIII 284 The Illustrated London Neics — The Early- Numbers — The Burning of Hamburg — Facetious Advertisements — Bal Masque at Bucldngham Palace — Attempted Assassination of the Q,ueen— The Queen's First Trip by Railway — First Royal Visit to Scotland — PoUtical Portraits — R. Cobden — Lord John Russell — Benjamin Disraeli — The French Revolution, lS48_The Great Exhibition, 1851— The Crimean War — Coloured Pictures — Christmas Numbers — Herbert Ingram — The Pictorial Times — Other Illustrated Journals. CHAPTER IX 315 How an Illustrated Newspaper is Produced — Wood-En- o-raving — Boxwood — Blocks for Illustrated Newspapers — Rapid Sketching — Drawing on the Block — Method of Dividing the Block for Engraving — Electro typing — Development of the Printing Machine — Printing Woodcuts — Machinery for Fold- ing Newspapers — Special Artists — Their Dangers and Diffi- culties — Their Adventui-es in War and Peace. CHAPTER X 355 Artists who have assisted in founding the Pictorial Press —Sir John Gilbert, R.A., G. H. Thomas, and others— Wood- Engraving and its Connexion with the Pictorial Press — Other Methods of producing Illustrations — Wood-Engraving in England before and after Bewick's time — Its wide Diffusion owing to the kindred Art of Printing — The resources of the Art developed by Pictorial Newspapers — Conclusion. News- papers a Necessity of Civilised Life — The Acta Diurna of the Romans — Early Newspapers in Venice, Germany, and the Low Countries — List of Illustrated Newspapers published Abroad. THE PICTOEIAL PRESS: ITS OEIGIN AND PROGHESS. CHAPTER I. The Pictorial Taste Universal — The Early 'News-hooks' — Development of the Newspaper Press — General use of Newspapers — Establishment of Illustrated Journals — Wandering Ballad Singers the First News- vendors — The English Mer curie of 1588 — The Abolition of the Star Chamber and its Effect on the Press. The inlierent love of pictorial representation in all races of men and in every age is manifest by the frequent attempts made to depict natural objects, under the most unfavourable circumstances and with the slenderest means. The rude drawing scratched on the smooth bone of an animal by the cave-dweller of pre-historic times, the painted rocks of the Mexican forests, and the cave-paintings of the Bushmen, are all evideaces of this deeply-rooted passion. The child of civilised life looks with delight on his picture- book long before he can make out the letters of the alphabet, and the untutored Esquimaux treasures up the stray number of an illustrated newspaper left in his hut by the crew of some whaling ship, though he cannot understand one word of the printed page. But the pictures speak a universal language, M-hich requires no teaching to comprehend. When the printing-press came into use this love of pictures had a wide field for development. Some of the first ^ 2 ' The Picldrial Press : books printed in England were illustrated with woodcuts, and many of the tracts, or ' News-books,' which preceded regular newspapers, were adorned with rude engravings. It mattered not how graphic was the pen, its work was deemed incomplete without the aid of the pencil. It often happened that the pen was none the better for the fellowship, but the public taste Avas not fastidious, and the work sufficed for the occasion. In tracing the origin and progress of pictorial journalism we shall find in 'the abstracts and brief chronicles of the time ' many curious illustrations of contemporary history. The subject is not without interest now that the illustrated newspaper has become a prominent feature in the journalism of every country. The development of the newspaper press and its unre- stricted use as the exponent of public opinion is one of the most interesting signs of modern progress. When we con- sider the liberty of thought and action that prevails in our own day, it is difficult to believe that our forefathers were liable to the pillory and other degrading punishments when they ventured to publish their opinions without first obtaining the sanction of the ruling powers. We are accustomed to the daily exercise of the right which cost Prynne his ears and brought fines and imprisonment on Defoe. Newspapers have become almost as necessary to our daily life as bread itself. The mind demands its breakfast as well as the body ; and to many a busy man the loss of his morning paper would be as great a deprivation as the want of his usual matutinal meal. In London, and in all our great centres of population, the newspaper has become the imfailing accompaniment of the City man's journey to business. At the railway stations journals of every kind tempt the loitering passenger, while the illustrated papers appeal to him in a language of their own. Whether in the railway carriage, the omnibus, or the steam-boat, the newspaper is eagerly conned, and its contents form the food of conversation. Most of these newspapers are cast aside at the end of the twenty minutes' or half hour's Its Oi'iijlii and Progress. 3 journey ; and then, at second hand, they amuse the leisure moments of the railway porter, or, better still, they are collected together, and perhaps serve to solace the sick poor during many lingering hours in hospitals and refuges. Day by day the demand is made, and the supply is ready. The printing-machine never sleeps and is never tired. Its voice is one of the voices of the night — most unmusical, yet with a mysterious meaning. The daily newspaper, so potent in diffusing the light of knowledge, is itself the offspring of darkness. The busy brains and active fingers which create it turn night into day in the execution of their quickly recurring tasks, and with unflagging energy they labour on, that the slumbering world may be properly amused and instructed when it wakes. The intelligent foreigner who happens to reach our southern coast on a Monday morning in summer or autumn, and travels to London by one of the early trains, is as- tonished, when the train stops, to see most of the gentlemen rush from the carriages and surround a small boy, whom they appear to hustle and threaten with violent gesticulations. The boy appears to buy off the hostility of his assailants by dealing out to each a paper, which he takes from a large bundle under his arm, and with which the appeased passenger returns to his carriage. Cries of ' Times ! Daily News ! Telegraph! Standard! — Here, give us one — anything !' reach the ears of the wondering stranger, who beholds the boy at length take refuge in an empty railway carriage on the opposite side of the platform, and from that place of vantage he continues to deal out the mysterious papers. After a time the intelligent foreigner learns that these are the London papers of that morning, which are sent out to meet the trains, and are eagerly bought by the gentlemen who have been spending from Saturday to Monday at the seaside, and, having fasted from all newspapers during that time, they are now of course famishing for news. Such is their eagerness that politics are thrown to the winds. The Con- servative will put up with a Liberal newspaper rather than 4 The Pictorial Presf^ : have none at all ; and lie whoso ill luck or inertness has left him without the coveted sheet is glad to borrow of his neigh- bour, that he may not be walking in the darkness of ignorance when he arrives at his place of business. As the train moves off, the intelligent foreigner, if he thrusts his head out of the carriage window, may behold in the distance the newsboy pensively counting his gains and endeavouring to make his receipts tally with the number of papers that have vanished. One of the most remarkable phases of newspaper history has been the establishment of illustrated journals. Though this idea, in an immature form, is as old as the newspaper itself, yet it was never fully developed till the late Mr. Herbert Ingram brought out the Illustrated London Ne?cs in 1842. Since that time the removal of the newspaper stamp and the repeal of the paper duty have imparted a freedom and a vigour to newspaper enterprise previously unknoMn. Journals of all kinds have sprung into existence, and cheajj- ness has become the rule. Penny and even halfpenny papers compete with the leading journals in activity and enterprise. No expense is spared in obtaining the earliest and most authentic intelligence. Correspondents are sent to every part of the world where any information is to be gleaned, and the presence of the news2:>aper ' Special ' is now expected at every great event. Each class has its organ, and ' he who runs may read,' When we consider the immense amount of printed matter that is published every day by the newspapers, we cannot but wonder at the public appetite. And this appetite is fed from one year to another upon a diet that is only varied when there occurs a war, a revolution, an unusually disastrous shipwreck, or a murder of uncommon atrocity. Then the monotony of ordinary life gives place to the temporary ex- citement. There is a run upon the newspapers, which are as susceptible as barometers, and rise or fall according to the state of public feeling. The calamities of nations and the misfortunes of individuals are sources of protit and prosperity to the newspaper. Its Origin and Progress. 5 It was a happy idea to gather togetlier the principal events of the week, to illustrate them with authentic pictures, and place them before the public in the form of a pictorial newspaper. Considering the great cost of production, and the restrictions under which newspapers lay at that time, to say nothing of the difficulty of bringing out news with ap- propriate illustrations, so that both should be fresh, the lUufitrated London JVeics was a bold undertaking. Like most things that are successful, it soon had many imitators, and there are now few large cities in the civilised world that have not their illustrated newspapers. But the full development of illustrated journalism was immediately preceded by many significant symptoms. Several of the then existing newspapers, on the occurrence of any unusual or interesting event, introduced into their pages rough woodcut illustrations. A great fire — a remarkable murder — a fatal balloon ascent — these were the subjects seized upon at the moment to satisfy the public craving for illustrated news. All this seems to have been the working of an impulse or instinct which existed even before the days of newspapers ; for, as I shall presently show, attempts were made to illustrate the news of the hour in tracts or ' News- books' before the beginning of regular newspapers in Eng- land. The idea of illustrated journalism may be traced from the earliest years of the seventeenth century to 1842, the date of the first number of the lUustratcd London News. The art of wood-engraving had fallen very low in the seventeenth century, and the illustrations to be found in early newspapers are mostly of a very rude description ; but they show the existence of a germ which eventually grew into full and flourishing life. The English newspaper, like many other great inventions, was a thing of gradual growth. The news that was sung or recited by wandering ballad- singers at the village cross, or in the court-yard of the squire's mansion, and the written news- letter furnished to the wealthy aristocracy, were the precur- sors of the early news-books and the periodical sheets of news. 6 The Pictorial Press : As the art of printinj^ extended, many of tlie productions of the press assumed the character of news to attract readers. Sermons, satires, and travels, were all put forward under the name of nocH, and sometimes a single grain of truth was deemed sufficient to leaven a whole bushel of fiction. Most of these publications were small tracts, and published at irregular intervals. Some of them were adorned Avith engra- vings on the title-pages, which show that even at this early period the authors or printers of these papers were imbued with the pictorial spirit. The idea of illustrating current events had already taken root, and we find examples of it long before the establishment of regular newspapers. The earliest form of the newspaper is known to have come into existence during times of war and tumult, and it was for a long time believed that the first English newsj)aper was brought forth under similar circumstances. But when the EiiglisJi, Mercuric of 1588 was proved to be a forger}', the enthusiast in newspaper history received a heavy blow and sad discouragement. It seemed so highly probable, when this country was threatened M^ith the descent of the Spanish Armada, that something like a newspaper might have sprmig into existence, that people were only too ready to adopt the imposture. When the whole nation was greatly excited and anxious to learn something about the reality of their danger, nothing was more natural than for the sagacious minister of Queen Elizabeth to appeal to the people through the printing- press, and by its means endeavour to calm the public mind by circulating printed sheets of intelligence, ' for the contra- diction of false reports.' But we were compelled to admit that Lord Burleigh had missed his opportunity, and neg- lected to use the most powerful means for exciting the pati'iotism or allaying the fears of his countrymen. The author of this remarkable imposition showed great skill and acutencss in constructing his false newspaper, and fixing the date of its supposed publication. The forgery has been attri- buted to Lord Ilardwick ; but what were his motives it is difficult to understand. Unlike Chattertou and Ireland, he //.^' Origin and Progre.s.^. 7 never brougiit his imposture before the world, and if he intended it merely for an antiquarian Jeti-d' esprit he had the enjoyment of the joke entirely to himself. The abolition of the Star Chamber, in 1641, was an im- portant event for the press of this country. The so-called newspapers then began to print English news and discuss home aifairs, no longer dreading the fines, imprisonments, and mutilations, that had been so liberally dispensed by that obnoxious tribunal. There was not, however, any consider- able increase in the number of newspapers till the Civil War reached its height. During that remarkable contest many hundreds of tracts and newspapers were published, some of them numbered consecutively and published at regular intervals ; but the great majority bore no continuous title, and treated of one subject only. During the reigns of Charles II. and James II. the press was more or less under a censorship, from which it was not eraancij)ated till the seventh year of William III. Lord Macaulay dates the commencement of English newspapers from this period, when a great many new journals made their appearance. They included political news amongst their contents ; and they more nearly resembled in character, but not in appear- ance, what we now understand by a newspaper than anything that had preceded them. This press revival was not accom- panied by any corresponding activity in the direction of pictorial illustration. Art of every kind was in a low con- dition in England at this time. Even if the art of popular illustration had been better understood, the means of pro- duction were exceedingly limited. Newspapers multiplied greatly, but illustrated journalism had to struggle with diffi- culties, and its existence was only made known by the occasional appearance of a rough woodcut or an indifferent copper-plate. The Pictorial Press CHAPTER II. Illustrated Broadsides — Sir Francis Drake's Operations against the Spaniards — Papers of News in the Reign of James I. — The first Periodical Newspaper published in England — Illustrated Tracts re- lating to Storms and Floods — Remarkable Murders favourite subjects with the early Newswriters — Murder of the Rev. Mr, Storre — Murder in Cornwall— Apparition of Three Skeletons— Visions in the Air — Attempt on the Life of the Duke of Buckingham — Fall of IMeteors at Bawlkin Green, Berkshire— The Swedish Intelligencer— I'assage of the River Leek by Gustavus Adolphus — The Sallee Rovers— The Weekly News of 1G38, an Illustrated Paper— The Irish Rebellion of 1641— The Plague in London — Murder on board an English Ship — The Earl of Strafford — His Execution on Tower Hill — Archbishop Laud— A Burlesque Play about him — Attack by the Mob on Lambeth Palace— Caricature of the Devil offering Laud a Cardinal's Hat. Before, and for a long time after, the general use of news- papers, illustrated broadsides were published relating to par- ticular events, or satirising the vices and follies of the period. In a broadside adorned with a woodcut representing Death and Time, and entitled, The Doleful Dance, and Song of Death, allusion is made to the 'Fatal Assizes' of Oxford, when three hundred persons, including the High Sheriff, died of a dis- temper, which was supposed to have originated among the prisoners. A sheet of a later date refers to the Spanish Armada and the Gunpowder I'lot ; while a third, entitled, Tittle -Tattk, &c., satirises the gossiping habits of the fair sex, and contains many illustrations of manners, costume, and character. Such were the publications that did duty for newspapers in the days of Queen Elizabeth, whose subjects, however, were not left wholly without information as to passing events. In 1587 there was published an illustnited tract giving an account of the doings of Sir Francis Hrako, Its Origin and Progress. 9 who was employed by Queen Elizabeth to harass the Span- iards in their harbours, and hinder them in their prepara- tions for invading England. These operations, which Drake himself described as ' singeing the King of Spain's beard,' delayed the sailing of the Armada, and gave Elizabeth time to prepare for defence. The tract referred to is entitled, ' The true and perfect Neices of the icorthy and raliint exploytes per- THE VALIANT EXPLOITS OF SIR FRANCIS DRAKE, 1587. formed and done by that caliant Knight Syr Frauncis Drahe ; Not only at Sancto Domingo, and Carthagena, hut also noire at Cales, a)id upon the Coast of Spay ne, 1587. Printed at London, tjy J. CJiarlcwood, for Thomas Hackett.' There is an account, in verse, written by one Thomas Greepe, of the doings of Sir Francis Drake and other sea captains. The author tells his reader, ' Here hast thou, gentle Reader, set forth unto thee the most worthy and valiant exploytes and enterpryses, lately atchieved and done bj^ that valiant Knight Syr Frauncis Drake & others not pend in lofty verse, nor curiously handled, but playnly and truly, so that it may be well understood of the iO The ridorhd Press : Reader.' There is no attempt made to illustrate the events related in the tract, but on the title-page there is a wood- cut of a ship in full sail, which was perhaps intended to represent the admiral's own vessel. I have reproduced it on a reduced scale, as an early specimen of marine draughtsman- ship. Thomas Greepe commences his poem with the following rhapsody : — ' Triumph, England, and rejoice, And prayse thy God incessantly For this thy Queene, that pearle of choyce, Which God doth blesse with victory ! In countryes strange, both farre and neere, All raging foes her force doth feare. Yee worthy wights that doo delighte To heare of Novels strange and rare, What valors, woone by a famous knight, May please you marke I shall declare. Such rare exploytes performde and done As none the like hath ever woone.' He gives a list of the ships under Drake's command : — ' Twenty-five ships were then preparde, Fifteene Pinnaces, brave and fine, Well furnished for his safe garde. Preventing foes that would him tyne. With Masters good and Marriners rare As ever tooke charge, I dare compare. The Boiiairiifiirp, a ship royall, Chcefe Admirall then of the fleete, Sir Frauncis Drake, cheefe Generall, As by desertes he was most meeto. Most worthy Captaynes of hand and heart In this boon voyage then tooke hys part. Its Origin and Progress. 11 The Primrose next, Vice-Admirall, Appoyntecl by thyre best device, Captayne Frobisher, Yice-Generall — A valiant Captayne, ware and wvse. Capta^-ne Carelell they did ordayne Lieftenant-Generall on the ma^-ne.' The poem thus winds up : — ' God save our Queene of merry England, His sacred word long to maintaine ; Her Graces Navie and royall bande, Through his good Grace, may long remaine. Lord blesse her counsell, and keepe them aye "With all true subjects night and day. Finis, quoth Thomas Greepe.' This curious poem is supplemented by a letter, written by Sir Francis Drake, ' To the right reverende, godly, learned Father, my very good friend, M. John Fox, preacher of the word of God.' This was John Fox, the Martyrologist, who died in 1587. The letter proceeds : ' Mister Fox, whereas we have had of late such happy successe against the Spanyardes, I do assure myselfe that you have faithfully remembered us in your good prayers, and therefore I have not forgotten, breefly to make you partaker thereof. The 19. of Aprill we arrived within the road of Calles, where we found XQYj many shipping, but amongst the rest 32 of ex- ceeding burden, lade and to be laden with provision, and prepared to furnish the King's Navie, intended with all speede against England, the which when we had boorded, and also furnished our severall ships with provision as we thought sufficient, wee burnt ; and although by the space of two dayes and two nights that we continued there, we were still endangered, both with thundering shott from the towne, and assailed with the roaring Cannons of twelve galleys ; yet we suncke two of them, and one great Argosey, and still avoyded them with very small hurt, and so at our departure 12 TJie Pictorial Press : we brought away foure ships of provision, to the great terror of our enemies, and honour to ourselves, as it may appeare by a most curteous Letter written unto me with a Flagge of truce by Duke Petro, Generall of the Galleys. But whereas it is most certayne that the king doth not onely make speedy preparation in Spayne, but likewise expected a very great Fleete from the Straytes, and divers other places, that should joyne with his forces to invade England ; we purpose to sette apart all foare of danger, and by Gods furtherance to proceed by all the good means we can devise to prevent their coming ; wherefore I shall desire you to continue faithfull in remembrance of us in your prayers that our purpose may take that good effect, as God may be glori- fied, his Church, our Queene and country, preserved, and these enemies of the trueth utterly vanquished, that we may have continuall peace in Israel. Fro aboord her Majesties good ship the Elizabeth Bonavcnture. ' Your loving f reende, and f aythf ull Sonne in Christ Jesus, ' Fralncis Drake.' In the reign of James I. papers of news began to be pub- lished, but they only appeared occasionally, and were chiefly devoted to foreign intelligence. In 1619 we have 'Newes out of Holland,' followed by others in 1620, 1621, and 1622. These occasional tracts were afterwards converted into a regular weekly publication, entitled the ' Wcehly Neics,' printed by J. D. for Nichs. Bourne and T. Archer. This was the first periodical newspaper published in England. But long before this many illustrated tracts and pamphlets Avere published relating to events of recent occurrence. In one dated 1607 occurs the earliest instance I have met with of an attempt to illustrate the news of the day. It is entitled ' Wofall Nciven from Wales, or the lameittalile toss of divers Villages and Parishes {hi/ a straiuje and a-onderfnl Floud) ici/hiii the Coantije of Monmouth in Wales : ivhieh happened in January lust past, 1607, n-hereh;/ a great number of his Majesties subjects inhabiting in these jnirts are utterly undone.' Its Origin and Progress. 13 The -writer of tills news-book describes the flood, and then, taking it for his text, preaches a sermon upon it. It is printed in Old English, and is plentifully interspersed with pious exhortations and scriptural references. It has on the title a woodcut, a fac-simile of which is given on the next page. This interesting little tract has a preface, in which the author explains the difficulty he felt in producing it in the short time that was allowed him for the purpose : — ' Reader, when these newes were brought, and an importunitie used to me that I would give the same forme, and bestow an exhor- tation on them, I was unwilling, both in regard of that short space (of lesse than one day which was limited to undertake the matter) and also in respect of the usual unfaithfulness of men ordinarily in reporting of such accidents as these bee ; whereby it often falleth out that the relation of them reapeth much discredit. But when I could not have these just ex- cuses taken, I began and finished this businesse, as the shorte space wold permit me.' The old story of the child washed away in a cradle, so often related as having occurred in great floods, and which Mr. Millais has immortalised in one of his pictures, is here told probably for the first time : — ' Another little childe is affirmed to have bene cast upon land in a Cradle, in which was nothing but a Catte, the which was discerned, as it came floating to the shore, to leape still from one side of the Cradle unto the other, even as if she had been appointed steersman to preserve the small barke from the waves' furie.' Another tract of the same date is illustrated with a wood- cut similar to the one here copied, but it has in addition several more figures, including a cradle with a child in it floating on the water. This tract is entitled ' A true report of ccvtaine iconderful overflowings of waters now lately in Sum- mersetshire, Norfolk, and other places in England, destroying many thousands of men, women, and children, overthrowing and hearing downe whole townes and villages, and drowning inflnite numbers of sheepe and other cattle.' It is written in the The Pictorial Press. 15 same sermonising style, beginning by calling men to repent, and to take warning from these signs of God's anger. Then follows the narrative. The inundation was caused by an irruption of the sea, and many incidents are related of the flood. Here the cradle story is again told : — ' An infant likewise was found swimming in a cradle, some mile or two fro' ye place where it was known to be kept, and so was preserved ; for the cradle was not of wicker, as ours are here, but of strong, thicke hordes, closely joynted together, and that saved the infant's life.' This narrative of the Somersetshire flood was reprinted in another tract with 'An Addition of other and more strange Accidents happening by these Flouds, and brought to light since the first publishing of this Booke.' This second edition is illustrated with the identical woodcut that is used in the tract relating the floods in AVales. The two tracts recounting the Somerset- shire floods were ' printed at London by W. I. for Edward White, and are to be sold at the signe of the Gunne, at the North doore of Paides.' That describing the flood in Wales was ' printed for W. W., and are to be sold in Paules Church- yarde at the sign of the Grey-hound.' In those days printers frequently combined the functions of engraver and printer ; and as regards the tracts under notice, we must conclude that the printer supplied each of his customers with the same woodcut, or that the booksellers of the time were in the habit of lending their woodcuts to each other. , / Storms, floods, and burnings were favourite themes with'' the early newswriters, and several illustrated tracts exist describing such calamities. They are more or less inter- spersed with pious exhortations, but the narrative is rarely allowed to flag, and every incident is minutely described.*' There is 'Woeful newes from the West parts of England of the burning of Tiverton,' 1612 ; and a small quarto pamphlet of 1613, printed in old English, affords another good example of this kind of news. It is entitled — it will be observed how fond the old newswriters were of alliterative titles — ' The Wonders of this icindie winter, by terrible stormes and tempests, 16 Tlie Pictorial Preys: to Jte hsse of Uvea and goods of man// thousands of men, women, and children. The like by Sea and Land hath not been seene nor heard of in this age of the world. London. Printed by G. Eld for John Wright, and are to be sold at his Shop neere Christ- Church dore. 1613.' On the title-page is a woodcut, a cop)'' of whicli is annexed. GREAT STOUM, 1613. The tract opens very much in the manner of a sermon, and declares the dreadful occurrences related are intended to * move sinful mankind to repentance and newnesse of life.' It then goes on to describe * that within these three fore-passed months of October, November, and December, the devouring gulfcs of the Sea hath swallowed up above two hundred saile of ships, as well of our own Country as of It^ Orhjln and Progress. 17 nci"-libouring Xations, with great store of passengers, sea- faring men, and owners of the same, adventuring their dear lives in the managing of the aforesaid ships, with all their goods, and merchandizes, making for our country all lost ; yea, all, I say, in these three fore-passed months, hath been lost and drenched in the deep vaults of this watery world, a thing both lamentable and fearfull, that in so short a time, nay, in a small part of the yeare, even in an instant, so many heavy mischances should happen, and so many worthy vessels of adventure miscarrie, which had bin sufficient (if goodspeed had prevailed) to have inricht a whole Citie and bettered a kingdome ; but such is the will of God, and such is His just indignation against us. ' By certification from men of good accompt and calling, it is reported and knowne for truth, that in the month of October last, a fleete of fourteene sa3'le of ships making from Newcastle towards London, laden with sea-coale and other commodities of those parts, had their passage, by the tyranny of the windes, most untimely stopt, and violently caste into the ocean's wombe, in which ships were perished to the number of a hundred and forty seafaring men, besides other passengers, both of men and women, which at that time made their watery graves in the deepe sea. This first strooke feare into the hearts of people, which hath been since seconded with many calamities, which lieth heavy upon the heart of the reporter.' The writer then goes on to relate that between ' Dover and Calice there hath been found floating upon the waters in one weeke of fowle weather above seven hundred drowned persons of divers nations, as of English, Dutch, French, and Spanish, with parts and parcels of many splitted ships.' Further details are given at great length, and in rather a wordy manner. For instance, the writer describes the great number of women who are made widows by the disasters at sea, * besides fatherlesse children and children fatherlesse.' Several examples are related of the force of the wind. 'A man and his wife riding over Maidenhead Bridge upon one horse, by the fierceness of the c 18 The Pictorial Pre.9S. wind, were blowne beside, and there drowned both horse and all. God be merciful unto us and preserve us from all such like mischances. The like mishap befell in November last unto two Yorkshire men, as it is verified by some gentlemen of the Inns of Court and Chancery, which knew the parties, the one of them a tanner, named Francis Browne, the other a clothier, called Richard Smith, botli dwelling in a towne neere Wakefield side called Thorby ; which two countriemen falling out upon small occassions wilfully purposed to come up to London, and their put their causes of themselves to the Lawes trj'all ; yet notwithstanding came they up together, where in riding over a bridge about Bedfordshire, and con- ferrino- of their inward grudges, they were blowne both beside into the river, where, by the fierceness of the windes, they were most lamentably drowned, both horse and men ; and thus by sodaine death ended their malice, to the fear and amazement of all such as well could witness their envious proceedings. These and such like accidents may be fearful examples for the world to behold, especially for rich men, shewing to them the certaintie of life and goods subject to the chances of death and fortune, according to the saying of a worthy philosopher, "Full little thinks the man at morning; sun What hap to him befalls ere day be done." ' A great many other instances are related of the fury of the tempests, all of which the writer feels certain ' have been laid upon us for our sinnes ; ' and winds up with a pious exhortation to take warning. Another tract of the same character and date, also printed in black letter, has a larger and more elaborate woodcut on the title-page, representing sinking ships, the shore strewed with dead bodies, and on the outside of a church tower the devil is seen tlirowing down the broken steeple. The following is the address to the reader : — * Reader, I do here present unto thee and to thy under- standing (if thou hast any) some part of the lamentable 20 The Pictorial Press. losses and unrecoverable miscliances tliat tave happened by occassion of tbese late blustering stormes of winde, and au innumerable deal of rayne, the which a great many thou- sands have too true cause to beleeve. because they are sharers in the misfortimes that this outraglous weather hath caused. Now, if thou hast sustained no loss thyselfe, perhaps thou wilt not beleeve these things to be true that I have written ; but if thou wilt or doest beleeve, then pray to God that it wull please Him to give them patience that are loosers, and humilitie that are winners, and give God thanks that he hath so blessed thee that thou hast no share in these mis- haps. But if thou wilt not beleeve, goe and looke, or else reraaine still in thy unbeliefe.' A copy of the woodcut is given on the preceding page. Another pamphlet, of 1613, has the annexed woodcut, and is entitled ' Lameniahle Scivea^ aheiciiuj the Woiidcrfal De/ireraticc of JIaister Edmond Pet, Saijler, (uid Maister of a Ship, diceUing in Seothi)Hj-la)io, in London, ncere BarhiiKj Cl/iirch ; icifh other strange tilings lately hapned concerning those great irindes and teinpestiious iceather, loth at Sea and Lande. Imprinted at London by T. C, for William Barley, dwelling over against Cree CJturch, neere Algate. 1613.' It describes the wreck of a Newcastle ship on the east coast, and how ' Maister Pet,' after being exposed to the winds and waves for forty-eight hours, was rescued by a Dutch man-of- war, he being the only survivor from his ship. It will be seen the woodcut represents two seamen lowering what appears to be an arm-chair into the sea. This was probably the artist's notion of the safest and most comfortable way to rescue shipwrecked persons. The same tract relates other occurrences during the stormy weather, such as 'A man neere Bedford, being thaching a liouse, was blowne otf and kild ; trees blown up by the rootes, houses and chimnies quite blown downc,' &c. ' All which is fur our sinnes.' Remarkable murders were even more favourite subjects with the early news-writers than storms and floods, a par- 22 The Pictorial Press : tiality that has continued down to our own time. A tract of 1613 is devoted to the details of 'Three Bloodie Murders,' but it is mainly taken up with an account of the murder of the Hev. William Storre, of Market Rasen, Lincolnshire, The fidl title runs thus :— ' Three Bloodie Murders. The first committed by Francis Cartwright iijion William Storre, M. Arts Minister and Preacher at Market Rasen in the conntie of Lincolne. The second committed by Elizabeth James on the body of her Mayde, in the Parish of EgJiam in Surrie : tcho was condemned for the same fact at Sainte Margaret hill in South ivark, the 2 of July 1613, ancl lieth in the WJiite Lion till her deliverie ; discovered by a dombe Mayde and her Dogge. The third committed upon a stranger very lately near Highgate fo}ire mile from London, very strangely found out by a Dogge. Also the 2 of July 1613.' The circumstances relating to the murder of the Hev. AVilliam Storre are given at great length and with much minuteness : — ' Not long since, there happened some contro- versey between the Lords and the rest of the inhabitants of Market Baisin in the Countie of Lincolne concerning the Commons and Libertie in the To^^^le Fields ; and the matter being mooted by one of them in the Church immediately after evening prayer on a Sabaoth day, divers hot intem- perate speeches passed among them ; whereupon their Minister, whose name was Mr. Storre, much disliking so indiscreete a course, wished them to have respect both to the time and place where they were : And further advised, eeeing the cause in hand concerned a multitude, (amongst whom, some of the least government would always be the readiest to speake) that they would therefore make choice of two or three of the fittest and most substantial men, to answere and undertake for all the rest. This motion seemed to please them well, and therefore they intreated him, that he would first, as a man indifferent speake what he thought concerning the cause. But he not wishing to intermeddle in that matter, twice or thrice denied their request ; and the rather, lor that there was present one Francis Cartwright, a Its Origin and Progress. 23 young man of an unbridled humour, tlie only Soone and Heire to one of the same Lordes of the Towne, betwixt whom and himselfe, there was growne no small unkindnesse. Yet in the end being pressed thereunto by their importunities with the consent of both the parties he delivered his opinion, useing therein such discretion and reasons to confirme the same that they could not directly except against him. Not- withstanding, seeing him incline more to the right of the Freeholders and the rest of the Commons than to favour their intended purpose, they seemed to dislike his speaches, and to cavill at the same. ' 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 Pogue 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 over tooke him.' The young man attacked the clergyman, and the pamphlet gives a minute account of the dreadful wounds he inflicted 24 The Pictorial Press : 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 3IURDER OF THE KEV MR. STORRE, 1613. 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.' On the title-page of the pamphlet is a woodcut representing the murder of the Rev. Mr. Storre, which is copied above. lU Origin and Progress;. 25 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. There is a very curious and rare tract of the date of NEWS FROM PENEHTN IN CORNWALL, 1618. 1618, which describes the circumstances of another remark- able murder. It is entitled ' Newa from Perin {Penrkyn), in CormraJI, of a 7nost Bloochj and miexampled Murther very lately committed by a Father on his on-ne sonne {n-ho was lately re- turned from the Indyes), at the instigation of a mercilesse Step Mother, together icith their sererall most nretched endes, being all performed in the Month of September last, Anno 1618.' On the title-page is a woodcut representing the discovery of the murder, which is reprinted in the body of the pamphlet. Another woodcut illustrates a scene before the murder is committed, where the son hands his 26 The Pictorial Press : bag of treasure to his step-motlier. The story is a very minute historj' of a scapegrace son, who, after various adventures, returns to his father's house a penitent and reformed man. Many years having elapsed, the son is not recognised by his father, who has married a second wife and is in straitened circumstances. The son begs a night's lodffins: and resolves not to make himself known till next morninsf. In the meantime, to show that he will be able to recompense his host and hostess for their hospitality, he gives the latter a bag of gold and jewels to take care of for him till the morrow. The woman, excited by the possession of the gold, thinks how easy it would be to relieve themselves from their embarrassments by murdering their guest and keeping possession of his treasure. She urges her husband to do the deed. After many refusals he con- sents, and the father murders his own son. In the morning it is made knowTi to him who his victim is, and, in a fit of remorse and despair, he kills himself ; upon which the guilty wife also commits suicide, and the tract thus winds up : — ' And to the end it may be a warning to all covetous step mothers, and a content for all easie Fathers to avoyde the like hereafter. At the entreat}' of divers Gentlemen in the Countrey, It is as neere the life as Pen and Incke could draw it out, thus put in Print.' William Lillo, the author of George Barnicell, is said to have founded his play of ' Fatal Curiosity ' on this tract. Lillo was a prosperous London jeweller and a successful dramatic author. He depicted the harrowing details of this tragic story with great power ; and the agonies of old Wilmot, the father, constitute one of the most appalling and affecting incidents of the drama. A cui-ious black-letter tract of IGIG, which is illustrated with a fearful apparition of three skeletons, is entitled, ' Miraculous Newes from the cittw of lloldt, in the Lord-s/iip of Mu lister {in German y), the turntieth of September last pad IGIC, wherein there n-ere plainly beJiehl three dead bodi/ct> rise out of their Graves, admonishing the people of Judgements to Its Origin and Progresf<. 27 come.' Tlie truth of this miraculous news is vouched for by ' divers worthy Persons and Burgimasters of the same citty,' whose names are given. This miraculous appearance was preceded by a fearful tempest of thunder and lightning. ' When this great tempest of thunder and lightning was ceased, there was heard throughout all the parts and places of the citty a most hideous and dolefull clamour or outcry, striking terror into all the people, yet no man could perceive w^hence it came, or where this clamour should bee. The people came over all the citty after the noise, but could not finde it ; for when they were at one corner of the citty they then heard it at another ; and when they were come to that other corner there it seemed to them to be in the middle of the citty ; and to them that were in the middest it seemed farther off. So that all heard it, but none could find where it was, or from whence it came. ' At length the people assembling in the churchyard behelde there so strange and incredible judgements sent by the Lord, that for the most part the beholders fell flatt on their faces to the ground, crying loude unto the Lord for mercy. For there they beheld coming out of their graves three most ghostly and fearfull dead bodyes. 1. ' Whereof the first that was seen to arise out of the earth, seemed very white, cleaue, and cleere, who opening his mouth and beating his handes together spake thus : " Blessed be God in the highest Heaven, that our release- ment is come, for we have wayted many a hundred yeare for this time." The people hearing this fell upon their knees and prayed unto the Lord with weeping and great lamenta- tion, saying : Lord beholde us with thy merciful eyes, and let us not be overwhelmed or smothered in our sinnes. 2. ' The second dead man that arose out of the earth caused farre greater feare and trembling then the former, for the 28 The Pictorial Press beholders saw him altogether from the toppo to the toe, like unto a burning fire ; he likewise opened his mouth, and wriuffins his handes, and tearinj^ his haire, crved with a loude voyee : Repent yee. Repent yee ; Almighty God hath taken his chastising rodde in hand, to punish the people for their sinnes^ for their great wealth, for their great talke or presumptions wordes, for their pompe, and for their pride : The which the Lord will no longer suffer nor endure, for the cry and complaint of these sinnes is asended up into his eares; MIRACDLOUS NKWS FROM MUNSTER IN GERMANY, I6I6. Wherefore hee Avill destroy you with a suddaine sicknesse, and fiery Pestilence, so that you shall not have so much time as one houre, to utter one worde, to call upon God. * After this fiery apparition and threatening speech ended, there appeared likewise rising out of the grave a third dead man, grinding and gnashing his teeth together, striking his handes the one against the other, and crying with a most fearful and hideous voyee, insomuch that it seemed to all the nmllitudc there present, that the earth would certainly have rent in sunder ; and spake that all the people plainly heard Its Origin and Progress. 29 and understood his Wordes, whicK were these ; Woe, woe, woe, to the wicked ; this is the time that wee have long attended and looked for ; wherefore (ye people) looke to it, and beware lest the great day of the Lord come upon you suddainly, and fall upon you unprovided ; for the time of his comming is neerer than you thinke. ' After the uttering of these wordes, the three dead Bodyes vanished and the Graves were shut againe, the heavens be- came cleere, the Tempest ceased, and all the people being released of their present horror and feare, rejoyced, and assembling themselves together, gave glory and laude, and praise unto the Lord for his Fatherly mercy and unspeakable goodnesse, in the mitigation of his furie, and withdrawing his heavy hand for the present. And thereupon appointed a sett day of supplications, prayers, and fasting, with true and unfained Repentance to be proclaimed, and observed.' This account is supplemented by an 'apology,' setting forth that men must not be incredulous because they hear of miraculous occurrences — that God is able to bring back the age of miracles, &c. The writer evidently thought his readers might require to be strengthened by argument before they could place implicit faith in his narrative, and so he takes some pains in his ' apology ' to convince them that however unnatural and uncommon may be the appearances he relates, the wickedness of the world was a sufficient justification for this and other extraordinary events. A copy of the woodcut that illustrates this curious production is shown on the pre- ceding page. In 1620 Nathaniel Butter printed an illustrated tract entitled ' Good Newes to Chridendome, sent to a Venetian in Ligorne, from a Merchant in Alexandria, Discovering a Wonder- full and Strange Apparition, visibly scene for many dayes to- gether in Arabia over the place ichere the supposed Tunibe of Mahomet {the Tarkish Prophet) is inclosed; By ichich the learned Arabians prognosticate the Reducing and Calling of the great Turke to Christianitie. With many other Notable Accidents : But the most remarkable is the miraculous rayning of Bloud The Pictorial Press. 31 ahovf Rome.^ This tract, which is very long and discursive, relates, among other things, the apparition of a woman in the air, with a book in her hand, being the same apparition that is described at great length in a tract of 1642, which I shall quote hereafter. In the tract under notice there is a woodcut representing an army in the clouds — the clouds raining blood over a cit}' ; a woman with sword and book ; and a crowd of men below watching the aerial phenomenon. The writer, in winding up his narrative, thus addresses his reader : — ' If you cannot beleeve it as truth, j^et to make that use of it as if it were true ; and then shall you know, there is but one way to happiness, and all the predictions, prophesies, visions, apparitions, comets, inundations, stormes, tempests, famine, warre, alteration, and subversion of kingdomes, with all the cabinet of mysteries, tend to this end that premium and popiia be the mastering curbs of the world ; that is, that God hath a Magazine of judgements to inflict on the obstinate sinner with punishments : and a store- house of mercy to support the penitent soule with comfort.' In 1627 we come upon a very curious and literal example of illustrated news. In that year Charles I., having declared war against France, fitted out an expedition of a hundred sail and an army of 7000 men for the support of the Protest- ant cause in that country. The King's favourite, the self- confident and vainglorious Duke of Buckingham, took the command of the expedition, although he was totally unfit for that position. He was personally brave, but possessed no other quality of a commander. He had no knowledge or experience of the art of war, and was too proud and pre- sumptuous to be guided by the advice of others. The expe- dition was destined for Hochelle, then in possession of the Huguenots ; but Buckingham went to sea without any under- standing with his allies ; and, when he anchored off Rochelle, he was refused admission to the town. He then directed his course to the neighbouring Isle of Rhe, where he succeeded in landing his men under the fire of his ships, and defeated a small French force commanded by the governor of the 32 The Pictorial Press : island. Instead of immediately following up lils success, Buckin2;hara allowed the French commander to secure and strengthen the fortress of St. Martin ; and when he did advance he foolishly left the enemy in possession of another fort in his rear. He besieged the Castle of St. Martin for many weeks, and then led his men to storm the place with- out having made a single breach in the walls. They were repulsed at all points with considerable loss, and attempted to retreat to their ships ; but Marshal Schomberg with a French army had thrown himself between the Duke and the fleet, and had put a strong corps and artillery into the fort of La Pree, which Buckingham had left in his rear. No pre- cautions whatever had been taken, and they suffered great loss before they could re-embark. The expedition was a total failure, and Buckingham returned to England beaten and disgraced. While the Dulce of Buckingham was besieging the citadel of St. Martin, an attempt was made, or was said to have been made, upon his life by a French Papist or Jesuit, with a thick four-edged knife. An account of the Duke's proceed- ings while in the Isle of Rhe appears to have been sent home, and Avas published probably with a view of influencing the people in his favour and showing to what dangers he was exposed in the national service. There is in the British Museum a tract entitled 'A Coidinucd Journal of all (he Pro- ceedings of the Duke of Buckingliani his Grace, in the Isle of Ree since the last day of July. With the names of the JVoble- men as were drowned and taken in going to relcere the Fort. As also the Portraiture of the knife with which his Excellence should hare been murdered^ which very knife was brought over by Cap- taine Buckestone and dcHrered unto the Duchess of Buckingham her Grace on Monday niglit last. Published by Authoritie. London, Printed for Thomas Walkley, and are to be sold at his shop at the Eagle and Childe in Britaines Bursse, 1627.' The following account is given of the intended assassination of the Duke : — ' Received the 27 of August. ' Here I have sent vou all the remarkable Newes that I Its Origin and Progress. 33 have upon the last of Juli/. There was taken by a Perdue of ours, in the night (a Frenchman), that was sent by Jlonsieur de Thorax, the Gorernour of the Citadell, with a full intent to kill my Lord Duke ; and for the speedy effecting of the same he had prepared a strange and dangerous Poijnado, which, although it was taken about him, he confidently denied that he came not with any intent to kill the Dulie untill he came to the Tortures, which being presented before him he promised to discover all to my Lord if he would promise him life, the Avhich he did, and doth so performe with him, like a noble and mercifull Generall.' The tract 'V\- ^>«\^^^♦■.'cV^^•^■, ; . ^. \m iww, M'\An' ^v.^- -v- - : KNIFE INTENDED FOK THE ASSASSINATION OF THE DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM, 1627. contains a large woodcut of a knife, a reduced copy of which is given above, and underneath the engraving is the following description : — ' This is the true Portraiture of the poysoned knife, both in length and breadth, having foure edges, with which a Jesuited Yilaine was sent out of the Fort by Mon- sieur de Thorax, the Governour of that Island, with an intent to have killed his Excellence, but b}- God's providence was delivered. His Grace hath used the French so nobly in all respects that he rather deserved their love than any wayes to have his life thus treacherously sought after, under the pretence that it was a meritorious act. Which knife was brought over into England by Captaine Buckestone, and by him delivered unto the Dutches of Buckingham her Grace on Monday night last.' Whether the attempt on Buckingham's life was a reality or was got up for the purpose of endearing the court favourite to all good Protestants, it foreshadowed his ultimate fate. In the following year, while he was at Portsmouth, and about to embark on a second expedition to Eochelle, he 34 The Pictorial Press : was stabbed by Fclton, who bad served under bini in the expedition to the Isle of Ptbe, Besides tbe subjects already noticed, the old news- writers delighted in signs and portents in tbe air, and failed not to improve the occasion Avbenever tbeymet witli a text so much to their liking. There was a fall of meteorites in 1G28, which was chronicled at the time in an illustrated pamphlet, entitled, ' Loolr up and See WondcrH: a iniraculotis Apparition in thcAiji'C, latehj nccn in Barlce-s/iire, at BaivJkin Greene, neere Hat- ford, April Wi, 1628.' The author, like his fellow-chroniclers, already quoted, regards the occurrence as a sign of Heaven's displeasure, and addresses his readers thus: — SSo Benummed wee are in our Sences, that albeit God himselfe Holla in our Eares, wee by our wills are loath to heare him. His dread- full Pursiuants of Thunder and Lightning terrifie vs so long as they haue vs in their fingers, but beeing off, wee dance and sing in the midst of our Follies.' He then goes on to tell how ' the foure great quarter-masters of the "World (the foure Elements) . . . haue bin in ciuill Warres one against another. ... As for Fire, it hath denied of late to warme vs, but at vnrcasonable rates, and extreame hard conditions. But what talke I of this earthy nourishment oi Jire ? How haue the Fires of Heauen (some few yearcs past) gone be- vond their bounds, and appeared in the shapes of Comets and Blazing Starrcs ? . . . The vl/r(^ is the shop of Thunder and Liorhtnino-. In that, hath of late been held a Muster of terrible enemies and thrcatncrs of Yengeance, which the great Gcnerall of the Field who Conducts and Commands all such Armies {God Ahnighty, I meane) auert from our King- dome, and shoote the arrowes of his indignation some other way, vpon the bosomes of those that would confound his Gospell Many windowes hath he set open in heauen, to shewe what Artillery hec has lying there, and many of our Kings haue trembled, when they were shewnc vnto them. What blazing Starres (euen at Noone-dayes) in those times hung houering in the Aire ? How man}- fright- full Ecclipscs both of Sun and Moonc ? .... It is not for Its Origin and Progress, 35 man to dispute with God, -svliylie has done this so often .... but, with feare and trembling- casting our eyes vp to Heauen, let TS now behokl him, bending his Fist oncly, as hitely he did to the terroui' and affrightment of all the Inhabitants dwelling Avithin a Towne in the County of Barkshire The name of the Towne is Hafford, some eight miles from Oxford. Ouer this Towne, ypon "VVensday being the ninth of this instant IMoneth of April, 1G28, about hue of the clocke in the afternoone this miraculous, prodigious and fearefuU handy-worke of God was presented The weather was warme, and without any great shewe of distemperature, only the skye waxed by degrees a little gloomy, yet not so darkened but that the Sunne still and anon, by the power of the brightnesse, brake through the thicke clouds 'A gentle gale of wind then blowing from betweene the West and NortJt-iccsf, in an instant was heard, first a hideous rumbling in the A>jrc, and presently after followed a strange and fearfuU peale of Thunder, running y|D and downe these parts of the Count re ij, but it strake with the loudest yiolence, and more furious tearing of the Aijre. about a place called T//e JVJiite Uorse IlilJ, than in any other. The whole order of this thunder, carried a kind of 3Iaiesticall state with it, for it maintajmed (/o tJte a frighted Beliolder-'i seeming) the fashion of a fought Battaile. ' It beganne thus : First, for an onset, went off one great Cannon as it were of thunder alone, like a warning peece to the rest that were to follow. Then a little while after was heard a second; and so by degrees a third, vntil the number of 20 were discharged (or thereabouts) in yery good order, though in yery great terror. ' In some little distance of time after this was audibly heard the sound of a Drum beating a Hetreate. Amongst all these angiy peales shot off from Heauen, this begat a wonderfid admiration, that at the end of the report of every cracke, or Cannon-thundering, a hizzing noyse made way through the Ayre, not ynlike the flying of Bullets from the mouthes of great Ordnance ; and by the iudgement of all the 36 Tlie Pictorial Press. teiTor-stricken witnesses tliey were TJiuudcr-holts. For one of them was seene by many people to fall at a place called Bdirlkin Greene, being a mile and a half from Ilatfovd: "Which Thundcr-hoU was by one Mistris Greene caused to be digged out of the ground, she being an eye-witnesse amongst many others, of the manner of the falling. ' The forme of the Stone is three- square, and picked in the end: In colour outwardly blackish, some -what like Iron : Crusted oucr with that blacknesse about the thick- nesse of a shilling. "Within it is soft, of a grey colour, mixed with some kind of mincrall, shining like small peaces of glasse. ' This Stoitc brake in the fal : The whole peece is in weight nineteene pound and a halfe : The greater peece that fell off weigheth flue pound, which with other small peeces being put together, make foure and twentj- pound and better. . . . ' It is in the Countrey credibly reported that some other Thunder- stones haue bin found in other places: but for certainty there was one taken rp at Letcomhe, and is now in the custody of the Shriefo.' This curious account is illustrated with a quaint woodcut, in the foreground of which the thunder-bolt seen by Mistress Green is being * digged out of the ground.' Amongst the many publications relating to the victorious career of Gustavus xVdolphus, king of Sweden, there was one entitled the Swedish IntelUgeneer, printed at London, in 1632, for Nathaniel Butter and Nicholas Bourne, both of them names associated with the first establishment of news- papers in England. The SicedisJi Intclli'jeneer gives very full accounts of the exploits of Gustavus, and it is illustrated with his portrait, a bird's-eye view of the siege of Magde- buro-, a plan showing how the King of Sweden and his army crossed the river Lech into Bavaria, and a plan or bird's-eye view of the battle of Lutzen, where Gustavus was killed. The portrait, the siege of Magdeburg, ami the battle of Lutzen, are engraved on copper, but the passage of the Lech 38 The Pictorial Press : is a woodcut. I have copied the latter, the others being too elaborate for reproduction on a reduced scale. The three last named are very curious as illustrations of -war news. Gustavus had crossed the Danube, and his troops overspread the country between that river and the river Lech. Field Marshal Tilly was in front of him, waiting for reinforcements from the army of Wallenstein, in Bohemia, and the junction of fresh levies raised in Bavaria, with which he hoped to drive the invaders back across the Danube. The account in the StcvdinJi, Intelligencer of this celebrated passage of the Biver Lech is too long for quota- tion, but I give a condensed version of the circumstances from other sources. The Lech takes its rise among the mountains of the Tyrol, and, after washing the walls of Landsbcrg and Augs- burg, falls into the Danube at a short distance from the toA\'ii of Bain. The banks are broken and irregular, and the channel uncertain. Nor are there many rivers of the same size in Germany which can bo compared with it in the strength and rapidity of its current. The luiited forces of Bavaria and the League, with this efficient means of defence in front, extended their right wing towards the Danube and their left towards Bain, while the banks of the river, as far as the city of Augsburg, were observed by their patrols, supported by detached bodies of infantry. Tilly had taken the precaution of breaking down the bridges over the Lech, and had throwai up fieldworks at points where he judged the passage might be considered attended with fewest difficulties. That the Swedes would attack him in his main position was a pitch of daring to which, well as he was acquainted with the enterprising spirit of the king, he could scarcely suspect him of having yet attained. Such, however, was the full determination of Gustavus. After he had reconnoitred the course of the Lech for some miles, at the innninent peril of his life, he fixed iqjon a point between Bain and Thier- hauppcn, where the river makes a sweep to the eastward, as the spot for carrying his venturous design into effect. The Its Origin and Progress. 39 king's first intention was to tlirow a floating bridge over the stream, but the attempt was no sooner made than it was found to be rendered hopeless by the rapidity of the current. It was then imagined that tressels might be sunk, and firmly secured by weights in the bed of the river, on which the flooring of the bridge might afterwards be securely laid. The king approved of this plan, and workmen were com- manded to prepare the necessary materials at the small villa 2fe of Oberendorf, situated about half a mile from the spot. During the night of the 4th of April the work was entirely finished, the supports fixed in the stream, and the planks for forming the bridge brought down to the water's edge. The king had, in the meantime, ordered a trench to be dug along the bank of the river for the reception of bodies of musketeers, and several new batteries to be con- structed close to the shore, the fire from which, as they were disposed along a convex line, necessarily crossed upon the ojjposite side ; those upon the Ictt hand of the Swedes playing upon the left of the enemy, and those on the right upon the wood held by the Bavarians. Another battery, slightly retired from the rest, directed its fire against the entrenchments occupied by Tilly's centre. By daybreak on the 5th, all necessary preparations having been made, the bridge was begun to be laid, and completed imder the king's inspection. Three hundred Finland volunteers were the first Avho crossed, excited by the reward of ten crowns each to undertake the dangerous service of throwing up a slight work upon the other side for its protection. By four in the afternoon the Finlanders had finished their imdertaking, having been protected from a close attack by the musketry of their own party and the batteries behind them, from which the king is said to have discharged more than sixty shots with his own hand, to encourage his gmmers to charge their pieces more expeditiously. The work consisted merely of an embankment siuToundcd by a trench, but it was de- fended both by the direct and cross fire of the Swedes. As soon as it was completed, Gusta^Tis, stationing himself with The Pictorial Presf^. 41 the King of Bohemia at the foot of the bridge, commanded Colonel Wrangle, with a chosen body of infantry and two or three field-pieces, to pass over, and after occupying the work, to station a number of musketeers in a bed of osiers upon the opposite side. The Swedes crossed the bridge with little loss, and after a short but desperate struggle the Imperialists were routed. The whole of the Swedish army was soon upon the eastern bank of the Lech, where the king, without troub- ling himself with the pursuit of the enem}^ commanded his army to encamp, and ordered the customary thanksgivings to be offered for his victory.* The account in the S/cedish Intelligencer is wound up in these words : ' And this is the story of the King's bridge over the Lech, description whereof we have thought worthy to be here in Figure imparted unto you.' Then follows an ' Explanation of the Letters in the Figure of the Bridge,' given below the illustration. The engraving does not appear to have been entirely satisfactory to the author, for on its margin the following words are printed : ' Our Cutter hath made the Ordnance too long, and to lye too farre into the Eiver. The Hole also marked with R, should have been on the right hand of the Bridge.' REFERENCES TO PASSAGE OF THE RIVER LECH. ' A The Kin? of Sweeden, aud the King of Bohemia by him. B The Bridi-e. C A Ti-enoh oi- Brestworke, in which the Kinss Mupketeers were lodged, betwixt the severall Batteryes of the great Ordnance, which Musketeers are represented by the small stroakes made right forwards. D Divers little Field-pieces. E Plat-formes or Batteryes for the Kings greater Cannon. F The Halfe-moone, with its Pallisadoe or Stocket, beyond the Bridge, and for the giiard of it. It was scarcely bigge enough to lodge a hundred men in. G- A little Underwood, or low Bushy place. H A plaice voyd of wood ; which was a Bache, sometimes overflowne. I A Brestworke for Tillyes Musketeer.=. K K Tilly and Altringer ; or the place where they were shot. L The high wood where the Duke of Bavaria stood. M Tilleyes great Batteryes to shoot down the Bridge. N A small riveret running thorow the wood. O Tillyes great Brestworke ; not yet liaished. Begun at sixe in the morning ; and left off when he was shot. P fiome Horse-guards of Tillyes : layd scatteringly here and there all along the river from Rain to Augsburg. Q The kings Horse-guards, and Horse-sentryes. R A hole in the earth, or casual advantageable place; wherein some of the Kings Foot were lodsred. S The Hill behind Tillyes great worke. T The fashion of the Tressels or Arches for the Kings Bridge.' * Life of Gustavus AdoJjjhus. Family Library. 42 The Pictorial Press : In 1G3G the Sallee Rovers had become very troublesome, and not only hindered British commerce, on the high seas, but even infested the English coasts. They had captured and carried into slavery many Englishmen, for whose release a ' Flccte of Shippes ' was sent out in January, 1G36, Assisted by the Emperor of Morocco, the nest of pirates was destroyed and the captives released. A full account of this expedition is given in a curious pamphlet, entitled, 'A true Journal of the Sally Fleet with the proeeedinrjs of the Voyage, jmhlixhed by John Dunton, London, Mariner, blaster of the Ad/nirall called the Leopard. Whereunto is annexed a List of Sally Cap- tires names and the plaees where they dwell, and a Description of the three Touiies in a Card. London, p'-infed by John Bauson for Thomas Hicholes, and are to he sold at the Signe of the Bible in Popes Read Alley, 1637.' This tract is illustrated by a large plan of Sallee, engraved on copper, with representations of six Eno-lish vessels of Avar on the sea. After minutelv de- scribing the proceedings of the voyage, and giving a long list of the captives' names, the journalist winds up in these words : * All these good Shippes with the Captives are in safety in England, we give God thanks. xVnd bless King Charles and all those that love him.' At the end of the pamphlet is printed the authority for its publication : 'Hampton Court, the iiO. of October, 1G37. This Journall and Mappe may be printed.' There is an illustrated pamphlet of this period which I have not been able to see. It is entiiled, ' JVeurs, ami Strange Neices from St. Christopher's of a Tempestuous Spirit, which is called by the Jndians a Ilurrycano or Whirlwind ; whereunto is added the True and Last Belation (in rerse) of the Breadful Accident n-hich happened at Witticombe in Beronshire, 21. October, 1G38.' The Weekly News, begun in IG'22, had been in existence sixteen years when the idea of illustrating current events seems to have occurred to its conductors ; for in the number for December 20, 1G38, there is, besides the usual items of foreign news, an account of a 'prodigious eruption of fire. Ib< On'(/ui and Pnxjresfi. 43 wliicli cxlialcd in the midclest of tlie ocean sea, over against the Isle of Saint Michael, one of the Terceras, and the new island which it hath made.' The text is illustrated by a full- page engraving showing 'the island, its length and breadth, and the places where the fire burst out.' I have not been able to find a copy of the Wecldij Neics for December 20, 1638, either in the British Museum or elsewhere. My authority for the above statement is a letter in the Timc^i of October 13, 1868. As far as I have been able to ascertain, no other illustrations were published in the Wcchli/ News, so that we must conclude the engraving of the ' prodigious eruption of fire ' was an experiment, which in its result was not encouraging to the proprietor or conductors of the journal. 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 pub- lished during the Civil AVar 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 exe- cuted for some other purjiose. A few instances occur, how- ever, 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 Ire- land 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 everyway by the Roman Catholics in Ireland in the seventeenth century. The illustrations in these tracts are verj^ coarse woodcuts. One represents the arrest of a j^arty of conspirators, and another is a view of a town besieged, while a third gives a group of prisoners supj^licating 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 ; Be- The Pictorial Prcsf^. 45 lat'uuj how the CadJo of Artuinc iras tahenfrom the liehels, tiro of their Captaines Idid, and one taken prisojier Ij// the Protest- ants, n-ith the arrival of2QQ0fuot,and 300 horse fro)n England. Also a great skirmish between the Protestants and the Rebels at a place near Feleston, wherein the English obtained great re- ■nowne and victory : Whereunto is added a true relation of the great overthrow which the English gave the Eebels before Drog- Jieda, 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 fol- lowing 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 Qiiy, who confest without constraint, that he had killed an English- ■woman at a place called Leslipson, 6 IMiles "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.' The con- cluding paragraph of this pamphlet shows the writer to have been a man of a commercial spirit : — ' Tis to be feared that a famine is like to be in our City, in that still men come to us and provision is short, and none of yours that come to us bring any vittailes, great taxes are upon us, more than can be borne. He that had Butter, and Cheese, and Cloath, at between 6 and 14 shillings a yard here sent by any out of London might make a good trade of it. Cheshire Cheese is sould here for sixpence a pound already. Some of your Londoners are come hither (acquaintance of mine) that will send for such things, for great profit may be made by them 46 The Pictorial Pre/ fen learjues from the Lands end, on Thursday night, heing the 23 of Septeinhcr last 1G41 having in her a world of Treasure, as this storg follou-ing doth truly related Another illustrated pamphlet, dated 1G42, contains a long and minute narrative of how a certain ship called the Coster was boarded by a native of Java, who, watching his opportunity, murdered the captain and several of the crew, but ■^^•ho was afterwards killed when assistance arrived from another ship. There is a woodcut representing the murders, and the title runs as follows : — 'A most Execrable and Barbarous murder done by an East Indian Devil, or a native of Javi-Major, in the Road of Bantam, Aboard an English ship called the Coster, on the 22 of October last, 1641. WJiercin is shewed how the wicked Villain came to the said ship and hid himself till it teas very dark, and then he murdered all the men that were aboard, excejjt the Cooke and three Boyes. And lastly, hoiv the murderer him- self e was justly requited. Captain William Minor being an eye- n-itnesse of this bloudy Massacre. London : Printed for T. Banks, July the 18, 1642.' The very full particulars given in this pamphlet show how minute and circumstantial the old news-writers were in their narratives. It will be seen by the following extracts that the story has an air of truth given to it by careful attention to various small matters of detail : — 'On Friday the 22 of October last 1641 towards night there came aboard an English ship called the Coster, in a small Prow (or flat Boat with one paddle) a proper young man, (a Java, which is as much as to say as a man born or native of the Territory of Java.) This man, (or dcvill in mans shape) with a pretence to sell some Hews, (hatching mischiefe in his damned minde,) did delay and trifle time, because he would have the night more dark for him to do his deeds of darknessc. At last he sold 6 Hews for half a Royall of 8 which is not much above two shillings. There Its Origin and Progress. 51 came also another Java aboard, (with the like small Prow or Boat) to whom ho rrave the half Royall, sent him away and hade him make haste ; he being asked for what the other Java went for, the answer was that he had sent him for more Hews and Goates to sell. ' Xight being come, and very dark, (for it was the last night of the wane of the Moone) this inhumane dog staid lurking under the half deck having 2 Crests (or dangerous waving daggers) and a Buckler, of which he would have sold one and the Buckler with it, and as he was discoursing he took off one of the Crests hefts and put cloth about the tongue of the Blade, and made it sure fast : on the other Crest he rolled the handle with a fine linnen cloth to make it also sure from slipping in his hand ; these things he did whilst the Master, Eobert Start, Stephen Roberts, his mate, Hugh Eawlinson, Chirurgeon, William Perks, Steward, James Biggs, Gminer, and 3 Boys or Youths attending. At supper they were very merry, and this Caitiffe. took notice of their carelessnesse of him to suifer him to sit on the quarter deck upon a Cot close by them. ' Supper being ended about 6 at night the Master went to his Cabin to rest, the Gunner asked leave to go ashore, (the ship riding but half a mile from landing.) Afterwards Bobert Eawlinson and Perks walked upon the quarter deck ; and the devilish Java perceiving the Master to be absent, he asked the Boyes where he was, who answered he was gone to sleepe. This question he demanded 3 or 4 times of the Boyes, and finding it to be so, he arose from the place where he sate, which was on the starboard side and went about the Table next the Mizzen Mast (where Eoberts, Eawlings and Perks were walking) with his Target about his Xeck for defence against Pikes, or the like ; and his 2 Crests in his hand, and upon a sudden cries a Muck, which in that lan- guage is I hazard or rim my death. Then first he stabd Eoberts, secondly he stabd Eawlinson, thii'dly Perks, all three at an instant. After that he let drive at the Boyes, but they leapd down, and ran forward into the forecastle, 52 Tlie Pictorial Press : where they found the Cooke, to ^yhom the Boj-es related ■what had happened.' Fui'thcr details are given at great length, showing how the savage continued his blood}- work, and how he was finally overpowered. The narrative thus winds up: — ' it is observable that of all these men that were thus butchered, the Hel-hound did never stab any man twice, so sure did he strike, nor did he pursue any man that kept ^t^F.^lE^.s on board an English snir, lf^4'2. clear of his stand under the quarter-deck. So there dyed in all (in this bloody action) Robert Start, Master, Stephen Eoberts, his Mate, Hugh Rawlinson, Chirurgeon, "William Perks, Steward, AValter Rogers, Gunner's Mate, and Francis Drake, Trumpeter of the Mary. And after the Muck, Java, or Devill, had ended the first part of this bloody Tragedy, there was only left in the ship, the Cooke, 3 Boyes, and one John Taylor, that was almost dead with a shott he foolishly made. So that 7 men were unfortunately lost (as you have heard) and the Guuner escaped very narrowly through God's lU On'(/in and Progress. 53 merciful prevention, from the like of these related disasters and suddaine mischiefs, Good Lord deliver us.' The engraving, like all those belonging to this period, is very rough ; but it was evidently prepared specially for the occasion, and some care appears to have been taken to represent the ' Jaca ' as he is described. It is a genuine attempt to illustrate the story, and on that ac- count is more interesting than some of the woodcuts in the early newspapers. The Earl of Strafford, who was executed on Tower Hill, May 12, ICrll, forms the subject of more than one illustrated tract of this period. In 1642 was published a curious pamphlet, consisting of an engraved title and eight pages of illustrations, representing the principal events of 1641-2. There are sixteen illustrations, exclusive of the title, two on each page. They are all etched on copper, and are done with some freedom and artistic ability. I shall have oc- casion to refer to this pamphlet hereafter ; but at present I have copied the engraving entitled, ' The Earle of Strafford for treasonable practises beheaded on the Tower-hill.' In this example of illustrated news the artist has faith- fully represented the locality in his backgroimd, but there the truth of his pencil stops. Strafford himself, although his head is not yet severed from his body, lies at full length on the scaffold, and instead of the usual block used for decapita- tions the victim's head rests on an ordinary plank or thick piece of wood. There is no one standing on the scaffold but the executioner, whereas history asserts that the Earl was attended in his last moments by his brother, Sir George Wentworth, the Earl of Cleveland, and Archbishop Usher. These omissions, if they were noticed at all, were no doubt looked upon as trivial faults in the infancy of illustrated journalism, and before a truth-loving public had learnt to be satisfied with nothing less than ' sketches done on the spot.' What appears to be a more correct view of the execution was, however, pviblished at the time. In the British Museum are two etchings by Hollar (single sheets, 54 The Pictorial Press 1641), representing tlic trial and execution of the Earl of Strafibrd. They both, look as if they had been done from sketches on the spot, that of the execution giving a correct view of the Tower and the surrounding buildings, but they are too crowded to admit of reproduction on a reduced scale. The taste of the time tolerated the publication of satires and petty lampoons even upon dead men. Soon after 4/c^ EXECUTION OF STEAFFOED, 1641. Strafford's death a tract was published entitled 'ADescripfion of ilic PasHarjo of Thojjia-s, late Earle of Strafford, over the River of St//.r, n-itJi the Confereiiee betiri.rt him, Charon, and WiUiani jVo>/.' There is a dialogue between Strafford and Charon, of which the following is a specimen : — ' Charon. — In the name of Rhodomont what ayles me ? I have tugged and tugged above these two hours, yet can hardly steere one foot forward ; either my dried nerves deceive my arrae, or my vexed Barke carries an unwonted burden. From whence comest thou. Passenger? * Strafford. — From England. ' Charon. — From England ! TTa ! I Avas counsailed to Its Origin and Progres!^. 55 prepare myselfe, and trim up my boat. I should haye work enough they sayd ere be long from England, but trust me thy burden alone outweighs many transported armies, were all the expected numbers of thy weight poor Charon well might sweat. ' Strafford, — I bear them all in one. ' Cliaron. — How ? Bear them all in one, and thou shalt STRAFFORD CROSSING THE STYX, 1611. pay for them all in one, by the just soul of Ehodomont ; this was a fine plot indeed, sure this was some notable fellow being aliye, that hath a trick to cosen the deyil being dead. "WTiat is thy name ? ' (Strafford sighs.) ' Charon. — Sigh not so deep. Take some of this Letha}an water into thine hand, and soope it up ; it will make thee forget thy sorrows. ' Strafford. — My name is Wentworth, Strafibrd's late Earle. 56 The Pictorial Press : ' CJiaron. — "NVcntwortli ! ho! Thou art hee who hath been so long- expected by AVilliam Noy. He hath been any time these two months on the other side of the banke, expecting thy coming daily.' Strafford gives Charon but one halfpenny for his fare, whereat the ferryman grumbles. Then ensues a conversation between Strafford and William Noy, part of which is in blank verse. The tract is illustrated with a woodcut, repre- senting Strafford in the ferryman's boat with William Noy waiting his arrival on the opposite bank. No man of his time appears to have excited the hostile notice of the press more than Archbishop Laud. The Arch- bishops of Canterbury had long been considered censors of the press by right of their dignit}^ and office; and Laud exercised this power with unusual tyranny. The ferocious cruelty with which he carried out his prosecutions in the Star Chamber and Court of High Commission made his name odious, and his apparent preference for ceremonial religion contributed to render him still more unpopular. Men were put in the pillory, had their ears cut off, their noses slit, and were branded on the cheeks with S. S. (Sower of Sedition), and S. L. (Schismatical Libeller). They were heavily lined, were whipped through the streets, were thrown into prison ; and all for printing and joublishing opinions and sentiments tmpleasing to Archbishop Laud, under whose rule this despotic cruelty became so prevalent that it was a common thing for men to speak of So-and-so as having been ' Star- Chambered.' No wonder, when the tide turned, that the long-pent-uiD indignation fomid a vent through the printing- press. Amongst the numerous tracts that were published after the suppression of the Star Chamber were many which held up Laud to public execration. He was reviled for his ambition, reproached for his cruelty, and caricatured for his Romish sj-mpathies. During the four years between his fall and his execution, portraits of liim and other illustrations relating to his career may be found in many ])amphlcts. X propose to introduce the reader to some of these, as examples Its Origin and Progress, 57 of tlie kind of feeling that was excited by a man whose character and actions must have contributed not a little to bring about a convulsion which shook both the Church and the throne to their foundations. It must have been with a peculiar satisfaction that Prynne, one of the chief sufferers under Laud's rule, found himself armed with the authority of the House of Commons to despoil his old enemy. Pro- bably a similar feeling caused many others to chuckle and rub their hands when they read, 'A New Pla// called Ccinter- bxnVs Change of Diet, printed in 1G41.' This is a small tract illustrated with woodcuts, and is written in the form of a A BURLESQUE PLAY ABOUT ABCHBISHOP LAUD. ACT I. 1641. play. The persons represented are the Archbishop of Can- terbury, a doctor of physic, a lawyer, a divine, a Jesuit, a carpenter and his wife. The doctor of physic is intended for either Dr. Alexander Leighton, or Dr. John Bastwick, both of Avhom had their ears cut off' ; the lawyer is Prynne ; and the divine is meant for the Pvev. Henry Burton, a London clergyman, who also suffered under Laud's administration. In the first act enter the Archbishop, the doctor, the la^^er, and the divine. Being seated, a variety of dishes are brought to the table, but Laud expresses himself dissatisfied with the fare placed before him and demands a more racy diet. He then calls in certain bishops, who enter armed with muskets, bandoleers, and swords. He cuts off' the ears of the doctor, the lawyer, and the divine, and tells them he makes them an 58 The Pictorial Press : example tliat others may be more careful to please his palate. On the previous page is a cop}' of the cut whieh illustrates the first act. In the second act the Archbishop of Canterbury enters a A BURLESQUE PLAY ABOUT ARCHBISHOP LAUD. ACT II. carpenter's yard by the waterside, and seeing a grindstone he is about to sharpen his knife upon it, when he is inter- rupted by the carpenter who refuses to let him sharpen his A BURLESQUE PLAY AP.OUT ARCHBISHOP LAUD. kCV III. knife upon his grindstone, lest he should treat him (the carpenter) as he had treated the others. The carpenter then holds the Archbishop's nose to the grindstone, and orders his apprentice to turn with a will. The bishop cries out, ' Ilold ! hold ! such turning will soon deform my face. 0, Its Origin and Progress. 59 I bleed, I bleed, and am extremely sore.' The carpenter, however, rejoins, ' But who regarded " hold " before ? Remember the cruelty j^ou have used to others, whose bloud crieth out for vengeance. Were not their ears to them as pretious as your nostrils can be to you ? If such dishes must be your fare, let me be your Cooke, I'll invent you rare sippets.' Then enters a Jesuit Confessor who washes the bishop's wounded face and binds it up with a cloth. There is also an illustration to this act which is here copied. ASSAULT OX LA:iII!ETn PALACE, lf'42. In the third act the Archbishop and the Jesuit are represented in a great Cage (the Tower) while the carpenter and his wife, conversing together, agree that the two caged birds M-ill sing very well together. The woodcut to this act represents a fool laughing at the prisoners. There is a fourth act in which the King and his Jester hold a conversation about the Bishop and the confessor in the cage. There is no printer's or publisher's name to this play, only the date, 1641. The pamphlet previously referred to as containing a picture of Strafford's execution, has also an engraving showing 60 The Pictorial Press : how tlic tide of public feeling liad set against Archbishop Laud. The powerful Churchman had been impeached for high treason ; he was deprived of all the profits of his high office and was imprisoned in the Tower. All his goods iai Lambeth Palace, including his books, were seized, and even his Diary and private papers were taken from him by Prpme, who acted under a warrant from the House of Commons. The engraving under notice is entitled ' The rising of Prentices and Sea-men on Southwark side to assault the Archbishops of Canterburys House at Lambeth.' In a tract entitled ' A Frophccie of the Life, Reigne, and DcatJi of WiUiani Laud, ArclihisJiop of Caiderbary' there is a caricature of Laud seated on a throne or chair of state. A pair of horns grow out of his forehead, and in front the devil offers him a Cardinal's Hat. This business of the Cardinal's Hat is alluded to by Laud himself, who says, ' At Greenwich there came one to me seriously, and that avowed ability to perform it, and offered me to be a Cardinal. I went presently to the king, and acquainted him both with the thing and the person.' This offer was afterwards renewed : ' But,' says he, ' my answer again was, that something dwelt within me which would not suffer that till Home were other than it is.' It would thus appear that the Archbishop did not give a very decided refusal at first or the offer would not have been repeated ; and that circumstance, if it were known at the time, must have strengthened the opinion that he was favourably inclined towards the Church of Pome. At all events, the offer must have been made public, as tliis caricature shows. Though Laud behaved with dignity and courage when he came to bid farewell to the world, if we are to believe the publications of the time, he was not above petitioning for mercy, while any hope of life remained. In 1643 a pamphlet Avas published Avith the folloAving title, ' Tlie Copij of the Peti- tion presented to tlte Ilonoamhte Houses of Parliament hi/ the Lord Archbi-^hoj) of Caiderbur//, wherein the said Archbishop desires that he nia// not be transj)orted heijond the Seas into A'tvr It'-; Or'ujin and Profiress. 61 Ennland nith Master Peters in rec/ard to //is crtraordinanj age and iceaknesse.' The petition is dated ' From the Tower of London this Ctli of May 1643,' and in it the petitioner sets forth that out of a ' fervent zeal to Christianity ' he endea- A'onred to reconcile the principles of the Protestant and Roman Catholic relig-ions, hoping- that if he covld effect this he might more easily draw the Queen into an adherence to the Protestant faith. He deplores that his endeavours were not successful, and he bogs the honourable Parliament to CAKICATUKE OF THE DEVIL OFFERING LAUD A CAEDINAl's HAT, 1644. pardon his errors, and to * looke upon him in mercy, and not permit or suffer your Petitioner to be transported, to endure the hazard of the Seas, and the long tediousnesse of Voyage into those trans-marine parts, and cold Countries, which Avould soon bring your Petitioners life to a period ; but rather that your Petitioner may abide in his native country, untill your Petitioner shall pay the debt which is due from him to Nature, and so your Petitioner doth submit himselfe to your Honourable and grave Wisdoms for your Petitioners request and desire therein. And your Petitioner shall humbly pray &c.' 62 Tlie Pldoridl Press. If Archbishop Laud was really the author of this petition he appears to have expected that his long imprisonment woidd end in banishment rather than death. He was beheaded on Tower Hill, January 10, 1645. There is a woodcut portrait of the Archbishop printed on the title- page of the petition. .UlCUEISnOP LAUD. Its Origin and Progress. G3 CHAPTER III. Ben Jonson's Ridicule of the Early Newspapers — Fondness of the Old News-Writers for the Marvellous— The Smithfield Ghost— The Won- derful Whale — The Newbury Witch — Satirical Tracts and Caricatures at the Commencement of the Civil War — ileligion Tossed in a Blanket — Caricatures of the Pope and the Bishops — Pluralists and Patentees —Taylor, the Water Poet — Mercurius Aulicus — Activity of the Pamphleteers — Welshmen Satirised — Satires on Prince Rupert — On the King and Queen — The Ladies' Parliament — Illustrated Tracts relating- to Social and Political Subjects — Sir Kenelm Digby's Duel — The King entertained by the City of London, 1G41 — Executions in 1641 — The Liquor Traffic and Sunday Closing in 1641 — Abuses of the Ecclesiastical Courts — Ritualism and Nunneries in 1641 — Truths enforced by Lieing — Stage Players and the Plague in 1641 — Bar- tholomew Fair in 1641 — Destruction of Charing Cross and Cheapside Cross — Strange Apparition— Method of Enforcing their Views adopted by the Puritan Pamphleteers — Parodies of Roundhead Sermons — Matthew Hopkins the Witch-finder — T/;e Welsh Post of 1643— WilHam Lilly the Astrologer — Three Suns seen in London on the King's Birthday. "When Ben Jon son called the newspaper ' a weekly cHeat to draw money,' and ridiculed the growing taste for news, he had some reason for satirising the journalism of the period. To satisfy the craying for news all kinds of impositions were freely circulated. Nothing was too wonderful for the credulity of the age, and people eagerly accepted what was placed before them, fully believing that whatever was in print must be true. It was not, however, till many years after Ben Jonson's death that the so-called newspapers put forward their full powers as purveyors of the marvellous. Mercurius Bemocritus was the Funch of that day. While he satirised men and things he laboured to satisfy the popular taste for the wonderful, as in the following account of a ghost that was said to haunt the neighbourhood of Smith- 64 The Pictorial Pr €■< GHOST. FROM ' MERCCKIIS I>EMOCRITUS,' 1654. walks his stations, in this very habit as you see, doing more mischiefe to the BufvJicr-s than ever liohiit Goodfellow did to the Country Ilindes.' Another example of the marvellous occurs in a tract entitled, ' The Sea Wonder : a true and u-ondcrful relation of a Whale pursued in the Sea, and encountered by multitudes of other Fishes as it teas certified by divers Mariners of Weymouth, tcho, comming from France in the (jood ship called the Bona- vcnture, did shoote the said Whale, /rhich makinr/ to Land did Its On'yi/i and Progress. G5 etrike upon the Shore, icithiii three mites of Wei/montJi, ichere being opened there was found in the hethj of it a Romish Priest, with Pardon for dicers Papists in England, and Ireland, whose names are Itere inserted.^ Great pains apjocar to have been taken to give an air of truth to the narrative, which begins thus- — 'On the 19th of October being the Lord's Day the good Ship called the Bonaventure of We u mouth being bound for England Avas bringing home her Merchandise from France which was wines, linning cloth, and abundance of Wall-nuts, THE WONDERFUL WHALE, 1645. the day was very fair and no wind stirring, so that the ship for above three hours space lay hulling upon the Seas, being not able to move either one way nor other for want of wind, although she was full sayled and prepared to take the advan- tage of every gale.' The author gravely explains that the excitement of the fishes and their attacks on the Avhale were caused by their instinctively feeling the presence of the Popish Priest. Annexed is a copy of the woodcut on the title-page of this curious tract. ' Neiccs, True Newcs, Laudable N ewes, Citie Newes, Country Neices ; The World is Mad, or it is a Mad World my Blasters especially now when in the Antipodes these things are cotne to F C)G The Pictorial Press -.' pass.' Such is the lenfjthy title of a pamphlet containing an iniag-inary account of things at the Antipodes, and illustrated with a fanciful woodcut on the title-page. Then we have news from Boston in New England of a strange and pro- digious birth of a child Avith two heads, also illustrated. Jforeiin'ii-s Deniocritus, besides such waggeries as giving an account of ' a sight seen in the air by a blind philosopher,' communicates ' Mniii/ st range woiulcrs out of the World, in the Jlooii, the Antipodes, Mi((irjij Land, Teiiel)ris, Farif-Land, Green- land, and other adjacent eountries. Putdi.shed for the right ioiderstanding of all the Jlad-inerr/j-proplr of Great Bedlam.' Another example of the Avonderful stories put forth to enter- tain the multitude relates to the discovery and punishment of a witch during the civil war. It occurs in a pamphlet entitled 'A most Certain, Strange and true Discovery of a Witch, being tahen hi/ some of the Parliament Forces, as she u-as standing on a small phoieh-hoard and sai/ling on it over the River of Neu-Jjury.' The illustration is of the rudest descrip- tion, and the story is told in a breathless sort of way, without a full stop in the whole narrative : — ' A part of the Army marching through Newbury, some of the Souldiers being scattered b}' the reason of their loyter- ing by the way, in gathering Nuts, Apples, Plummes, Black- berries, and the like, one of them by chance in clambring up a tree, being pursued by his fellow or comrade in waggisli merriment, jesting one with another, espied on the river being there adjacent, a tall, lean, slender woman, as he suji- posed, to his amazement, and great torrour, treading of the water with her feet, with as much ease and firmnesse as if one should walk or trample on tlie earth, wherewith he softly calls, and beckoned to his fellows to behold it, and with all possible speed that could be to obscure them from her sight, who as conveniently as they could they did observe, this could be no little amazement unto them you may think to see a woman dance upon the water, nor could all their sights be deluded, though perhai)s one might, but coming nearer to the shore, the}' could perceive there was a planke or dealo Its Origin and Pror/ress. G7 overshadowed with a little shallow water that she stood upon, the which did beare her up, anon rode by some of the com- manders who were eye witnesses, as well as they, and were as much astonished as they could be, still too and fro she fleeted on the water, the boord standing- firm boult upright, indeed I haye both heard and read of many that in tempests and on riyers by casualty haye become shipwracked, or cast overboard, Avhcre catching empty barrells, rudders, boards, or planks have made good shift by the assisting Providence of God to get on shore, but not in this womans kind to stand upon the board, turning and winding it which way she pleased, making it pastime to her, as little thinking who perceived her tricks, or that she did imagine that they were the last she ever should show, as we have heard the swan sing before her death, so did this devilish Avoman, as after jjlainly it appeared make sport before her death, at last haying sufficiently been upon the Avater, he that deceived her alway did so then, blinding her that she could not, at her landing see the ambush that was laid for her, coming upon the shore, she gave the board a push, which they plainly percei^-ed, and crossed the river, they searched after her but could not find her she being landed the Commanders beholding her, gave orders to lay hold on her, and bring her to them straight, the which some were fearful, but one being more venturous than other some, boldly went to her and seized on her by the arms, demanding what she was ? but the woman no whit replying any words unto them, they brought her to the Commanders, to whom though mightil}^ she was urged she did reply as little; so consulting with themselves what should be done with her, being it so ap- parently ajjpeared she was a u-ife/i, being loth to let her goe & as loth to carry her with them, so they resolved with them- selves, to make a shot at her, and gave order to a couple of their souldiers that were approved good marksmen, to charge and shoot her straight, which they prepared to doe ; so set- ting her boult upright against a mud bank or wall ; two of the soiddiers according to their command made themselves. 68 The Pictorial Press ready, where Laving taken aime ri,d Press: ^ A Purge for Plurdlitle^, hJioicuici the imlairfK/jies-se of iiwii to hare tiro Liriii(/-s, or thr- PouiicfdJI of Doiihle Ji'ciiijiees.' The abuse of tlic Crown's prerog-ative in the granting of patents and monopolies was very frequent in the reigns of THE I'LUIiALIST, l()4i. Elizabeth and James, and was not diminislunl under Charles the First. The practice did not fail to attract the notice of the satirical writers of the day, and caricature laid hold on the ' Projectors and Patentees,' and lu'hl llu'in up to ridicule. 'A l)i(iIo(jue or (iceidciitol /tiscoiirsc Intici.rt Jlr. AhlcrnKin Ahell, Its Origin and Progress. 75 fintl liic/iard lu/rcj-f, f//e tiro nuiine Projectors for Wine, 1641, contains a woodcut showing ' The manner and forme how Projectors and Patentees have rode a Tylting in a Parliament time.' The wit of the ilkistration is a little obscure to the modern reader, but at the time of its publication it was no doubt understood, and relished accordingly. The pamphlet describes how Messrs. Abell and Kilvert laid their heads together to obtain the patent for wine ; how they put the patent in force, and how, after the tide turned against them, they reviled one another. As the excitement of the Civil ^Var increased, political animosity rose to a red heat. Cavaliers and Poundheads belaboured each other in many a merciless pamphlet, to which they often endeavoured to give additional bitterness by woodcut caricatures. Prominent individuals, such as Prince Rupert, became marks for the satirist's wit. Even the throne itself did not escape, and it was broadly hinted that the Protestant king Avas imduly influenced b}' the Roman Catholic queen. The curious subject of the growth of cari- cature might be illustrated by numerous examples from the publications of this period, but it will be sufficient to refer to two or three more woodcut satires of this date. The distractions of the times were epitomised by John Taylor, the Water Poet, in an illustrated rhyming pamphlet, published in 1612. It is entitled, ' JPid Fas//ioits, Od Fashions, all out of Fas// ton, or tJie Emhlems of these distracted Times' The author compares England to the engraving on his title-page, where everything is represented upside down: — ' The Picture that is printed on the front Is like this Kingdome if you look upon 't; For if you well doe note it as it is, It is a Transform'd Metamorphasis. This Monstrous Picture plainly doth declare This land (quite out of order) out of square. His Breeches on his shoulders doe appeare. His doublet on his loAver parts doth weare. 76 Tlie Pictoiial Press His Boots and Spurs upon his Amies and Hands, His Gloves upon his feet (whereon he stands) The church o'erturned (a lamentable show) The Candlestick above, the light below. The Coney hunts the Dogge, the Eat the Cat, The Horse doth whip the Cart (I pray marke that) The Wheelbarrow doth drive the man (Oh Base) And Eeles and Gudgeons flie a mighty pace. EMBLEJIS OF THE DISTRACTED TIMES, 1642. And sure this is a Monster of strange fashion That doth surpasse all Ovids transformation. And this is England's case this very day, All things arc turned the clean contrary way ; For now, as when a Royall Parliament, ("With King, and Peers, and Commons whole consent) Have almost sate two years, with paincs and Cares, And charge, to free us from our Gricfcs and fears. For when many a worthy Lord and Knight, And good Esquire (for King and Countrey's Bight) Its Orujin and Progress. 11 Have spent so much time with great Toj'le and Ileccic All England's vicious garden how to weed, So like a wildernesse 'twas over run, That though much better hach been done; All is not done.' The Water Poet sided with the Cavalier party, and verse and prose flowed plentifully from his pen in favour of the Royal cause. His effusions provoked many replies, one of which is entitled, ' No Mercurius Aqiiaticus, hut a Cahlc-Rope, double twisted for John. Tai/Jcr, the Water Poet ; who escaping droicning in a Paper- Wherri) - Voyage, is reserved for another day, as folJoxceth, riz.' Then follows the subjoined woodcut, with verses imder- neath. The hint that the poet was born to be hanged because he had escaped from drowning refers to his having undertaken to sail from London to Queenborough in a boat made of brown paper. In this foolhardy exploit Taylor and a friend who was with him nearly lost their lives. The tract under notice affords a good specimen of the sort of language used by the partisans of each faction against their opponents : * I should be loathe to foule my fingers with any base Pamphlets that comes from Oxford, if the venom of their malicious spleens were darted against my particular self '• But when through my sides they wound the honour of the Parliament and our Armies abroad, I cannot but set Pen to paper, and pay them back again in their own kinde. And who d'ye think I should meet abroad for a Rogue-in-Print but one of our City Water-rats, the doughty John Taylor, who according to the knavish custom, changes his name upon every new paper-designe ? Sometimes he calls himself Thorney Ado, Mercurius Aquaticus, and now he entitles him- self No Mercurius Aulicus. I thought I had lately sent rope enough for all the Parrots Li Oxford ; But I perceive they will be prattling still ; and therefore I must unmaske the Mysterious Masters of the science of railing. There are three grand paper conspirators well known by the name of Mercurius Aulicus, George Nau-orth, and reverend Master 78 The Pictorial Press : John Taijlcr tlic watcr-tankard, by wliose sprinklings in this great dcartli of AVit and Honesty the University is cherished and kept in credit. These three are they which pumpe and Pimpc about with their Prostitute Noddles in the behalf of Poper}-, Murder, and Rebellion against the state ; they are Liars in all elements, ^^'//e^'j for Land-lies, Taijler for "Water, and hungry George KaicortJi for all between Heaven and Earth, where I doubt not but to see them all meet together to take their farewell of the world, where the Farrof-s will rilEMCTED FATE OF JOHN TAYLOU THE WATEK POET, l(i44. find Hopes made of stronger Lines than mine, and such as will voii-phts the very primest "Wits in the University.' The pamphleteer goes on to give the "Water-Poet what ho doubtless considered a thorough drubbing, and at the end he leaves him ' to the Gallows, the proper cure for such Rebels. ' The words ' London ' and ' C)xford ' on the woodcut have reference to another voyage which the "Water-Poet performed in a sculler's boat between those places. Mcvcurius Aulicus was the organ of the Court party, and was published at Oxford. A curious satire upon this Court paper was printed in 1G45, entitled, Ncices from Stnif/i the O.r/ont Jai/Jor. It consists of a dialogue between the author and tlie * Oxford Jaylor,' and sets forth that ' Mercurius Aulicus ' was sentenced, by a jmy of women, ' ta stand in the Its Orlijlii iLinl Pi'oijres.'^. 79 pilloiy three market-days in Oxford, for his lies, libels, and deceitful glozings ; ' to have a written paper over his head announcing" his shame ; to beg forgiveness of ' Mercurius Brittanicus ; ' to be prevented from writing any more libels for one year. ' That before two montlis' expiration he be cut of the simples, and his braincs be taken out, washt in white MERCUIUUS AULICUS I\ THE PILLORY, 1645. wine, and put in againe.' ' That for every morning during the said time he have one mess of stewd broth made of the interlinings of fewer Court Parazites, and the braines of 26 Oxford "NVidgins boyld in the water of forgetfulnesse.' 'That he may never hereafter liave so much as one graine of wit left him in his empty Hogshead (his brains being taken out and washed as before is ordered) to scandalize those whom if he had any grace he is bound to honour.' There is a wood- cut oi Mercurius Aulicus in the pillory, which is supposed to 80 Tlte Pictorial Prcs-s represent Sir Jolm Birkenhead, who acquired the title of the Loyal Poet, and suffered several imprisonments. This cut was used on several other occasions. The troubles of the times are constantly indicated in the pamphlets of the period. In one the State is represented as a two-headed serpent, with these lines underneath the engraving- : ' This double-headed serpent is a wonder. It draws two ways and tears the womb in sunder ; The wofuU emblem of a troubled State AVhere civill warres doe threat to ruinate.' SyUARE CAPS XUKNED INTO llOUNJJ lIEAl^s, l(i4'2. The partisans of the Parliament faction appear to have been much more active pamphleteers than the Cavaliers. 'Square Caps turned info Round Heads, or ihe Bis/iop's Vin- dication and the Brown id's conviction, being a Dialogue hetn-ccn Time and Opinion ; shou-ing the folhj of the one and the worthi- nesse of the other,' is a tract with an illustration representing Opinion turning a wheel, on which are five square caps and five round heads, while Time, with his scythe and hour- glass, holds converse with Opinion. Under the woodcut are the following lines : — ' Time doth Opinion call unto accompt, "Who turns the Bishop's downe and Roundheads mount ; Upon her lofty wheels their Noddles are. But her Caraelion fecdcth on his aire.' Its Or'Kj'ui and Progress. 81 ^Cornucopia, or Room/or a JRcmi head, wherein is described the difjniti/ of the llani head above the Roundhead or Ratfh'- head,'' is another tract, with a woodcut cai-icature representing a woumn attempting to saw the horns from a man's head. The letterj^ress consists of a dialogue between a man and his wife, wherein the man humorously praises horns. It was a favourite joke to represent the Puritan as a ' cuckoldy Koundhead.' Another satirical pamphlet has a woodcut representing CARICATURE, 164 '2. Cavaliers and Roundheads exciting their dogs to fight. It is entitled, ^A Diatoejue or rathe/- a Far/// between Prince Ruperfs Dorjcje irhose name is Puddle, and Tobies Dog whose name is Pepper, ^-c. Whereunto is added the challenge whii'h Prince Gri/fin's Dog, called Towzer, hath sent to Prince Rupert's Dog Puddle, in the behaJfe of honest Pepper, Tobie's Dog. Jforeorer, the said Prince Griffin is newlg gone to Oxford to Icnj the wager, and to make up the 2Iatch.' In this satire, which is very highly flavoured, both Cavaliers and Roundheads are pelted witli very vigorous epithets, but in G 82 The Pictorial Press: the end the Roundhead dog is converted by his opponent, and seals his recantation in a very striking manner. There is a tirade against the Jesuits entitled, 'A Pcecc of ordnance invented hy a Jcsuite, for Coicarda that firjlit hy Whisperings, and raise Jeatoasics to overthrow hoth Church and State, which tcith the heip of a private Ensiyn in the Cahhinet Councell, or Westminster Hall is able to doe more misehiefe at ticentie miles distance, than a whole Regiment of stout Souldiers, at Jfushet-shot. Which grievance is b// wag of Remonstrance CAiacATUi;K, l(U3. humbly presented to the consideration of the Parliaments This tract has a woodcut of a man firing a cannon formed of the figure of a man. ^ HcIVs Hurlie-Pturlie, or a Fierce contention between the Pope and the Dcvill,' is illustrated ; and there is a pamphlet, with a woodcut, entitled, ' The PeviU's White Boyes: A Mi.vture <(>f Jilalicious JIalignaufx, with their much cvill and manifold practises against the Kingdomc and Parliament, ni'th a boftom- lesse Sach-fuU of Juiavcry, Popery, Prelacy, Policy, Treachery, Malignant Trumpery, Consplricics, and Cruelties, filed to the top by the Jlaligmnits, laid on the shoulders of Time, and now h\j Time emptied fortJi, and poured out, to show the Truth, and It.'^ Origin and Progress. 83 shame tlie Dci-'tU. Beneatli the woodcut arc tlic followiiiff verses : — ' Malignants are tlie Dlvell's Agents still, The Sack is En(jland, which they strive to fill "With misery and mischief, and this Sack Full stufft is laid upon Times aged back ; Time pours it out now in an angry mood That all their knaveries may be understood,' On the cut itself are printed the lines : — ' Thnc now at the last pours out much knavery. The Devill holds down fast to hinder the discoverv.' CAKICATCKE, l(i44. The "Welshman came in for a share of the satirist's wit at the commencement of the Civil "War. He generally figures under the name of ' Ap Shinkin,' and is made to speak English much the same as the Scottish Highlander does in Scott's novels. ' The Wchh )iianH Postures, or the true manner kow her doe exercise het' company of Souldiers in her oicn Country in a u-arVike manners^ is a satire of a very broad character, and is illustrated with a woodcut representing men exercising with the pike. Shinkin is also ridiculed for the share he took in the battle of Edgehill, the first impor- 84 The J Victoria! Prcf^s: tant engagement in tlie Civil War. There is an illustrated tract with the following title : ' The JJl'M mam Complements : or the true manner how Shinldn wood his Siccetheart Maudlin after his return from Kenton Battaite. Also Fair JIaudlin's repli/ and answer to all Shijikin's IFcich co)j/p/ements, full of merry wit and j)leasant mirth.' The 'merry wit' is certainly not relined, and the ' pleasant mirth ' is founded on Shinkin's supposed hasty departure from the neighbourhood of the fight. The woodcut represents Shinkin and Maudlin in conversation. Prince Eupert is often the mark for the satirist's wit. In 'Buperfs Sumpter, and private Cabinet rifled, and a Discoverij of a Pack of his Jewels, hij wai/ of Dialoyue between Mercurius Brittanicus and Mercurius Aulicus,' there is a discussion as to the Prince's merits and demerits, and he is charged with aiming at the crown. Both the King and Queen were brought under the caricaturist's lash. In 1644 there was an illustrated pamphlet published, representing the King, Queen, and a bishop, with the following title : ' The Susser Picture, or an Answer to the Sca-gulL' The address to the reader is headed : ' The Sceptre's Submission, the Distaffs Triumph, and the Crosiers Combination. Peader, If thou hast view'd that stately Picture, which was lately sent iip to the Parliament by CoUonel Morley, and was taken in a Flemish Ship upon the Sussex Shore ; Thou hast beheld therein the weaker sexe triumphing over the stronger, and by the help of a Miter, thou hast seen a Scepter doing- homage to the Distaff e. If thou hast never seen the Originall, yet here is to be seen a poore, rude, counterfeit of the chief part in it ; use thy judgement freely, and impartially : let both the Peece itself, and that which is said by both sides, in judgement thereupon, be put into one equal ballance. If the ])utch Author be not to undergo censure, as if he in- tended an English Storie, yet neither art thou to be censured for doubting his intention, or for standing amazed at his phancic. Shadows Avhicli are not fashioned by some certain, neer, interposing body present nothing to the eye, and there- Its Origin and Progress. 85 fore work nothing upon the understanding. The language of a picture is to be borrowed from the vcritie of the matter, if that be wanting, neither the Art of the Limner nor the imagination of the spectator can supply its vocall organs.' This caricature may have referred to the influence which the Homan Catholic Queen was supposed to exercise over the Protestant king under clerical guidance. Charles I. summoned a Parliament at Oxford in 1644, consisting of such members of both Houses as were devoted TUE PARLIAMENT OF LADIES, 1644. to his interests. There exists a satirical tract ridiculing this Parliament, and, in fact, representing it as a Parliament of old women. The tract is entitled ^A)i exact DiuvnaU of the Parliainent of Lai/den,'' and is illustrated with a woodcut. It sets forth that ' Countesses and other Ladies (on ^Monday morning earh' in a Prosopopia) being met in Mary Maudlins Hall in Oxford, they first made choyce of their speaker ; and it was agreed by all that the Lady Oboney should have the chaire, the Lady Rivers M-as made Chancellor, Nurse "Windham High Constable, the Countess of Derby High Treasurer, and the Coimtess of Essex High Chamberlain. These Ladies having all taken their places, Mrs. Powell 86 The Pictorial Press was appointed clieefe Clerk to the House, and Mrs. Peele Chaire Lady to the Close Committee, and Moll Cut-Purse ■was made Sergeant at Arms.' Prince Ptupert and others are tried and sentenced for various crimes, but the ladies after- wards relent, and pardon all tlic prisoners brought before them. I give on the preceding page a reduced copy of the rough woodcut Mhich illustrates this curious burlesque. A writer of much verbosity satirised the Assembly of CAKICATUKE, 1644. Divines at "Westminster in another illustrated pamphlet, printed 'by Martin Claw-Clergy for Bartholomew Bang- Priest, and sold in Toleration-street, at the sign of the Subject's Liberty, opposite to Persecuting Court.' The author states on the title-page that his production displays ' many witty Synodian Conceits both pleasant and com- modious,' and adorns his work with the above curious engraving, which probably had some reference to a Papal Bull, but at this distance of time we look in vain for the point and meaning of many of these old caricatures. Its Orir/in and Profiress. 87 Having glanced at the satirical side of illustrated jour- nalism at the epoch of the Civil "War, I will quote two or three examples relating to the social and political condition of the country before entering upon the stirring events of that time. A great varletj^ of subjects are embraced in this section. There are accounts of apparitions, signs and portents in the heavens, monstrous births, duels and murders, criminal trials and executions, besides many tracts relating to the vices and follies of the age. One of the first illustrated pamphlets we come to in this division of our subject describes a duel fought in vindication of the good name of King Charles I. The pamphlet is entitled, SSVr Kcnelme Dightfs Honour mfiintaincd hij a mod couragious Combat irhkh he fought u-lth the Lord Mount le Ros, u-Jio hy base and slanderous icords reviled our King. Also the true relation how lie went to the King of Fra)tce, wJio kindhj intreated and sent two hundred wen to guard Itini so far as Flanders. And now he is returned from Banish- ment, and to his eternal honour lives in England.' This is a tract written by an undoubted Royalist. It begins in praise of valour, which is divided into three kinds — that which is allied to rashness, that which is born of the fear of death, and temperate or true valour. It describes how Sir Kenelme Digby was dining with a French lord, who, having toasted most of the kings of Christendom, then jjroposed the health of the most arrant coward in the world ; and on Sir Kenelme inquiring who that was, he was told, after he had drunk the toast, that it was meant for the King of England : ' At which the good knight seemed very much discontent, knowing in what nature his Soveraigne was wronged ; yet very wisely did he secme to pass it by untill dinner being ended, then did he desire the same lord the next day to come and dine with him, who promised him upon his honour that he would.' The next day the French Lord repaired to Sir Kenelme's lodgings, where an entertainment befitting his rank was pro- vided : ' Neither did Sir Kenelme scenie to remember the former dales discontent, but was very frolic and merry, and in 88 The Pictorial Press: tlie midst of dinner lime desired them all to be bare, for be Avould beginnc a health to the bravest king in the world. The French Lord asked whom that Avas, Sir Kenelme made answer that when it had gone about he should know ; well, about it Avent and then Sir Kenelme said that it was the health of tlie bravest king in the world, which is the King of England, my royal Master, for although my body be banished from SIR KENELM DIGBY's DUEL, 1C41. him, yet is my heart loyall}^ linkt ; the French Lord at those Avords seemed to laugh repeating the same words before mentioned, then Avas Sir Kenelme throughly moved in the behalf of our Soveraigne King Charles whereupon he avIus- pered the Lord in the care, telling of him hoAV that twice he had rcA'iled the best King in the Avorld in the hearing of me Avhich am his faithful subject, Avherefore for satisfaction I require a single combatc of you, Avhere either you shall pay your life for your saAvcinesse, or I will sacrifice mine in the //.v Origin and Progress. 89 belialfe of my King. The French Lord being of a rcsohite spirit condescended to fight, the phice was appointed, dinner being ended, they both arise from table and privately wont together, being in field off they pluckt their doublets, and out they draw their weapons. * Mars would have bashful beene to have scene himselfe by Noble Digby there excelled, long work with the con- temptible French Lord, he would not make, for fear lest any should lye in ambush and so he might hazard his own life, wherefore in four bouts he run his rapier into the French Lords brest till it came out of his throat againe, which so soon as he had done, away he fled to the Court of France, and made all knowne to the King thereof, who said the proudest Lord in France should not dare to revile his brother King. * A guard was presently chosen to conduct Sir Kenelme into Flanders, which they did, where he tooke shipping for England, where he now is, where in peace and quietnesse may he still remaine. 'As for the French Lord he was paid according to his desert, and may all be so rewarded Avhich shall dare to revile the Lords anointed, who suffers b}^ other Nations, for the clemency he hath shown to his own Nation, sed heati sunt 2)acifici, but blessed is the peace maker ; good king for thy patience in this world there are Crownes of immortal glory laid in store for thee in the world to come, there thall not traitors dare to show their faces, nor shall perplexity proceed from the great care of ruling of a kingdome, in the mean- while may more such Noble Digbies increase to rebuke all cursing Achitophcis and reviling liahshal-ei/'s. ' Let God arise and then shall the enemies of our gracious King be sure to be scattered. ' Now I conclude commanding fame to show Brave Digby's worthy deed, that all may know He lov'd his king, may all so loyal prove And like this Digby to their king show love.' Many portraits of Charles I. were published in tracts 90 The Pictorial Press: about this time. One of the best is contained in a poetical welcome to the King on his return from Scotland. 'King Charles Ids Entertainment and Londons Loi/altie' 1641, con- tains a precept issued by the Lord Mayor, directing how the aldermen and citizens shall meet the King, on his return from Scotland, at Shoreditch Church, and conduct him to the Guildhall to a banquet, and afterwards to Westminster. CITY TRUMPETER, 1041. There is also a a \cty spirited woodcut of a City trumpeter in this pamphlet, which is copied above. City entertain- ments to sovereigns and princes have always been fruitful occasions for illustrated newsjjapers. The wholesale executions that used to take place at this period would astonish the modern newspaper reader. Some- times as many as twenty-four persons were executed in one day at Tyburn. * A Coppij of the Prisoners Judgement con- demned to d I/, from Nugatc on Monday the 13 of December, 1G41,' gives an account of eight Jesuits and several other Its Oriijin and Progress. 91 prisoners who were executed. A descriptive list is given of the condemned, and amongst them are the following : — ' Charles James, an handsome gentile young man, was conA-icted for Iloberv and Burglary. ' John Hodskins, a fine Scholler, a pretty fellow, yet wanted grace. ' John Davis, a lusty stout personable man. ' Francis Middlefield, a pretty youth, and a good Scholler, convicted of f clonic.' Several highwaymen, horse-stealers, and coiners, are also included in this gloomy list, which is. adorned with a wood- cut of an execution. The regulation of the licensed victuallers' trade and the Sunday closing movement appear to have been as troublesome questions in the seventeenth century as the}' are now. As early as 1641 the publican was uttering the complaints which he still continues to utter. In a jiamphlet of that date there is a dialogue between a tapster and a cook, which sets forth the grievances of both these worthies. The pamphlet is entitled, ^ The Lame ntahh Complaud^ of Nick Froth the Tapster and RuJerost the Cooh, concerning the restraint latehj set forth against drinhing, potting, and piping on the Sahhath day, and against selling meate.' The publican expresses himself thus: — ' I much wonder Master Hulerost Avhy my trade should be put downe, it being so necessary in a commonwealth ; why the noble art of drinking, it is the soul of all good fellow^ship, the marrow of a Poet's Minervs, it makes a man as A'aliant as Hercules though he were as cowardly as a Frenchman ; besides I could prove it necessary for any man sometimes to be drunk, for suppose you should kill a man when you are drunk, you shall never be hanged for it mitill you are sober ; therefore I think it good for a man to be always drunk ; and besides it is the kindliest companion, and friendliest sin of all the seven, for most sins leave a man by some accident or other, before his death, but this will never forsake him till the breath be out of his body ; and lastly a full bowle of strong beere will drown all sorrows.' 92 TJie Pictorial Press To which master Cook rejoins: — 'Master Xick, you are mistaken, yonr trade is not put doAvne as you seem to say ; what is done is done to a good intent ; to the end that poor men that worke hard all the weeke for a little money, should not spend it all on the Sunda}' while they should be at some church, and so consequently there will not be so many Beggars.' Froth — 'xVlack you know all my profit doth arise onely on Sundays, let them but allow me that privilege, and THE COMl'LAINT OF THE LICENSED VICTUALLEIiS, 1641. abridge me all the weeke besides; S'foot, I could have so scowered my young sparks up for a penny a demy can, or a halfe pint, hcajit with froth. I got more by uttering half a Barrell in time of Divine service, than I could by a whole Barrell at any other time, for my customers were glad to take anything for money, and think themselves much ingaged to me ; but now the case is altered.' Cook — * Truly blaster Froth you arc a man of a light constitution, and not so much to be blamed as I that am more solid : what will become of me I I now think of Its Orujiii and Progress . 93 the lusty SIrloincs of roast Bccfo which I with much policy divided into an innumerable company of demy slices, by which, with my provident wife, I used to make eighteene pence of that which cost me but u groat (provided that I sold it in service time,) I could tell you too, how I used my halfe cans and my Bloomsbury Pots, Avhen occasion served ; and my Smoak which I sold dearer than any Apothecary doth his Physick ; but those hapj^y days are now past, and therefore no more of that." ' This pamphlet is illustrated Avith a woodcut showing the Cook and Tapster in confabulation, while in the background joints are roasting, and guests are seated in boxes, refreshing themselves with ' half-cans and Bloomsburj' pots.' The abuses of the Ecclesiastical Courts did not escaj^e the notice of the seveiiteenth-century pamphleteers. Doctors' Commons and the Proctors were quizzed in an illustrated pamphlet, wherein 'Sponge, the Proctor,' and 'Hunter, the Parator,' hold a long conversation, and express their opinion that the only way to make men live in quietness is to beggar them with long suits and large fees. Other evil-doers were shown up in a similar manner. A certain Edward Finch, Vicar of Christ-church, London, gave so much offence to the parishioners by his manner of life that a petition was pre- sented to Parliament on the subject. The petitioners said they were offended by their Vicar's ' frequent and unreason- able bowings' before the altar, and by his 'scandalous life and conversation.' They set forth in the petition that they are ' troubled in their church with singing, organs, and other Instruments of Musicke, not understood by them, whereby they are greatly distracted in the service of God, the same being altogether unprofitable, and no way tending to their spirituall edification.' The Vicar is charged with drunken- ness and incontinence — with exacting unreasonable fees — with being a non-resident ; and the evidence in supj^ort of the petition shows that on one occasion he went to Hammer- smith in a coach with certain loose companions and spent the day in a manner unfit for a clergyman. He is proved to 94 Tiie Ptc'on'dl Press have attempted to adniiuistcr the Sacrament to a dying woman while lie was in a state of drunkenness, and to have been guilty of many other disgraceful acts. The House of Commons passed a vote of censure on this graceless Ritualist; and the petition setting forth his misdeeds was printed and published, illustrated with a woodcut showing the journey to Hammersmith in a coach. Notwithstanding the condemna- tion of Parliament, the Rev. Edward Finch continued in his EVIL DOIXGS OF THE 1!EV. EI>\VARD EINCH, 1641, evil courses, and conducted his 'life and conversation' much the same as before. From the 'perambulations' of a Ritualistic clergjTnan we come to a nunnery, in a pamphlc>t published in 16-41, entitled, * T/te Armiiiian Niuuicrij, or a bricfc description and relation of tlie late erected Jlonasticall Place, called t/te Arniinian Niinner;/ at Little Giddincj, in Ilantingdona/n're.' The Avriter of this pamplilet gives a minute and by no means ' brief description of the institution, which he evidently believes to be Roman Catholic, or a stepping-stone to it, though the 'Deacon' who attended him on his visit assured him to the contrary, lie, however, sets down all the tapers and crosses, the bowings Its Origin and Progress. 95 and prostrations, as so many proofs of idolatry, and marvels that, in a settled Cliurcli government, the Bishops should suffer any such institutions to exist ; particularly that Arch- bishop Laud, professing to be such an 'Anti-Papist and enemy to superstition and idolatry, should permit this inno- vation and connive at such canting betwixt the barke and the tree in matter of Eeligion.' While censuring the pre- lates for their criminal slothfulness, the writer gave his countrymen the benefit of his own acuteness and energy, and published his description, illustrated with an engraving NUKXERl' AT LITTLE GIDDING, nUNTIXGDOXSHIKE, 1C41. representing one of the nuns, with a portion of the nunnery in the background. The next illustrated pamphlet we come to is a curious attempt on the part of its author to satirise his literary con- temporaries for the falsehoods contained in their writings, and he burlesques their productions by relating many things as lies which, however, he means to be understood as truths. It is called ' The Liar, or a contradiction to tltose who in the titles of their Books affirmed them to he true, when theij were Jalse ; although mine are all true yet I term them lyes. Veritas Veritatis.' ' There was an Ens-lishman which travelled to the Swedish 9G Tlie Pictorial Press Army, and began to relate very strange passages which he had seen here in Enghmd, thinking that travellers might lye by authority ; for said he in the County of Berke, at a place called Abingdon, Avhen the Earle of Strafford lost his head, was such thundering and lightning, and earthquakes, that it is almost incredible. Surely I think it is incredible indeed, for I know 'tis no such matter. ' He told too that the very same day that my Lord Arch- bishop of Canterbury was committed to the Tower, there was THE LIAR ON THE RACK, 1641. a child born in the County of Somerset with a Mitre on \H head, a marke on his breast like a Crucifix, and many other strange things which Avere there scene.' Having iinented the travelling Englishman for a niouth-picce and selected the Swedish army for an audience, the writer goes on to relate many other strange things, which, though told as lies, are evidently intended to be taken as truths. * They heard him Avith patience till he had made an end of his lying, and then they asked him whether yea or nay he saw these things he spake of, he presently swore all the oaths of God that he saw these things with his own natural eyes. Its On'f/in and Progress. 97 Avliicli ho had reported, and he wouhl maintaine it, though he spent his dearest blood in the docing- of it ; -well, they lieard liis protestations, and mads a full account that they would prove his constancie whether he would be a Martyr yea or na}-, in the mcane time they horsed him, and this was the manner of it. * There Avas a great high thing raised to the height of twelve or fourteen yards, made of Iron, whereon he was seated, with two great weights on his toes, and the like on his hands Avhere he sate in great paine, if he should chance to ease himselfe upwards, there were sharp nailes over his head which would prick him, thus he sate and thus he suf- fered, till they had sufficiently made a laughing stock of him ; well, when he had suffered enough they let him downe.' There is a woodcut representing the lying traveller on his 'horse,' and the tract Avinds up thus : — ' Gentle lieader, I have heere related vmder the name of lies nothing but true tales, for if a man doth now speakc truth he shall be sure to smart for it now-a-daies, cither here or in other places : read gentlie and buy willingly.' When the Plague visited London in 1641 the theatres were closed and the plaj-ers were thrown out of cmplo}-- ment. This state of thinsrs is discussed in a dialos'ue between ' Cane of the Fortune and Eecd of the Friars,' in a tract illustrated with a woodcut which was frequently used afterwards in broadsides. Bartholomew Fair, which was proclaimed for the last time in 1855, was in all its glory in the days of Charles I. A contemporary tract gives a gi'aphic description of the fair, and is illustrated with a Avoodcut representing a man swallowing a serpent. This probably represented a picture hung outside one of the shoAvs. The title of the tract is, ' BartJioIomeiv Faire, or Variety of Fancies, tchere you may find a faire of wares and all to please your mind ; irith tlte several enormities and mis- demeanours u-Jiieh arc there seen and acted.' The fair is described as beginning 'on the twenty -fourth day of H 98 TJie Pictorial Press : Aiio-ust, and is tlien of so vast an extent that it is con- tained in no lesse than four several parishes, namely, Christ Church, Great and Little Saint Bartholomew's, and Saint Sepulchre's. Hither resort people of all sorts. High and Low, Eich and Poore, from cities, townes, and countreys ; of all sects. Papists, Atheists, Anabaptists, and Brownists, and of all conditions, good and bad, virtuous and vitious.' It is said to be ' full of gold and silver-drawers ; just as Lent is to the Fishmonger so is Bartholomew Faire to the Pick- A ba:;tuolomew faik woxDEr, l64l. pocket ; it is his high harvest, which is never bad but when his cart goes up Holborn. ' It is remarkable and worth your observation to behold and hear the strange sights and confused noise in the Faire. Here a knave in a fool's coat, with a trumpet sounding, or on a drum beating, invites you and would fain perswadc you to see his puppets ; there a rogue like a Avild woodman, or in an Antick shape like an incubus, desires your company, to view his motion ; on the other side Hocus Pocus, with three yards of tape or ribbin in's hand, slicwing his art of Leger- demain, to the admiration and astonishment of a company of cockoloaches. Amongst these you shall see a gray goose cap (as wise as the rest), with a what do ye lacke in his mouth. Its Origin and Progress. 99 stand in Lis bootlie, shaking a rattle, or scraping on a fiddle, with whicli children are so taken, that they presently cry out for these fopperies ; and all these together make such a dis- tracted noise that you would think Babell were not com- parable to it. Here there are also your gamesters in action, some turning of a whimsey, others throwing for pewter, who can quickly dissolve a round shilling into a three-halfpenny saucer. Long Lane at this time looks very faire, and puts out her best cloaths, with tlie wrong side outward, so turned for their better turning off. And Cloth Faire is now in great request ; well fare the ale-houses therein ; yet better may a man fare (but at a dearer rate) in the pig market, alias Pasty-nooke, or Pye Corner, where pigges are all hours of the day on the stalls piping hot, and would cry (if they could speak) come eate me.' In 1641 an order of Parliament directed the removal of idolatrous pictures from churches and the demolition of crosses in the streets. It must have been on the passing of this order that ' TJte Doleful Jaincntation of CJicapslde Cross,' with a woodcut of the Cross, was published, 1641. Also, 'A Dialogue beturen the Crosse in Cheap and Charing Crosse' 1641, which has also a woodcut representing the two crosses, while a Brownist and an Anabaptist converse about their demolition. It was not, however, till 1643 that Charing Cross and Cheapside Cross were demolished. ' The Downfall of Dagon, or the tahing down of Cheapside Crosse this second of 2Iaij, 1643,' is a mock lamentation for the destruction of the Cross on account of its being a sjanbol of idolatry. The Cross itself is made to describe its history and to lament its errors. Divers reasons are griven for its de- molition, and the tract concludes in these words : ' And so this Tuesday it is a taking down with a great deal of judge- ment and discretion, and foure Companies of the Traine Bands of the City to guard and defend those that are about the worke, and to keep others from domineering, and so I leave it to be made levell with the groimd this second day of May 1643.' The tract is illustrated with a woodcut re- 100 The P Ida rial Press presenting the demolition of the Cross ; and, as the day of publication is the day after the event, the persons concerned in its production must have been unusually prompt and energetic. The destruction of Cheapside and Charing Crosses is also recorded, under the date of lG-43, in 'A Sight of the Transactions of these tatter yeares Enihlcmized icith Inrjraven Plates, irhich men inaij read icithout Spectacles' c{<2C^'^ie. aTroof^c cy//^^/c^ i/ Collonell Lundsford and the rest of his eonipan;/, and the Towne fearing tlieij uould rise tip in llehellion, one cam speedili/ to declare it at Its Orifjlii and Pror/ress. 109 London, upon icJiicJi the Trainc Bdnd icere raised and caused to watch all night for the safety of the CitijJ On the title-page is a. woodcut of an officer and a soldier, which, however, was evidently not executed for this sj^ecial occasion, the officer being in the costume of the preceding reign. A facsimile of it is subjoined. The tract describes the commotion made in Kingston by the aj)pearance of Colonel Lundsford and three hundred troopers, who, ' about the middle of the Towne, went in to drink, and continued there part of that day, swagger- HURLEYBUELEY AT KIXGSTOX-dX-TIIAMES, 1642. ing, and swearing blasjihemous Oathes (which filled the Towne with feares) and some amongst the rest, to frighten the Towne, swore bitter Oathes that they should see bloody times ere long.' A tract of the same date refers to a reported conspiracy of the same Colonel Lundsford: — 'A terrible plot against London and Westminster discovered, sho/ring hoir Colonell Luns- ford the Fapist, that should have bin Lieutenant in the Tower, should i)i a Consiyiraoj among the Jesuits and other Papists no The Pictorial Press : have llorcne up the City of London, placing the pieces of Ordi- nance against it. Also hotc the j)apists icith their forces should have risen against Westminster, and burnt douiie the parliament house. Likeu-ise how l»j this Conspiracy the Arch-bishop of Canterbury should have been transported into France, and how CAI'TAIN VAUL, THAT CRUEL TYRANT, 1642. Bishop Wrvn uith many other Bishops and popish Doctors should have bin conducted with him thither, where Canterbury should have bin Sainted, and Wren made Cardinall. With an exact Relation of the chiefe Cause of the Apprentices rising in Armes to defend the City of London from their treachery. De- scribing most succinctly the singular mercy of God towards us in defending this Eingdomefrom the manifold Plots of the Papists Its Oriijiii and Progress. Ill and their Treaclicrons Coiiftpiracics.' On the last page is a woodcut of a Cavalier in a hat and feathers, entitled 'Captaine Yaul that cruell Tyrant.' As there is no mention of this person in the pamphlet it was perhaps a well-known nick- name of Colonel Lundsford. I annex a copy of this cut. The same cut appears in a tract entitled ' Tcrri/jle Neiccsfrom York,' detailing certain riotous proceedings in that city, where it is given as ' Mr. Ilolk, chief xVgent in the uproar.' Its first appearance, however, is in an account of a 'Blood// Coii- spirac// at Edinhnrrjh ;' and, from its frequent use, this rough woodcut must have been regarded as a good, bold representa- tion of a truculent soldier, suitable for the times. While the Kino; and the House of Commons were con- tending for the upper hand there was published 'A Perfect Diurjiall of the Passages in Parli/onent' illustrated with a woodcut of the House of Commons, with Mr. Speaker in the chair. This is used as a heading to several numbers of the same Diurnall, and sundry varieties of it are printed as head- ings to other reports of Parliament. This old woodcut has been often copied, but my examples of illustrated journalism would not be complete unless I introduced it here. The printing-presses that are said to have been carried by both armies during the Civil War must have been used solely for the printing of Proclamations, General Orders, and suchlike documents. It seems to be an ascertained fact that Cromwell's soldiers set up a printing-press in Scotland, and printed a newspaper ; but it is not so certain that the armies of Charles I. and of the Parliament issued printed 'news' from whatever town they chanced to occupy at the time. It does not follow that because a tract is entitled News from Hull it was actually printed at that place. On the contrary, I have found nearly all the tracts I have examined bear the imprints of London printers. The News from the North, The Last printed News from Chichester, &c., were all sent up to London, and there printed and published. In the words of Hume, ' The open signal of discord and civil war throughout the kingdom ' was made at Nottingham The Pictorial Press. 113 on August 22, 1642, when tlie King erected his Royal stand- ard and appealed to the loyalty of his subjects to suj^port his authority by arms. Historians differ as to the precise day when this formal declaration of hostilities took j^lace. Clai'en- don and Hume both fix it on the 25th of August, while Rushworth giyes the 22))d as the date. The latter yiew is confirmed by a contemporary jiamphlet, which giyes an ac- count of the raising of the Standard, and is illustrated with a woodcut representing the eyent. This pamphlet was written in the interest of the Parliament and against the King's party ; but his Majesty is referred to in the most respectful language, as is generally the case in the pamphlets of the time. At the beginning of the struggle frequent hopes were expressed that the King wovdd consent to be guided by the Parliament, while his Cavalier adherents were represented as his real enemies. The pamphlet referred to has the follow- ing title : — 'A true and exact Relation of the manner of his Majesties setting tq) of His Standard at ISTottingham on Munday the 22 of August, 1642. 'First, the forme of the Standard, as it is here figured, and who irere present at the adcaneing of it. ' Secondl//, the danger of setting up of former standards, and the damage irhich ensued thereon. ' Thirdly, a relation of all the Standards that ever were set up hy any King. 'Fourthly, the names of tJtose hnights who are appointed to be the King's Standard-bearers, with the forces that arc appointed to guard it. 'Fifthly, the manner of the Kings comming first to Coventry. 'Sixthly, the Cavalieres resolution and dangerous threats which they have uttered, if the King concludes a peace without them, or hearkens nnto his great Councill the Parliament ; moreover how they have shared and divided London amongst themselves already. London, printed for T. Coles, 1642.' The account of this interesting historical eyent is given in these words : ' Munday being the 22 of August in the I Tlie Pictorial Press. 115 morning-, liis Majesty left his forces before Covcntrj^, and witli some Lords and others in company rode to Leicester, where he dined that day at the Abbey House, the Countesse of Devonshire's house ; however, so many printed nitelligences doe falsely, though with much confidence aver (much like their other relations) that the king was with his Army in the field, at the time of the battell between them and the Lord Brookes forces, which was not imtill the day following. Presently after dinner the King againe tooke horse, and with his company rode to Nottingham, where was great prepara- tion for the setting- up of the Standard that day as was formerly appointed. Not long after the Kings coming to towne, the Standard was taken out of the Castle, and carried into the field a little on the back side of the Castle wall. The likencsse of the Standard it is much of the fashion of the City Streamers used at the Lord flavor's Show, having about 20 supporters, and is to be carried after the same way ; on the top of it hangs a bloody flag, the Kings Amies quartered, with a hand pointing to the Crowne which stands above with this Motto : Give Cmar his due. The names of those Knights Baronets who were appointed to beare the Standard, viz. The chiefe was Sir Thomas Broohes, Sir Arthur Ilopton, Sir Francis Wortley, and Sir Roljcrt Dartington. ' Likewise there was three troop of Horse appointed to waite upon the Standard, and to beare the same backwards and forwards with about sixe hundred foot Souldiers. It was conducted to the field in great state, his Majesty, the Prince, Prince Bohcrt (whom his Majesty hath lately made a Knight of the Garter), going along Avith divers other Lords and Gentlemen of his Majesties traine, beside great company of Horse and Foot, in all to the number of about two thousand, who came more to sec the manner of the thing than any waie to offer assistance to his Majesty, as did afterwards evidently appear, for that upon the taking downe of the Standard, there were not above thirty of the trained bands that offered to come in to his Majesty, which, because their numbers were so inconsiderable his Majesty refused to accept of. 11 G The Pictorial Press : ' So soon as the Standard was set up, and liis Majest}- and the other Lords phiccd about it, a Herauld at Armes made ready to proclaim a Proclamation declaring the Ground and Cause of his Majesties setting up his Stan- dard namely to suppress the jjretended Ptcbcllion of the Earle of Essex in raysing forces against him, to which he required the aid and assistance of all his loving subjects. But before the Trumpeters could sound to make Proclama- tion his Majesty called to view the said Proclamation ; which being given him he privately read the same over to himselfe, and seeming to dislike some passages therein called for Penne and Inke, and with his owne hand crossed out and altered the same in diverse places, (a thing well worthy the noting) and then gave it the Herauld, who proclapned the same to the people, though with some difficulty after his Majesties corrections ; after the reading whereof, the whole multitude threw up their hats, with other suchlike expres- sions, God Save tJic King. IS^ot long after the reading of the said Proclamation, it being towards night, the Standard was taken downe, and again carried into the castle, with the like state as it was brought into the field. And the next day it was again set up, and his Majesty came along with it, and made proclamation as the day before, and the like also was done on ^Wednesday, his Majesty being also present. But since that it hath been set up with lesse ceremony, there being not a hundred persons as are yet heard of that have offered them- selves to his Majesty since the first setting up of his Standard. 'Since which time his gracious Majesty hath pleased to send some propositions to both Houses of Parliament ; and hath employed the Earle of Dorset, the Earle of Southampton, and Sir John Culpeper, and Sir AVilliara Uvedall to deliver his Majesties minde to the honourable Houses of Parliament for a fair Treaty and accommodation of Peace, and that all differences and mistakes might be ended, and all hostile manner of warre to cease in our Land and that it might be sent over to Ireland upon which report the Cavaliers which are about the Country are very desperate to hearc that his Its Ongin and Progress. 117 Majesty will liearkcn to an accommodation of peace, or to apply or comply with his Parliament ; telling liis :Majesty that it is dishonourable to stoop to his Subjects, and if his Majesty doth, they will either hang themselves, or kill and murther themselves, and doth vow private revenge to this King-dome, if they do now misse of their hopes and enter- prises, for they say they are sure to overcome us whom they called Roundheads, and call our Souldiers nothing else but a company of Shrove-Tuesday boyes, and idle headed prentices, who run away from their Masters under pretence of having this opportunity to get liberty from their hard service and cruelty. It is truly reported that the Cavaliers are all des- perately bent against the City of London, and the inhabitants ; they have already within themselves shared and divided it ; some have allotted to themselves Gracious Street, others Lumbard Street, then others have shared Cheapside, and Pauls- Church-yard, others do determine to seize upon the rich Aldermens houses and Persons, others to whom they owe or are indebted to by bond, or bill, or book, doe resolve when they come into the City to seize upon those persons first, to whom they are indebted, and to cut their throats, and then to seize upon Usurer or others, and to cut his throat for that money, so say they, we shall be both at once out of debt and have money to boot ; these are the resolu- tions of the Cavaliers who doth but looke for such an ad- vantage, so full of cruelty and malice they are, which God in his infinite and blessed mercy protect both our King and Kingdome from ; and that their own swords may returne into their own bosoms that wish and long for such a day.' Then follows a notification from both Houses of I'arlia- ment that none shall proclaim the setting up of the King's Standard ; and whoever shall suffer loss or damage through the Cavaliers shall receive reparation. According to Clarendon, the Ptoyal Standard was set up under the most ill-omened and depressing circumstances: ' There was not one regiment of foot yet brought hither, so that the train-bands which the sheriff had drawn together 118 Tlie Pictorial Press were all the strength the King had for his person and the guard of the Standard. There ajipeared no conflux of men in obedience to the proclamation ; the arms and ammunition "were not yet come from York, and a general sadness covered the whole town. The Standard was blown down the same 'Dax^.€\\t^\\ BnttimokaTn I'laxci; KurEUT, geneual of the king's iiokse, 1643. night it had been set up, by a yery strong and unruly wind, and could not be fixed again in a day or two, till the tempest was allayed. This was the melancholy state of the King's affairs when the Standard was set up.' Soon after the King had unfurled his Standard at Xot- tingham the battle of Edgchill was fought, and an illustrated tract relates how the inhabitants of Kenton, a villaffe near the battle-field, were disturbed at night by strange noises and the appearance of apparitions after the battle. The name of Its Or'ujin and Progress. 119 Prince Ilupcrt begins to appear in the narratives of events, and liis portrait frequently occurs in tlie illustrated sheets of this period. Tliis dashing and impetuous Cavalier, whose rash courage excited the admiration of the Hoyalists, was regarded by the Houndheads as a cruel and bloodthirsty enemy, and ho was often denounced by the Puritan preachers. In 1G43 there was a pamphlet published called ' The Bloody Prince ; or, a Declared io)i of the Mont Cruell Practises of Prince Rupert and tJie rest of the Cavaliers in fiejhtinej against God and the true 3Ii)iisters of his Church.' Facing the title is a woodcut representhig Prince Pupert on his charger, with the towns of Birmingham and Daventry in the background, both of which places were the scenes of conflict during the war, the former having been taken, partially burnt, and a heavy line inflicted on the inhabitants by Prince Pupert. The City of London having taken the side of the Parlia- ment, was naturally inclined to honour its chief magistrate Avhen he was found to be an active and energetic promoter of its views. Isaac Pennington was Lord Mayor in 1643, and his portrait was published in a laudatory pamphlet, entitled ^A True Declaration, aud just Commendation of the great and. incomparahle care of the Rigid Honourable Isaac Pennington.^ His Lordsliip is styled the Atlas of the city, bearing the weight and management of all civil affairs on his shoulders, and ho is much commended for his great care in super- intending the building of the fortifications round London under the direction of the Parliament. 'And herein,' says the writer, ' your honour hath shewed yourself e an excellent Magistrate complying with the Parliament in all matters that concerne the publicke administration of the Commou- wcalo ; so that you have lookt upon the present state of this Citic and Peligion with the cleare eye of justice ; you have heard of the great pressures which the country hath endured by the cruelty of the Cavaliers ; you have to the discourage- ment of malignants on the shoulders of fortitude, bore and suffered their false aspersions .... Your Honour hath in your present Magistracie walked uprightly, having clean and pure hands ; nay, strong hands ; for your Honour hath been the 120 The Pictorial Press cliiefest raiser and promoter of tlie workes and fortifications round about the Citie of London : you saw the times were dangerous, and that the King's Cavaliers gaped after nothing more than to get London, and make it a prey to the supplying IS.KAC PENNINGTOX, LOliD MAYOR OF LONDON, 1G43 of their necessities.' I have copied the portrait of the man who was thus distinguished by his fellow-citizens, not merely as an example of illustrated news, but as showing what a Lord Mayor of London looked like in Charles I.'s time. It was in the City of London, and during the second year of the Civil War, that the first illustrated new-sj^apcr came into existence. T/ic Wcvhlij Xcicn had attempted on Its Or'xjiii and Pro(jress. I'll only one occasion to illustrate the news of the da}', but the Mercurius Civicus frequently gave illustrations, and it is therefore entitled to be ranked as the first illustrated news- paper. It is true that most of the engravings it contains are portraits, and sometimes the same woodcut is used to represent more than one person. Besides portraits of the King and Queen, there are portraits of the chief generals and commanders engaged in the war. There are Prince Rupert, the Lord General, Sir Thomas Fairfax, the Marquis of Huntley, Sir Edward Deering, General Lesley, Lord Inchiquin, Lord Digby, Sir W. "Waller, the Earl of CHAELES 1. AND HIS QrEEX, FKOM ' MEECCRIUS CIVICUS,' 1643. "Warwick, and others. ' The Mercurius Cicicus, London's IntcUigencer, or Truth impartially related from thence to the u-hok kingdom, to prevent misinformation, from Thursday July 13 to Thirsday July 20, 1643,' is the full title of No. 8 ; and it is curious to notice how nearly a portion of the title — London's Intelligencer — corresponds to the London Ncus. It was a peculiar feature of the early newspapers that they were announced as being published ' to prevent misinforma- tion,' or for the ' correction of false reports ' — not so much for the diffusion of truth as for the correction of falsehood. On the front page of Xumber 8 of the Jlercnrius Civicus are small portraits of Charles I. and his Queen, engraved on wood. Over the woodcut is a sort of table of contents, 122 The Pictorial Press thus: — ' The King and Queen conjoyned, tlie Kentish news related, our Forces are united, A publiquc Fast appointed.' On. the preceding page is given a facsimile of the cut of the King and Queen. Similar portraits occur in other numbers, as Avell as several ornamental letters; but there is in ^Number 11 a c^ercurtus \ \ Ctvtcus, Londons Intelligencer. WEAPON CALLED A r.OUNDIIEAD, FKOJI ' MEKCUKIUS CIVICCS,' 1643. very interesting illustration of the news of the hour. It is a woodcut of a weaj)on said to be intended for use against the lloundlioads, and the following account is given of it : — ' In the Danish Ship lately taken by the Earle of "NVarwicke, near Newcastle, were found Armes complcat for oOUO foot and for 500 horse, 500 barrels of Gunpowder, Great store of 3Iatcli and Lead, beside a thousand of those weapons which the Papists call liound-heads, for that with them they Its Origin and Progress. 123 intended to bring tlic Round-licads into subjection. Many such -weapons were long- since found in divers Papists' houses in Lancashire ; it is a Aveapon with an ovall or round toj:), stuck full of iron spikes. The forme whereof for better satisfaction is here set downe.' Then follows a representation of the weapon, of which a facsimile is given on the opposite page. The same cut is reprinted in other numbers. In another number it is related that ' the Manchestrians have lately taken from severall Papists in that County many desperate weapons which they call Pound-heads.' No. 22 PORTRAIT OF PEIXCE RUPERT, FROM ' MERCURIUS CIVICUS,' l644. has a i^ortrait of a Cavalier in hat and feather, intended probably for Prince Maurice, as there is in the body of the number an allusion to a report of his death. In No. 42 there is a portrait of Prince Pupert and the following summary on the title-page : — ' Prince Pupert's forces routed near Strat- ford-on-Avon. Generall King's Army dispersed by the Scots. Himself e wounded and fled to Yorke. Banbury Castle besieged by Colonell Cromwell.' I give a copy of Prince Pupert's portrait, which is made to do duty for the Marquis of Newcastle in another number. This practice of making the same woodcut pass for the portraits of different individuals savours somewhat of impudence on the jjart of 124 The Pictorial Press the editor, and shows a cool reliance on the good nature or the obtuseness of his readers. In the number of the Mcrcuriiis Cificiis for April 11, lG-11, there is a curious woodcut representing the 'Oxford Junta in Council,' with the following paragraph referring to it : — ' The news from his Excellencies generall Roundezvous at Ailsbury on Good-Fr^'day next, will no doubt cause the Oxonian Papists to whip themselves before the time, and to make the Oxford Junto to recall their late votes.' The lady and gentleman in the balcony were probably intended for TUE OXFORD JUNTA IN COUNCIL, FROM ' MERCURIUS CIVICUS,' 1C44. the King and Queen. There is more variety in this number oi Jlcrcurids Civicus X\\i\n in any I have seen. In the war news there is the taking of "Waltam House, in Hampshire ; the taking of numerous men and horses at Christchurch, in Dorsetshire ; then comes a paragraph stating that * On Munday last, April 8, there were ten men and two women executed at Tyburne for the severall offences for which they were condemned the last M'ceke at the Sessions in the Old Bay ley.' Mention is made of a fight between the Scots Army and the Marquis of Newcastle's forces near Hilton; the gathering of the King's forces in the neighbour- hood of Marlborough, and an announcement that the Parlia- ment intend to draw all their forces together, and, if possible. Its Orhjin and Pnxjress. 125 by figliting a decisive action ' to put a speedy end to these miserable distractions.' The trial of Archbishop Laud was at this time going on, and reference is made to his appearance before the House of Peers. Two "Welshmen were taken into custod}' for talking in "Welsh, while they were crossing the river from "Westminster to South wark, about firing the city in several places, they not knowing that the waterman xmdcrstood their language. It is stated that a solemn day o£ thanksgiving had been observed in London for the victory obtained over Sir Halph Ilopton's forces, and an ordinance was read in the churches exhorting the citizens to contribute all their strength to bring the contest to a final issue. There is also some account of recent fires in the city, which are attributed to the treachery of Cavaliers and Malignants. * But,' saj's the writer, ' which way soever these sad accidents are brought to passe, they may afford the whole City this caution : that if the firing of some few houses be so dreadful and fearfull, as I am sure this appeared to those that beheld them, notwithstanding they had all means convenient to quench them, and the multitude being industrious to set their hands to the Avorke : how terrible would it be to see your houses set on fire by the enemy, and the cruell souldiers, instead of brino-in"' buckets of water, should stand with their drawne swords threatening the death of those that should offer to quench the flame ? Poore Ireland can give ample testimony of this.' From Yorkshire there is news that Fairfax had taken Cawood Castle ; from Banbury that the Royalist garrison was withdrawn from that place, and ' that the Carriers of Banbury and Southam were robbed the last weeke neere Tossiter in Northamptonshire by divers of the Cavaliers Forces.' In the number for April 25, 1G44, there is a figure of the King armed with a sword, and with this inscription : — ' Fire and sword again menaced by his Majesty.' During the first years of the Civil "War the newspapers contained many portraits of the King, some of which were carefully engraved on copper. It is noticeable that the Mercurius Cin'cus and other 126 Tlie Pictorial Pre.^^.^ papers puHislied during the Civil War were in the liabit of including on their title-pages a summary of the contents of the number. Sometimes it was put in the form of rhyme, as — ' Tewkesbury is taken Y(U'ko walls are well shaken.' 4 IIIC.VIJIXG TO THE ' SCOTTISH DOVE," l(i44. The Scotti'sh Dove frequently indulged in these rhyming summaries. On the title-page of Number 39 for July 13, 1644, the following lines are printed : — ' Rupert and Xewcastlc wholly Piuutod Eupert and Newcastle's jarres un(k)ubted ; Newcastle fled to Sea, Rupert to tlie King, Give God the Glory heavenly praises sinf. A day of thankes the i3arliamcnt hath set. Lord Gray with some of Hasting's troops hath met. From Oswestree ^Middleton the siege did raise And Barnstaples defence, doth Essex praise ; The Queen Pendennis Castle liketh best. The King uncertain where to take his rest.' Its n't/ill and J^)'<)(/rcs.s\ 127 The Scoff is// Bore was a small quarto numbered aiul paged consecutively like the Jlcrcuyins CiviciiH. On the front page of every number was printed a woodcut of a dove bearing an olive-branch in its mouth, and at the side of the woodcut was usually printed the rhyming summary. I annex a facsimile of this heading. Many of the journals of this period showed their han- kering after illustrations by occasionally indidging in an initial letter, if they could do nothing more. The animosi- ties of party often caused them to forget their original purpose of spreading true intelligence, and they Avere quite as ready to apply the lash to each other as to chastise public wrongdoers or ' correct false reports.' At this time first appeared the familiar newspaper heading of tlie man on horseback blowing a horn. It was on the front page of the Fhjing Posf, the first number of which was published on May 10, 1G44. The full title was 'The Fhjhuj Posf, con- t'eijing Wcchh/ Pac];efs fo all Forraigiic Nafions, of flic Pro- ceedings of hot h Houses of Parliament and fhe Armies in Great Briffain,^ and it was ' published for the cleere satisfaction of all Forraigners and others who desire Certain, and "Weekly Information.' The introduction is as follows : — * Gentlemen, — The too many errours committed of late time, by the irregularitie of the Presse (which since by the wisdome of the Parliament, is in a great measure sup- pressed), which did run Weekly in severall channels to the greatest part of Europe in great dishonour to our English Nation ; Have enforced this my Flying Post never to make stay, till it had intimated the same unto you, and fully vindicated this my Native Kingdome, by publishing a certain Weekly Intelligence of all Proceedings of our honourable Parliament and unhappy wars of this Kingdome ; wherein (though a well wisher to his Excellencie the Earle of Essex, and the Proceedings of Parliament) I shall write with the greatest indifference, truth, and modestie, as shall satisfie the impartiallest that reades me ; attributing to the Enemy no otherwise than Truth will warrant it, be it to 128 The Pictorial Press their honour or shame according to their demerit. There- fore give me leave to beg your credence beyond Sea and elsewhere, as you find me.' The FIuuKj Pud gives intelligence from York, then besieged by the Scots ; from Hull, Newark, and ^Mansfield ; some notes of the proceedings in Parliament, respecting which the journalist says cautiously : — ' As for our jjroceed- ings in Parliament, I shall be very cautious and tender in divulging them.' It was ' Published according to order,' and printed at London for Bernard Alsop, 1G44. HEADING TO THE ' KI.NGDOMES WEEKLY POST,' lf)44. The Kinr/i!o)iies Wcclclij Pod had the same heading, whicli is here copied. In a tract entitled ' Strange true and lamentahle ne\i:8 from Exeter and otlicr 2)arfs of tJie Wtstern Countreys^ there is a woodcut of a woman on tier knees praying for mercy. The pamphlet relates the cruelties inflicted by the Cavaliers on the inhabitants of Exeter, Bristol, and other towns. Prince Maurice is charged with breaking the articles of agreement made with the city of Exeter, and both he and Prince Ptupert are likened to ' Tigers or Savage Beares.' It is stated that in the city of Exeter * the rude Souldiers would not forbeare upon the least discontent given to them to Its Or'Kjui and Pixh/ress. 129 draw tlicir Ilapicrs upon the Citizens, and Avound them, but especially wken they are in their cups, they swagger, roare, SAveare, and domineere, plimdering, pillaging, or doing any other kind of wrong ; to break shops and houses they count as nothing, taking away Boots, Shoes, Stockings, Hats, or any other commodities they can lay their hands on, and no Justice dares to resist them, and by this means the City is in such a miserable condition that they are eycn terrified to the death.' At Cirencester, STRANGE NEWS FKOil EXETER, 1643. haying entered the town by force, they slew all the men who opposed them, took the unresisting inhabitants pri- soners, and pillaged the town. At Bristol * They went into some Cellars, where was plenty of wine and beere, drank what their gormandising guts would hold, and let the rest run about the house, with many other antique tricks that they used, which I cannot omit to speak of ; moreoyer, they breake the Covenant which was made in eyery respect the very first hour that they entered the city, and fell to plun- dering, pillaging, robbing, stealing, cutting and slashing, as if they had never been brought up to any other practice.' K 130 The Pictorial Pres.'^: In an account of tlie defence of Plymouth against the Roj^alists there is a rery elaborate map showing the fortifi- cations of the to\\Ti, ' with the workes and approaches of the enemy at the last siege.' The account of the siege is very long, but the following passage may be quoted : — * One re- markable passage of God's providence to us Ave must with all thankfulnesse remember and acknowledge, that after the Towne had been a long time strictly beseigcd and no fresh victuall either flesh or fish could be had, whereby the poore Ijeople were grievously punished, there came in an infinite multitude of Pilchards into the Harbour, within the Bar- bican, which the people took up with great ease in baskets, which did not only refresh them for the present, but a great deal more were taken, preserved, and salted ; whereby the poore got much money ; such a passage hath not happened before. ' We cannot forget the humanity of the good women of Plymouth, and their courage in bringing out strong waters, and all sorts of provisions in the midst of all our skirmishes for refreshing of our souldiers, though many shot through the cloathes.' I have already made the remark that the military atro- cities of recent times were equalled, if not exceeded, during the Civil War in England and Ireland. In a tract of 1644, containing various items of news, the following woodcut is given as an illustration of recent events. The same woodcut is found in another tract entitled ' Terrible and hloodi/ JVcives from the disloijall Amu/ in the North : ' — ' The proceedings of the Scots and Irish appears more visible and inhumane than formerly ; their actions are tyrannical, their ways most in- sufferable, and cxccutcth nothing but blood thirstincsse and cruelty tending only to utter ruin and desolation ; they have burned do^ni divers stately buildings in these parts, executed some of my Lord Wharton's tenants, and threatens others, which causeth the Country to rise and jo^ni Avith Lieu. Gen. Cromwell, insomuch that there will be a sudden engagement.' The sect called the ' Levellers ' is thus alluded to in the same tract : — ' Colonel Martin's approach with his Levellers J Its Oriijin and Pi'0(jress. 131 ill these ptirts liatli alarmed the Country and -^xxi themselves into a posture to receive them, and for preservation of their ancient rights and liberties against their new design of level- ling, who by their strange, politick, and subtill delusions have wrought into the hearts of divers peoj^le to ingage with them, especially among those Avho are of a desperate fortune, and mean condition, the basest and vilest of men resorting to them. They rob and plunder exceedingly wheresoever they come, saying they will levell all sorts of peojjle, even from CRUELTIES OF THE CAVALIERS, lfi44. the highest to the lowest, and that he that hath the most shall be equall with him that hath the least.' In a pamphlet relating to the events of Charles I.'s reign there are some of the etchings previously noticed, together with nine others illustrating the history of the same period. They are: — 1. The Court of High Commission and Star Chamber. 2. The Execution on Tower Hill of Sir Alexander Carew, Sir John Hotham, Captain Hotham, and the Arch- bishop of Canterbury. 3. The King's Escape from Oxford. 4. The Execution of the Duke of Hamilton, Earl of Cam- bridge, Earl of Holland, and Arthur Lord Capel. 5. The Coronation of Charles II. in Scotland, 1G50. 6. A Meeting 132 The Pictorial Press of Cavaliers. 7. A Scapiece illustrating Charles II. 's Escape from England after the Battle of Worcester. 8. Reading the Act of General Pardon and Oblivion, IGol. 0. The House of Commons in Session. The full title of the pamphlet is as foUows: — 'A Brief lleviinc of tJie mod iiuiterial PdrUdinentanj Proceed l))g>i of f/ii-'i present Parliameitt, (Htd tlieir Annies, in their cicil and JIartia/ A/fdirs, which Parliauiott began the third of Novenihcr, 1G40, and the remnrhiddc Tranmetiona are con- The Ktruj Fjca.pi'S out of OyzfoTcl in ESCAPE OF CHAKLES I. FROM OXFORD, 1646. tinned tin fill the Act of Oblivion Februari/ 24, 1652. Published as a Breriari/, leading all along succcssirehi, as thejf fell out in their several years. So that ifani/ man icill be informed of an;/ remarkable ])(t8sage, he ntai/ tame to the i/ear and so see in some measure in what Moneth thereof it was acconq)H.shed. And for information of such as are altogether ignorant of the rise and progress of these times, which things are brought to pass that former ages have not heard of and after ages will admire. A work worthy to be kept in Record, and communicated to Posterity. London: Printed for Tho. Jenner at the South Entrance of the Royal Exchange.' From the above I have copied the etching of the escape of Charles I. from Oxford. Its Oriii'm and Pro/ Guards of the Parliamenteers, with the par- ticulars of the Fig/it, and the numiier that ncre hilled and taken prisoners on both sides, and the springing of a Mine to blow up part of the Leaguer. Liken-ise a letter from Colchester concern- i)ir/ the marching of an Arm;/ to London. And Message from Prince Charles to Gen. Lucas. And a blouhj Fight at Deal Castle in Kent. London. Printed for P. Woodus, and are to he sold at the Poi/all Exchange in CornJiill, 1G48. The letter Its Ori(jin and Progress. 143 describing this fight contains so much curious matter that it is worth transcribing entire : — * Sir, we have received information from Yarmouth, Har- wich, and other places, that there is great fear of the Prince of "Wales landing in those parts with a very considerable Army, and that he is resolved to advance towards Colchester, COLCHESTER LEAGUEE, l6-t8. mimimmwi. to raise the siege, and to let those Birds at liberty, which he esteems to be the only instruments to advance his Father's Cause. "We hear that the L. Gerrard is designed Lieutenant Generall of the new Eastern Anny, and the Lord CuljDepper Major Generall, and that his Highnesse will repose no trust in either of the Princes Rupert or Maurice, or any other Foreign Personage whatsoever. This morning a Corporall of a troop of horse deserted the Colchestrian service, and humbly submitted himself to the Lord Generall, who upon 144 Tlie Pictorial Prc^s . examination touching tLcir ninnbcrs and. victualling said that the hist Muster Rolls made mention of above 6000 Ilorsc and Foot, and for victualling, they had plenty of Rye and bread-corn, but for flesh-meat they had none at all left, being constrained to kill Horses to satisfie their hungry appetites, -which causeth man}' of the young Soldiers to desert their hard commons. * lie further said, that at the last Muster upon Munday last the E. of Norwich and Sir Charles Lucas rode to the head of each Regiment, and read a paper to the Soldiery (which they said was a Message from the Prince of AVales) intimating that his Ilighnesse were resolved immediately to land his Forces about Yarmouth, and from thence to march downc to Colchester to raise the siege, and set them at liberty, and that if they coidd but hold out till Satterday, he doubted not of the day, and should take it as an acceptable service from them. ' But I conceive the truth of this to be as palpable false- hood as the late report of the Royalists in these parts, Avho wonld not stick to say, f//at Co/c/icsfcr was relieved bij tJic nJtip caUed the SicaUoir, (Did that tJiey sliot i/i above 500 IloUand cheeses oaf of Mortar pieces Sfc. ' Some who are come out of the Town reports that the enemy within are springing a Mine, and doth intend to blow up the Lord Lucas his house (in our possession) which doth very much annoy them ; their great Ordnance plaid very hard this morning, and did some execution, ours answered them again from the Great Blount, and plaid upon them for the space of one hour, ' They are in very great strcights for provision, and have eaten horse-flesh these six or seven dayes, but as resolute as formerly. ' A party came out to cut Barley which was repidsed without losse, two only wounded of the party ; some horse grazing under the City walls -were snapt by some of Col. Whallcyes Forces, some shot, 38 taken, no vcaj serviceable at present, imlessc good keeping recover them. /As- Oi'Ufin and Progress. 145 * On Satterday last the Lord Generall gave Order that several Paj)ers should be shot into the town out of Arrows, offering the private Souldiers quarter, and passes to go home, if they will deliver up Goring, Capel, Lucas, Loughborough, Farre, &c. * This morning betwixt three and four of the clock, we received some tokens from the besieged, a party of them GENERAL LUCAS AT THE SIEOE OF COLCHESTEK, 164S. sallied out, and advanced up a narrow Lane neer to one of our Guards, thinking to surprise them unawares ; but an Eagle ey'd Centinel discovering them, presented her bill, and fired ; whereupon the rest of the Guardians received an allarm and immediately man'd the Line, the Colchostrians advanced and charged with great fury, this action was dis- puted by both parties with great courage and resolution, the enemy fell on without mercy, and fought it with much violence, but our Forces bodying, they retreat, our men pursues with great execution, killed about 20. and took as 146 The Pictorial Pre-^s : many prisoners, ■vvitli the losse of 12. men ; tlie like dispute hapned the last nig-ht ; we expect every hour when we shall have Orders to fall on, the work will be difficult, and the storming dangerous, the town being disadvantageous for such a Military action. ' Colchester Learjuer Jnh/ 20. at 8. in the morning.^ This tract is illustrated with a portrait of General Lucas on horseback, Avhich is copied on the previous page. Colchester surrendered to the Parliament on Aug. 27, 1648, when Fairfax determined to make an example of Sir Charles Lucas. This unexpected severity was attributed to Ireton, who had been set by Cromwell to Avatch Fairfax. There was a strong protest made against the intended execution, but it nevertheless took place. Lucas was shot, together with Sir George Lisle. The former suffered first, and he himself gave the order to the soldiers to fire, with as much coolness as if he had been a mere spectator. It is said that Lisle ran and kissed the dead body of his friend, and then presented himself to a like fate. Thinking that the firing party was too far off, he called to them to come nearer ; one of the soldiers replied, * ITl warrant you, Sir, we'll hit you.' ' Friends,' said the gallant Royalist, smiling, * I have been nearer you when you have missed me.' Other tracts describe the proceedings of the Prince of Wales in his attempts to retrieve his father's fortunes. One of them has a portrait of the Prince, and contains a message sent by him to the Mayor of Yarmouth concerning the landing of his forces there for the belief of Colchester. Another is adorned with a very elaborate title-page, and describes ' The Resolution of the Prince of Wales, con- cerning the landing of his Army in the Isle of Lo^-ing- Land, within the County of Suffolk, and his Propositions to all Englishmen concerning his Engagement for King, City, and Kingdom, against the Array, and to fight for their Liberties, Freedom, and Privileges. Likewise, the further proceedings of the Royal Xavie, under his Highness the D. of York, and the Declaration of the Seaaien in the Isle of I It"^ Origin and PrO(jres-t. 147 Wiglit and Portsmouth, concerning the Kings Majesty and the Fleet Eoyall, 1648.' The contest between the Royalists and the Parliament was now drawing to a close. The King was a prisoner in Carisbrooke Castle, and while he lay there he continued to occupy the pens of the pamphleteers and journalists. One writer addressed an exhortation to the nobility, clergy, and civil magistrates, in favour of the imprisoned Monarch ; CH.iELES I. IN CARISBROOKE CASTLE, 164S. and he adorned his work -with the above representation of the King in prison, which afterwards appeared in other pamphlets. •It is remarkable that such important events as the trial and execution of Charles I. should not have tempted the newspapers of the day to illustrate subjects of so much interest. It may have been that such a terrible termination of the Civil War in some degree paralysed men's energies, and drove all thoughts of trading on such an event from their minds. I have met with two very rough woodcuts 148 The Pictorial Press : professing to represent the execution. One is contained in the Confession of Ilichard Brandon, the Hangman, and the other forms half of a woodcut frontispiece to a broad- side describing the execution of the Regicides, Avhich I shall refer to in its proper place. The Confession of Ilichard iBrandon "was published in 1640, the same year in ■which the King "was executed, and j^urjDorts to be a death-bed state- ment concerning that event. There were two Brandons, Gregory and Ilichard, father and son. The former be- headed Lord Strafford, and was believed by Charles II. to have been the executioner of his father. According to Sir I^Tathaniel "Wraxall, George Selw}^, * that insatiable amateur of executions,' told the story of King Charles's execution from information which he professed to have obtained from the Duchess of Portsmouth, wlio, he said, always asserted, on the authority of Charles II., that the King, his father, was not beheaded by either Colonel Joyce or Colonel Pride, as was then commonly believed, but that the real name of the executioner was Gregori/ Brandon ; that this man had worn a black crape stretched over his face, and had no sooner taken off the King's head than he was put into a boat at "Whitehall Stairs, together with the block, the black cloth that covered it, the axe, and every other article that had been stained with the Royal blood. Being conveyed to the Tower, all the imjolcmcnts used in the decapitation had been immediately reduced to ashes. A purse containing one hundred broad pieces of gold was then delivered to Brandon^ and he was dismissed. He survived the transaction many years, but divulged it a short time before he died. ' This account,' Wraxall adds, * as coming from the Duchess of Portsmouth, challenges great respect.' * Popular behef, however, at the time pointed to Richard Brandon, son of the above-named Gregory Brandon, whose confession, published immediately after his death, I here quote : — * The Confession of Richard Brandon the Hangman (upon his Death bed). * Old and New London. By Edward "Walford. Its Orij/in and Progress. 149 ' The Confession of the Hangman concerning his be- heading his hitc ^lajest}" the King of Great Brittaine (iipon his Death bed) who was buried on Thursday night last, in "White Chappell Church-yard, with the manner thereof. ' Upon "Wednesday last (being the 20 of this instant June, 1649) Richard Brandon, the late Executioner and Hangman, who beheaded his late Majesty, King of Great Brittaine, departed this life. But during the time of his sicknesse his conscience Avas much troubled, and exceedingly perplexed in mind, yet little shew of repentance, for re- mission of his sins, and by past transgressions, which had so much power and influence upon him, that he seemed to live in them and they in him. And upon Sunday last, a yoimg man of his acquaintance going in to visit him, fell into discourse, asked him how he did, and M'hether he was not troubled in conscience, for cutting off of the King's head? ' He replied by reason that (upon the time of his tryal, and at the denouncing of Sentence against him) he had taken a vow and protestation, ic hilling God to perish Jiim hodij and soul, if ever he appeared on the seaffold to do the act or lift lip his hand against hini. ' Further acknowledging, Tl/at he 'ic/is no sooner entered upon the scaffold, hut immediate! >/ he fell a trembling, and Jiath ever since continued in the like agon;/. ' He likewise confessed that he had 30 pounds for his pains, all joaid him in half-crowns, within an hour after the blow was given, and that he had an orange stuck full of cloves, and a handkircher out of the King's pocket, so soon as he was carried ofi from the scaffold ; for which orange he was proffered 20 shillings by a gentleman in Whitehall, but refused the same, and afterwards sold it for ten S. in Hosemarj^-lane. ' About G of the clock at night he returned home to his wife living in Rosemary Lane, and gave her the money, saying. That it iras the deerest money that ever he earned in his life, for it would cost Jiim his life. "Which prophetical words 150 The Pictorial Press : were soon made manifest ; for it appeared that ever since he hath been in a most sad condition, and upon the Almightie's first scourging of him -svith the Eod of meeknesse, and the friendly admonition of divers friends, for the calling of him to repentance, yet he persisted on in his A'icious Vices, and would not hearken thereunto, but lay raging and swearing, and still pointing at one thing or another, which he con- ceived to appear Ausible before him. 'About three dayes before he died he lay specchlesse, uttering many a sigh and heavy groan and so in a most desperate manner departed from his bed of sorrow. For the buriall whereof great store of wines were sent in by the sheriff of the City of London, and a great multitude of jjeople stood wayting to see the Corps carried to the Church- yard, some crying out Hatuj hi)n Rogue, ht(r>j li'un in the Bmuj-hUl ; others pressing upon him saying, Thci) xL-onld quarter him, for e.reeiiti)ifj of the King ; insomuch, that the Church Wardens and Masters of the Parish were fain to come for the suppressing of them, and (with great difficulty) he was at last carried to White -Chappell Church-yard, having (as it is said) a bunch of Rosemary at each end of the coffin, on the top thereof, with a Rope tyed crosse from one end to the other. ' And a merry conceited Cook, living at the sign of the Cro^vn, haA-ing a black Fan (worth the value of 30 shillings) took a resolution to rent the same in pieces, and to every feather tied a j^iece of packthread dy'd in black ink, and gave them to divers persons, who (in derisionj for a while, wore them in their hats. ' Thus have I given thee an exact account and perfect relation of the life and death of Richard Brandon, to the end, that the World may be convinced of those calumnious speeches and erroneous suggestions which are dayly spit from the mouth of envy, against divers persons of great Avorth and eminency, b}' casting an odium upon them for the executing of the King ; it being now made manifest that the aforesaid Executioner was the only man that gave the fatal Its Origin and Progress. 151 blows, and his man that way ted upon him was a Ragman, living- in llosemary Lane' Subjoined is u copy of the cut on the title-page of this tract. EXECUTION OF CHARLES I., 1649. The death of Richard Brandon is entered in the register of St. Mary's, Whitechapel, under date June 21, 1649. To the entry is appended a note, evidently of about the same date, to the effect that ' this R. Brandon is supposed to have cut off the head of Charles the First.' The 'calumnious speeches and erroneous suggestions ' had indicated several persons as having struck the fatal blow on that dismal morning in January. Amongst them, besides those already named, were ' Squire Dun,' William Walker, Hugh Peters, Lord Stair, and William Hewlett. The last-named person was actually tried for the crime at the Restoration. The evidence against him went to show that ' his voice was heard upon the scaffold, and his Breeches were seen under his Frock, that he confest he was to have £100 and preferment in Ireland to doe it ; that being asked whether he cut off the 152 Th e Pictoiial Press : King's liead or no, lie said wliat lie had done he would not be ashamed of ; and if it -were to doe again he would doe it ; more to the same purpose was witnessed by several witnesses, and by one, Avho being sworn, said that the Coinnion-IIang- man profest he did not doe it.' This sort of evidence was not fit to hang a dog ; and, though Hewlett was found guilty and sentenced to death, the sentence was never carried into effect — a proof that public opinion must have been too strong- even for the hardihood of those who had foredoomed Hewlett to the gallows. The Government had evidently determined to fix the treason on this man with the sanguinary idea that some person ought to be made to expiate the deed, even though that person might be innocent. The prevalent belief, however, was that it was the common executioner who had been employed ; and it is highly improbable that a mere amateur would have been permitted to officiate on such an imjjortant occasion. Although I have met with no native contemporary pro- duction rc^irescnting the execution, other than the rude woodcuts before mentioned, there is in the British Museum a collection of broadsides relating to the period of the Civil War, one of which has a large and well-executed copperplate engraving representing the execution of Charles I. It Avas published at Frankfort, and the descriptive text is in German. The view of AYhitehall is correctly given, and the engraving looks like a genuine representation of the event. Its Ofujiii and Pro(jre-^s. CHAPTER Y. Decrease of Newspapers idteYi]^eCi\i\^yAV — MercuriHsI)emocntus— T//e Faithful rust — The Politique Po*'^— Broadsides for the People — The Hollow Tree at Ilainpstead — Prodigious Monster taken in Spain — The Piestoration — Trial of the Pegicides— Execution of the Pegi- cides— Licenser of the Press appointed— Popular Taste for the Super- natural—Apparition in the Air in Holland — Kevival of i¥(?;-«parition in the Air, the Fourteenth of August, )iear Goeree in Holland.' This was an illustrated broadside containing- the followinff ac- count: — 'On the fourteenth of August this year 16G4, to- wards the evening near Goeree in Holland, there was seen by many Spectators an Ajoparition upon the Ocean of two several Fleets of Ships engaged in a Fight, which lasted for the space of about half an hour, and then vanished. After- wards there ajipeared two Lyons, who with great fury and violence, assaulted each other three several times, neither of them prevailing against the other, till at length both of 168 The Pictorial Press. them wearied with their continual striving, did, as it were, give over for breath, when on a sudden a third Lyon of a very great and huge stature appeared and falling first upon the one, and then on the other, destroyed them both. They being vanished, tlicre appeared a King, with a CroAvn upon his head, and he so plainly and visibly discerned as that the spectators did discover the very Buttons on his Coat. After all was vanished, the said SjDCctators continueing there, and walking too and fro upon the sands, the Ocean, so far as they could see, seemed to be Blood. On the next morning, the same Apparition, in all its Circumstances, was seen again, and the truth thereof attested upon Oath, before the Magis- trates of Goeree, by the said Spectators ; so that there is no doubt made of the truth thereof. And this happening in this juncture of time, begets some strange apprehensions; for that about six Months before Tan Trump was slain in the former Wars with England, there was seen near the same place, an Apparition of several Ships in the Air, as it were fighting with each other.' This broadside was printed at London, * by Thomas Leach in Shooe Lane in the Year 1664. IVif// A//o/niiice October 13, 1664. Roger L'Estrango.' The illustration is an etching, very well and freely executed. Amongst other things which appear to have been revived at the Bestoration was the Mercurius Cicicus. In Dr. Burney's collections in the British Museum there is preserved a copy of Number 4 of Jlercifriiis Ciricus, dated ]\Iay 1, 1660. On the title-page it is stated to be * published by order of the Lord Mayor and Court of Aldermen ; ' but it is not illus- trated, as was its predecessor of the time of the Civil War. C)ne of the most atrocious deeds of the time, and one that had a powerful effect upon public feeling, was the murder of Archbishop Sharp in 1679. This prelate was held to have betrayed the Presbyterians at the time of the Restoration, and was hated accordingly. This hatred had been manifested by an attempt on his life in tlie streets of Edinburgh in the year 1668 ; but on that occasion the Archbishop escaped, and 170 The Pictonal Press : anotlicr person Avas -wounded. On May 3, 1679, Archbisliop Sharp was returning in his coach to St. AndreAvs from Ken- nawa}', -where he had jjassed the night, -when, at a place called Magus Moor, he ■v\-as set upon by nine men, -who murdered him with pitiless barbarity in the presence of his daughter, who accompanied him. This dreadful event was commemorated in a broadside entitled ' The Manner of ihe Barbarous Miirther of James, hife Lord Arclihishop of St. Andrews, Trimaie and Metropolitan of all Seottand and one of his Majesties most Honourable Tricij Council of that Vine(jan about the heginning of Decemher, 1683, and continued till the Fou)tJi Dag of Fehruarg following. And held on u-ith such violence, that Men and Beasts, Coaches and Carts, ■xrent as frequenth/ thereon as Boats were wont to pass heforc. There \cas also a street of Booths built from the Tonple to SoutJnrark, u-here urre sold all sorts of Goods imaginable — tiamehj Cloathx, Plate, Parthen Ware ; Meat, Drinh, Brandy, Tobacco, and a Hundred sorts of other Commodities not here inserted. It being the wonder of this present Age, and a great consternation to all the Spectators! The descrijjtion opens thus : — ' Behold the "Wonder of this present Age A Famous River now become a stage. Question not what I now declare to you. The Thames is now both Fair and Market too. And many Thousands dayley do resort. There to behold the Pastime and the Sport Early and late, used by young and old. And valued not the fierceness of the Cold.' The illustration is a roughly executed woodcut, and repre- sents a street of booths opposite the Temple, looking towards the Middlesex shore. On one side arc men skating:, slidins-, riding on sledges, and playing at football ; whilst bull- baiting, skittle -playing, &c., go on on the other side. Coaches are driven across the ice, boats are drafjjred as sledges, and an ox is roasted whole in one corner. The other broadside has a woodcut of the same scene, but taken from a different point, and looking dow)i the river, 174 TJw Pictorial Press: with London Bridge, tlie Tower, Monument, &e., in tlie dis- tance. In addition to a description of Frost Fair, there is an account of all the great frosts from the time of "William the Conqueror. Some curious particulars of this great frost are recorded by contemporary writers. Evelyn describes the whole scene, and says that he crossed the river on the ice on foot ujjon the 9th, in order to dine with the Archbisho]3 of Canterbur}'' at Lambeth ; and again in his coach, from Lambeth to the horse-ferry at Millbank, upon Feb. 5th, when ' it began to thaw, but froze again.' Hackney-coaches plied between Somerset House and the Temple to Southwark. There was a printing-press set up in one of the booths, ' where the people and lady's tooke a fancy to having their names j)rinted, and the day and year set down, when printed on the Thames. This humour took so uiiiversally that 'twas estimated the printer gained about £5 a day for printing a line onely at sixpence a name, besides what he got by ballads, &c.' X specimen of this printing has been preserved. It was executed for Charles II., who visited Frost Fair accom- panied by several members of his family. It contains, besides the names of the King and Queen, those of the Duke of York, Mary his Duchess, Princess Anne (afterwards Queen Anne), and Prince George of Denmark, her husband. The last name on the list is ' Hans in Kelder,' which literally means 'Jack in the Cellar,' and is supposed to have been suggested b}' the humour of the King in allusion to the interesting situation of the Princess Anne ; and we can fancy the swarthy face of the ' ]Mcrry Monarch ' smiling in the frosty air as this congenial joke was perpetrated. In the Luttrell collection of broadsides there is one with a large woodcut representing the battle of Sedgemoor and other incidents of Monmouth's rebellion. The letterpress is in Avretched verse, and is entitled, 'A Description of the late Rebellion in the West. A Heroic Foeni.' The unfortmiate issue of Monmouth's rising excited the sympathy of the common people, to whom he was endeared by his many //.9 Oriyin and l*ro(/ress. 17 iy amiable qualities and liis liandsome person. Though this broadside was evidently written in the interest of the Government it Avas likely to have a ready sale, and it was sought to increase the interest by pictorial representation. The engraving, which is on an imusually large scale, is very rough, like all the woodcuts of the period. The slaughter at Sedgcmoor and the execution of the Duke of Monmouth were partly forgotten in the greater horror excited b}- the unsparing severity of Judge Jefferies in condemning to death hundreds of persons who were charged with being concerned in the rebellion. I have met with one illustrated tract relating to the * Bloody Assize.' It is inserted at the end of the volume of the London Gazette for 1685, and has apparently been added by Dr. Burney, the collector, as bearing upon the events of the time. It forms no part of the London Gazette, though bound w]) with it. There is a rough woodcut on the title-page containing eleven portraits, and the title is as follows : — ' The Protestant Martyrs ; or the Bloodij Assizes, giring an account of the Lires, Tnjals, and Di/ing Speeches, of all those eminent Protestants that silvered in the West of England hij the sentence of that hloody and cruel Judge Jefferies ; being in all 251 p>crsons, besides what were hanged and destroyed in- cold blood. Containing also the Life and Death of James Puke of Ilonmouth; His Birth a)id Edueatioii ; IL'.^ Actions both at Home and Abroad ; His Unfortunate Adventure in the West; His Letter to King James; His Sentence, Execution and Dying- words npon the Scaffold ; with a true Copy of the Paper he left behind him. And many other curious Pemarks icorth the Pcaders Observation. Lo)idon, Printed by F. Bradford ; at the Bible in Fetter Lane.' At the end of the pamphlet is printed this curious sentence : — ' This Bloody Tragedy in the West being over our Protestant Judge returns for London ; soon after which Alderman Cornish felt the Anger of Somebody behind the Curtain.' Alderman Cornish was afterwards executed at the corner 176 Tlie Pictorial Press . of King Street, Cheapside, for alleged participation in the Eye House Plot. "^ This fragment of contemporary history shows that if there were no regular newspapers to supply the people with illus- trated news they obtained it in the shape of cheap fly-sheets MARTYRS OF THE BLOODY ASSIZES, l6S5. ■and broadsides — the form in winch it was supplied to them before newspapers began. ^lacaulay describes the unlicensed press at tliis period as being worked in holes and corners, and producing large quantities of pamphlets M'hich were a direct infraction of the law subjecting the press to a censorship. ' There had long lurked in the garrets of London a class of printers who Avorked steadily at their calling with precautions resembling those employed by coiners and forgers. AVomen were on Its Origin and Progress. Ill the watcli to give the alarm by their screams if an officer appeared near the workshop. The press was immediately pushed into a closet behind the bed ; the types were flimg into the coal-hole, and covered with cinders ; the compositor disappeared through a trap-door in the roof, and made off over the tiles of the neighbouring houses. In these dens were manufactured treasonable works of all classes and sizes, from halfpenny broadsides of doggerel verse up to massy quartos filled with Hebrew quotations.'* The pamphlet I have just quoted probably issued from a press of this kind ; but he must have been a bold printer who dared to put his name and address to a work wherein Jefferies was openly referred to as * that bloody and cruel Judge Jefferies.' Large broadsides continued to be the favourite form of illustrated journalism for some time after this. One gives a ' true and perfect relation ' of a great earthquake which happened at Port Royal, in Jamaica, on Tuesday, June 7th, 1692, and is illustrated with a large woodcut. On the death of Queen Mary, the consort of William III., an illustrated broadside was published, plentifully garnished with skulls and cross-bones, entitled, 'Great Britain's Lamentation; or the Funeral Obsequies of that most incomparable Protestant Princess, Mary, of ever Blessed Memory, Queen of England, Scotland, France, and Ireland, who departed this life the 28th of December, at Kensington, 1694, in the Thirty-second Year of her Age. She Reigned Fire Years, Eight Months, and Seventeen Days. And was conducted from Whitehall to West- minster Abbey, in an oj^en Chariot of State, on black cloath, by the Nobility, Judges, and Gentry of the Land, on Tuesday, the 6th of March, 1694-5.' The large woodcut shows the funeral procession, and I have copied that part of it containing the funeral car, with the body of the deceased queen resting under a canopy. In a few years after the Revolution newspapers began to increase rapidly. The censorship of the press ceased in 1695, and was immediately followed by the appearance of * History of England. N The Pictorial Press. 179 great numbers of periodical papers. At first tlic}^ were small in size, were wrctcliedly printed on the commonest paper, and eacli nmnber contained only a small quantity of matter. The art of wood-engraving, the readiest and least expensive method of illustration, was now in the lowest possible condition ; and the newspapers at the end of the seventeenth centur}- contain scarcely any illustrations, except, perhaps, a heading of a rudely executed figure of a man blowing a horn, flanked by a ship or a castle, and numerous small woodcuts to advertisements. 180 The Pictorial Press CHAPTER VI. Constant Attempts at Illustrated News— Increase of Caricatures— The Postman, 1704 — Fiery Apparition in the Air, seen in London — Caricature against the Jacobites— The South-Sea Bubble — Eclipse of the Sun 1724 — The Ginih Street Journal an Illustrated Paper — The Daily Post — Admiral Vernon's Attack on Porto Bello — The Penny London Post — Ilenry Fielding and the Jacobite's Journal — Oioenn Weekly Chronicle — Lloyd's Evening Post, and the Trial of Lord Byron for the Murder of Mr. Chaworth — The St. James's CArowic/e — Illustrated Account of a Strange Wild Beast seen in France — The Gentleman s Journal of Anthony Motteux — The Gentle- mans Mayazine of Edward Cave — The London Magazine — ThQ Scot's Magazine. In glancing at the early newspapers it is apparent that the idea, in some shape, of illustrating the news of the day was never quite absent from the minds of newspaper conductors. Sometimes it took the form of a rude map of the country where some war was going on, or the plan of some city which was being besieged. In the London Post for July 25, 1701, is a map of the seat of war in Italy, which is reprinted in other numbers, and the JDailg Couranf, for Sept. 8, 1709, contains a large plan of Mens. In the absence of other means, even printers' lines were used to represent a plan of some place, or an event of unusual interest. Such an attempt at illustrated news was made in the Dublin Journal for May 14, 174G, where there is a plan, set up in type and printers' lines, of the battle of Cidloden ; and in the number for March 28, 1747, there is a similar plan of the trial of Lord Lovat. This is doubly interesting as being Iriah. Engraving on copper, though it involved the expense of a double printing, was sometimes resorted to for the purpose of enlivening the pages of the early newspapers, and we have seen that it was also employed in broadsides. There was Its Origin and Progress. 181 so mwoh. enterprise that even penny papers sometimes intro- duced engravings into their pages. About the beginning of the eighteenth century carica- tures began to increase in Enghmd. Religious animosities and political intrigues, always keen incentives to satire, had opened a wide field to the caricaturist in the years which followed the Eevolution. But religious bigotry and party spirit, strong as they were at this period, were exceeded by the social follies which came afterwards. The trial of Dr. Sacheverell occasioned the publication of numerous songs, squibs, and caricatures ; but the South-Sea Bubble surpassed it as a fruitful source of lampoons and pictorial satire. The spirit of ridicule was fed by the political intrigues, the follies and the vices of the Georgian era, and reached its highest development in the days of George III. Amongst other early channels for circulation we find caricatvires making their appearance in newspapers, and as we proceed I shall give one or two examples from the illustrated journalism of this period. On March 14, 1704, The Postman, one of the papers that was started on the expiration of the censorship (and which Macaiday says was one of the best conducted and most pros- perous), published what was called a Postscript for the pur- pose of making its readers acquainted with a prodigy seen in Spain in the air so far back as the year 1536. It is il- lustrated with a woodcut representing two men fighting in the air ; and the following account is given of it : — ' The success of the expedition of K. Charles III. being now the subject of all Publick Discourses, the Reader, we hope, will excuse the following Postscript, which must be confest to be of an extraordinary nature, as containing some things hardly to be parallelled. All the states of Christendom being con- cerned some way or other in this great quarrell, it is not to be wondered at if the discovery of a Prodigy, which seems to foretell the decision of it, has made so much noise at Rome, and that we insert it in this place. The French Faction grew intolerably insolent upon accoimt of the 182 The Pictorial Press : storms which have so long retarded the Portuguese expedi- tion, and represented these cross accidents as a manifest declaration that God did not approve the same ; and this way of arguing, though never so rash and impertinent in itself, prevailed over the generality of the people, in a City which is the Centre of superstition. The Partizans of the House of Austria were very much dejected and had little to say, when they happily discovered in the Library of the Vatican a Book printed at Bazil in the year 1557 written by Conradus Lycosthenes, wherein they found an argument to confute all the reasons alledged by their adversaries, and a sure Presage in their opinion of the success of K. Charles III. This made a great noise at Pome, and his Grace the Diike of Shrewsbury sent an accoimt thereof. The Book perhaps is not so scarce as they thought at Pome ; and the learned Doctor Hans Sloane having one in his Library, and having been so obliging as to give me leave to transcribe that passage, I present it here to the reader, leaving it to everyone to make his own observations. The Book is thus Intituled: "Frodigioruiii Osfentonun Chronkon, Sfc, 2^0' Con- radum Li/cost/tenem, Ruheaqucnscm. Printed in Folio at Bazil per Henricuni Petri 1557," and amongst the infinite nmnber of Prodigies he relates in his collection, which extends from the beginning of the world to his time, he has the following, page 558 (here follows the description on each side of the woodcut in Latin and English). 'In a certain j)lace of Spain on the 7th of Feby, 1536, 2 hours after the setting of the sun as Fincelius relates it after others, were seen in the Air, which was rainy and cloudy, two Young Men in Armour, fighting with Swords, one of them having in his left hand a Shield or round Buckler, adorned with an Eagle, with this inscription, I SHALL PEIGX, and the other having on a long Target with these words, I HAVE REIGNED. They fought a Duel, and he who had the Eagle on his Buckler beat down his enemy and was con- queror.' The whole affair refers to the war of the Spanish Succession between the partisans of Louis XIV. and the Its Orifjin and Progress. 1 R?. House of Bourbon, and the House of Austria, and is made to foretell the downfall of the former. As the Bourbons did eventually obtain the Crown of Spain, this interpretation of the supposed prodigy may be referred to the same class as the prophecies of Old Hooves Ahnanach. I have copied the engraving-, which is the only illustration I have found in The Posfniaii. ^Vc have alvcadv noticed that no chiss of marvels were so PKODIGT SEEN IN SPAIN. EKOJI THE ' POSTilAN,' 1/04. attractive to the early news-writers as apparitions in the air. Another example of this is found in a pamphlet, published in 1710, entitled ' T/ie Acje of Wonders : or, A further etnd par- ticular Description of the remarhthle, and Fiery Apparition that ■icas seen in the Air, on Thursday in the Morninej, being May the \lth, 1710.' It is illustrated with a rough woodcut, and has the following description : — . . . . ' As for the strange Appearances which were seen on the 11th of May in the Morning, I suppose there is by this time few that do not give Credit to the same, since so 184 The Pictorial Press many creditable People in several parts of the Town have apparently testified the same, and are ready still to do it upon cnquirey, as in Clare Market, Cheapside, Tower- hill, and other places ; it was likewise seen by several Market Folks then upon the "Water, Avho have since agreed in Truth thereof, most of which relate in the following manner : — ' On Wednesday Night, or rather Thursday Morning last, much about the Hour of two a Clock, several People, FIKKY AITAUIXION IX XUK AIR, SEEX IX LONDON, 1710. who were then abroad, especially the Watchman about Tower Street, Clare Market, Cheapside, and Westminster, plainly and visibly saw this strange Comet, it seem'd a verj'' great Star, at the end of which was a long tail, or streak of Fire, very wonderful and surprizing to behold. It did not continue fix'd, but pass'd along with the Scud, or two black Clouds, being carried by a brisk wind that then blcAV. * After which follow'd the likeness of a Man in a Cloud of Fire, with a Sword in his hand, which mov'd with the Clouds as the other did, but they saw it for near a quarter of Its On'i/in and Prof/re.'<.'^. 185 an Hour together, to their ver}- great surprize, and related the same the next Morning, which they are ready now to affirm if any are so curious to go and Enquire, particularly John Smith, near Tower-street, Abraham Wilsley, on Towcr-hill, John Miller, near Clare Market, John AVilliams, in Cheapside, George Mules and Ilebeccah Sampson upon the "Water, and Mr. Lomax, "Watchman of St. Anns, with many others too tedious to insert.' Amongst the many newsjjapers that had sprung into existence the following so far improved upon their small and dingy predecessors as to be adorned with pictorial head- ings":— The Post Bo//, 1720; the Wecl^l!/ Journal, 1720; the London Journal, 1720 ; the WechJ'j Journal, or Saturdaifs Post, 1721 ; Applebcc's Weehhj Journal, 1721 ; Bead's Jour- nal, or British Gazetteer, 1718-31. The last named appeared for many j'ears as the Weeldij Journal, or British Gazetteer ; but the Weehhj Journal was a favovirite title, and was borne by so many other papers that after a time the publisher altered the title of his paper to Bead's Journal ; or British Gazetteer, and gave it an engraved heading. Read was a man of enter^^rise, and surpassed his contemporaries in endeavouring to make his journal attractive by means of illustrations. In his paper for Nov. 1, 1718, there is a caricature engraved on wood. It is levelled against the Jacobites, and is called ' An Hieroglyphick,' and is intro- duced to the reader with the following rhymes : — ' "Will Fooh and luiaves their own Misfortune see And ponder on the Tories villany Behold this Hieroghjphieh, and admire What Loijaltjj do's in true Souls inspire ! "Whate'er the Figures mean we shan't declare, Because the Jacobites will curse and swear ; But if our Beaders will this piece explain, Their Explanation we shall not disdain.' Nobody appears to have responded to the invitation con- veyed in the verses, for in the succeeding numbers of the The Pictorial Prcs.^. 187 paper there is no attempt to explain the ' hieroglypliick.' A copy of this early newspaper caricature is given on the opposite page. In the same journal for May 20, 1721, there is a large woodcut entitled ' Lucifers Row-Barge,' which I have also copied. It is a caricature on the South-Sea Bubble, and appears, from what follows, to have been first published in the previous week : ' The Call for this Journal (last week) being very extraordinary, upon account of the delineation of Lucifer's Row-Barge in it, we are desired by several of our Correspondents both in City and Country, to present them with it in this week's paper, with an Explanation of every Representation in the aforesaid Cut, adapted to Figures ; with which Request we have comply'd, as supposing it will be acceptable not only to them with such a Design, but like- wise pleasing to all our Readers in General.' The different parts of the engraving are described under the illustration on the following page. Each of these divisions of the subject is further described in verse. In concocting this satire the author has allowed some symptoms of journalistic jealousy to appear by drag- ging in the correspondent of the London Journal (which was a rival paper), and describing him as the common hangman. The feeling about the South-Sea Bubble must have been very strong to have made this caricature acceptable. It w^as intended to satirise Mr. Knight, the cashier of the South- Sea Company, who fled the countrj^ when it became too hot for him. The verses which accompany the engraving, though by no means models of poetic elegance, might be commended to the attention of some directors of our own day : — * Then what must such vile Plunderers expect When they upon their Actions do reflect ; Who barely have three Kingdoms quite undone From aged Father to the Infant Son ? From many Eyes they've drawn a briny Flood, But Tears to ruined People do no Good.' SOUTH SEA BUBBLE CARICATUIIE. FROM TUE ' WEEKLY JOURNAL AND BRITISH GAZETTEER,' 1721. ' 1. The Cashire of the South Spa Company 2. The Horse of an Accomptant to the South Sea Company 3. The Correspondent of the Author of the London Journal 4. A Stock Jobber, or Exchange Broker, whipt by tho Common Hangman 5. Belzi'l)ub prompting a Director of the South Sea 6. Satan prompting the same Director in t'other Ear 7. Tho Worm of Conscience fastens on tho above saiil Uirectf)r R. The Cuj) of Indifrnation •J. A Director's Sacrifice, which is a VillanouB Heart 10. A Director in the Pillory 11 The SuDerscription over the pillory'd Director parnphras'd from the prophet Ezekiel. Chap. XXII.Ver. 12.13,andChap.XXIII.Ver.25,2»i,-.>7 12. A Director decyphered by the Knave of Dia- monds Hanged 13. A Director wafting to Hell with the tide 14. Luoifors Row-15ni'ge for tirst rate passengers 15. Moloch sounds his trumpet for Joy of meeting witli a good Fare Ifi. liilial playing on the Violin to the Director 17. IM:uiinuin takes a trip at Helm for him 18. The South Sea 19. Lucifer rowing his own Barge 20. Tho Entrance into Hell, represented by the Mouth of the Leviathan, or great Whale, belching flames of sulphurous fire.' The ridorial Prej(Vs Evening Post that contains the plan of Lord Byron's trial there occurs the following passage about this cin-ious wild beast : ' One of the Dutch Gazetteers by Monday's mail says : — " The ac- counts of the wild beast seen in the Gevaudan are of such a nature that it is hardly possible to give any credit thereto, and yet most of them have appeared in the Pdria Gazette, a paper whose authors, known to be men of letters, are too judicious to be suspected of credulit}^ too prudent, too well informed of what passes at the Court of the King their master, one should think, to attribute to his Most Christian Majesty a reward for an action which never had any exist- ence—an action which was only a fable."' This is, no doubt, an allusion to the reward of 400 livres bestowed upon the boys who beat off the ferocious monster. While the interest and excitement about this terrible wild beast was at the highest, the St. James's Chronicle pub- lished an engraving and description of it. The St. James's Chronicle; or the British Evening Post, was a folio of four pages, published three times a-week, price twopence-half- penny. In the nmnber for June G, 1765, there is prmted the following description and woodcut : — 'For the St. James's Chronicle. ' Of this beast, which has already devoured upwards of seventy Persons and spread Terrour and Desolation through- out the whole Gevaudan, the Sicur de la Chaumette, who lately wounded it, lias given us the following Description. It is larger than a Calf of a year old, strongly made before, and turned like a Grayhound behind. His Nose is long and pointed, his Ears upright and smaller than a wolf's, his Mouth of a most enormous size, and always wide open ; a 212 The Pictorial Fresss : Streak of Black runs from His Shoulders to the Beginning of his Tail. His Paws are very large and strong ; the Hair on his Back and Mane thick, bristly, and erect ; his Tail long and terminating in a Bush, like that of a Lion ; his Eyes small, fierce, and fiery. From this description it appears that he is neither a Wolf, Tiger, nor Hyena, but probably a Mongrel, generated between the two last, and forming, as it were, a new Species. All the accounts lately received agree in assuring that there are several of them.' The Sf. Jatnoi's CJironicIe does not state from whence the portrait was obtained. A representation of the wild beast of the Gevaudan was sent in April, 1765, to the Intendant of Alencon, and a description of that picture corresponds with the woodcut in the St. James's Chronicle, so that the latter was probabl}' a copy of the former. About three months after the publication of the woodcut and description in the St. James's Chronicle, the career of this much dreaded animal was brought to a close. On Sept. 20th, 1765, it was encomitered in the wood of Pommieres b}^ a cer- tain Monsieur Beauterme, a gentleman of a distant province and noted as a successful hmiter. He had come into the district on purpose to seek out this notorious wild beast, and having found it, shot it in the eye at the distance of about fifty paces. The animal, however, though wounded, showed fight, and was rushing on Monsieur Beauterme with great fury, when he Avas finally dispatched by a gamekeeper named Reinhard. Several inhabitants of the Gevaudan who had been attacked by the beast declared it to be the same which had caused such consternation in the country, and Monsieur Beauterme set out with the body to Versailles in order to present it to the King. The animal was fomid to be thirty- two inches high, and five feet seven and a half inches long including the tail. The surgeon who dissected the body said it was more of a hyena than a wolf, its teeth being forty in number, whereas wolves have but twenty- six. The muscles of the neck were vcrv strong ; its sides so formed Its Orif/in and Pror/rcss. 213 that it could bend its head to its tail ; its eyes sparkled so "with fire that it Avas hardly possible to bear its look. Its tail was very large, broad, and thick, and bristled with black hair, and its feet armed with claws extremely strong and singular. In Paris it was thought that this mysterious animal was a cross between a tiger and a lioness, and had been brought into France to be shown as a curiosity. It is not imlikely that it had escaped from some travelling show, and was pro- bably a hyena. The imagination of the country people would easily transform it into any shape suggested by their terrors. That such fancies easily begin and rapidly grow was proved in the case of Captain Sir Allan Yoimg's pet Esquimaux dog, which was either stolen or wandered from the Arctic ship Pandora as she lay in Southampton harbour after returning from the Polar regions. Quite a panic arose in that part of Hampshire Avhere this most valuable and harm- less animal was Avandering about, and every sort of story was circulated of the ravages and dangers the country was exposed to. The people began to think that besides their sheep and pigs their children were in danger. Some said it was a gigantic black fox, others that it was a Canadian wolf. Expeditions were organized to attack it, and after being chased for some miles by people on horseback, it M'as ulti- mately shot and exhibited at sixpence a head in Winchester market-place. There coidd be no doubt about the dog's identity, for Sir Allan Young afterwards got back his skin. Before concluding my sketch of illustrated journalism in the eighteenth century I must refer to a class of publication that possessed many of the characteristics of the newspaper, without exactly belonging to that category. This kind of journal is represented by the Gentleman's Magazine; but, although Edward Cave considered himself the inventor of the magazine form of publication, the Gentleman's Magazine was not the first journal of the kind. Nearly forty years before it came into existence a monthly publication was started in London with the following title : — ' The Gentlenuui's Journal ; or, the Monthhj Miscelhinj. Btj icaij of Letter to a 214 TIl e Pictorial P) -ess : Gi'iiflciiian ill fJic coimfr//, coiisiiitiiKj ofNcus, Tlidonj, P/u'/osoj)////, Poetnj, MiDsic, TransJatioiis, Sfc. Jaiuiari/, 169^.' Its projector and editor was a refugee Frenchmau, one Peter Anthony Mottcux, and the design appears to have met with considerable success, but it did not last more than four years. In the second number of the Gcufleinaii's Journal ap- peared the following : — ' The author desires to be excused for not answering the many ingenious letters that have been sent to him that he may have the more time to apply himself to this journal ; he judges that he answers them enough when he follows the advice they give him, or inserts what is sent to him, which he will always be very careful to do. But such things as any way reflect upon particidar persons, or are cither against religion or good manners, he cannot insert. lie will take care to settle correspondence both abroad and at home, to inform his readers of all that may be most worthy their knowledge ; and if anything offers itself that deserves to bo engraved, he will get it done. But it being impossible he should know by himself a thousand things which the publick wovdd gladly know, such persons as have anything to communicate may be pleased to send it to him, at the Black Boy Coffee House in Ave Maria Lane, not forgetting to discharge the postage.' It would appear by the above that Peter Anthonj' Mot- teux had a vague perception that engravings might increase the attractions of his journal ; but it does not seem that much came in his way that 'deserved to be engraved.' I have found only two small woodcuts in the Gentleman a Journal. They both occur in the volume for 1694. One is a representation of snow crystals, and the other is a diagram of a mock sun. jMotteux tells us that his journal was j^atronised by the Queen, and was much favom*ed by the ladies generally. He had amongst his contributors Dryden, Matthew Prior, Sedley, and Tom Durfey. Charles Wesley, brother of the famous John, sent serious verses, as did also Tate, of ' Tate and Brady' celebrit}'. All these contributions were introduced Its Origin and Progress. 215 into a louj? letter, wliicli, as the title indicates, was the shape in which the Gentleman's Journal was written, and m this respect it was modelled upon the early manuscript news- letters. Peter Anthony Motteux, the editor of the first English magazine, was also the author of several songs, plays, and prologues, and he also published a translation of Don Quixote. He kept a large East India warehouse in Leadenhall Street, and afterwards obtained a situation in the Post Office. He was found dead on the morning of his fifty-eighth birthday, in a low drinking-house in Butchers' Eow, near Temple Bar, and had either been murdered or had lost his life in a drimken frolic. The London Gazette of the succeeding week contained the oifer of a reward of fifty pounds for the dis- covery of the murderer, and the King's pardon to any but the actual criminal ; but the mystery was never cleared up, and the bones of the clever exiled Frenchman lie unavenged and forgotten in the vaults of St. Andrew Undershaft, Leadenhall Street, celebrated amongst City churches as the burial-place of John Stowe.* Edward Cave, the early patron and friend of Dr. Johnson, projected and brought out the Gentleman's Magazine in 1731. It was printed at St. John's Gate, Clerkenwell, a view of which place embellished its title-page. The full title was, 'The Gentleman's Magazine, or Monthhj Intelligencer, containing Essays, Controversial, Humorous, and Satirical ; Eeligious, Moral, and Political ; collected chiefly from the Publick Papers. Select Pieces of Poetry. A Succinct Account of the most remarkable Transactions and Events, Foreign and Domestick. Births, Marriages, Deaths, Promotions, and Bankrupts. The Prices of Goods and Stocks, and Bill of Mortality. A Register of Books. Observations on Gardening.' It will thus be seen that the Magazine possessed many of the characteristics of a newspaper. On the front page of the earlier numbers were printed the names of the various newspapers from which it derived its infor- * Neiv Quarterly Magazine, January, 1878. 216 The Pictorial Press : matlon. It was some time before illustrations began, to appear. The most important subjects were engraved on copper, and rough woodcuts were sprinkled here and there among the type. Sometimes the most incongruous subjects were engraved on the same plate, such as the section of a man-of-war and the figure of a locust. There was occa- sionally an illustration of news, as in the volume for 1746, where there is a map of the country round Carlisle, showing the route of the Scottish rebels ; and in the same volume there is a portrait of Lord Lovat. The frontispiece to this volume is a portrait of the Duke of Cumberland, with the motto Ecce Homo. Portraits, plans, and bird's-eye views are of frequent occurrence. In the volume for 1747 is a very elaborate bird's-eye view of the city of Genoa, illustrating an account of an insurrection there. The same volume contains a view of Mount Vesuvius, with a description of the last great eruption. In the volume for 1748 are views of Amsterdam, the Mansion House, London, Greenwich Hos- pital, the Foundling Hospital, &c. The volimie for 1749 contains an engraving of the fireworks on the occasion of the Peace, and A-iews of Blenheim House and Covent Garden. In the volume for 1750 there is a woodcut with ' J. Cave sc' in the corner. This was probably a son or some other relative of the proprietor, who was either in training as an engraver, or was trying his hand merely as an amateur. His name does not appear again, and I have never met with it elsewhere in connexion with the art of wood-ene-ravine:. In the number for November, 1750, there occurs the following amongst the list of deaths : — ' Mr. Edward Bright, at Maiden in Essex, aged 30 ; he was supposed to be the largest man living, or perhaps that ever lived in this island. He weighed 42 stone and a half, horseman's weight; and not being very tall, his body was of an astonishing bulk, and his legs were as big as a middling man's body. He was an active man till a year or two before his death, when his corpulency so overpowered his strength that his life was a burthen, and his death a deliverance. His coffin was three Its Origin and Progress. 217 feet six inches over the shoulders, six feet seven inches long, and three feet deep ; a way was cut thro' the wall and stair- case, to let the corpse down into the shop; it was drawn upon a carriage to the church, and let down into the vault by the help of a slider and pulleys.' In the number for the EDWARD BRIGHT. WEIGHT 42^ STONE. FROM THE ' GENTLEMAN'S MAGAZINE ' FOR FEBRUARY, 1751. following February there is a woodcut of Mr. Bright, and the reader is referred back to the November number for the above description. This seems to show that the Gentleman's Magazine did not consider it of vital importance, in illus- trating news, to follow very close upon the heels of events. I have copied this engraving as a specimen of the woodcut illustrations of the Magazine. The Gentleman's Magazine attracted the notice and admi- 218 TJie Pictorial Press : ration of Dr. Johnson before he came to London as a literary adventurer. He afterwards became a reguhir contributor to its pages, and for many years it -svas his principal source of income. His first contribution was a complimentary Latin poem addressed to Sylvanus Urban, and when Cave died Johnson wrote an account of him in the magazine. Dr. Johnson told Boswell ' that when he first saAv St. John's Gate, the place where that deservedly popular miscellany was originally printed, he " beheld it with reverence." ' Edward Cave was born at Newton, in "Warwickshire, Feb. 29th, 1691; he died Jan. 10th, 1754. 'He was peculiarly fortunate,' says Boswell, ' in being recorded by Johnson ; who of the narrow^ life of a printer and publisher, without any digressions or adventitious circumstances, has made an interesting and agreeable narrative.' The Gentleman's Magazine still exists, but retains nothing of its original character beyond the name. "Within a year the success of the Gentleman's Magazine brought into being the London Magazine, and, in 1739, the Scots Magazine, published in Edinburgh. In the second volume of the latter, imdcr date March, 1740, there is a larger version of the woodcut of the taking of Porto Bello, already described. The account also is given, quoted, how- ever, from the London Evening Post, and not from the Daily Post, where the woodcut appeared. Majjs, plans, and views of places occasionally occur in other volumes of the Scots Magazine. In vol. iii. there is a plan of the harbour, city, and forts of Cartagena, and the nmnber for July, 1743, con- tains a plan of the battle of Dettingen. Its Origin and Progre.'\xn\\\\g of the Houses of Parliament, 18.34— T/^e Champion— The Weehhj Herald— The Magnet — \Xq- moving the Body of Napoleon I.— The Pennij Magazine— Ch&xlQS Knight — Humorous Journalism of the Victorian Era. There appears to have been little or nothing clone in the way of illustrated journalism during the remaining years of the eighteenth century. It was during this period that Thomas Bewick revived the almost extinct art of wood- engraving, and about the time he brought out the first of his illustrated natural history books a weekly newspaper was started in London which afterwards became the pioneer of modern illustrated journalism. This was the Observer, the first number of which came out on Sunday, Dec. 4th, 1791. It is the oldest of om- existmg weekly newspapers, 220 The Pictorial Press. and is one of the rare instances of a Sunday paper becom- ing establislied.* Many years had to ehipse before wood- engraving- began to be used as a means of popuhir illustra- tion ; but when some of Bewick's nmnerous pupils began to diffuse the fruits of their master's teaching the Ohscrcer was the first newspaper that availed itself of the restored art. Before this, however, there were sjTnptoms of the reawakening of a dormant idea. In looking back to the early years of the present centurj^ it is curious and interesting to notice that the Times was occasionally an illustrated paper. The battle of Trafalgar and the death of Nelson stirred the national heart to such a degree that the Times of that day was induced to introduce into its pages engravings of Nelson's coffin and funeral car, when the hero's remains were carried to St. Paul's. In the number for Jan. 10th, 1806, there is an account of the State funeral, which is illustrated with the above-named woodcuts. They are very rudely executed, and plainly show that the influence of Bewick's labours had not yet pene- trated into the region of journalism. Annexed is a copy of what the Times of 1806 presented to the public in response to the intense interest felt by the whole of the British nation about Nelson's death and funeral. It is a note- worthy example of renewed effort in the direction of illustrated news at a time when insufficient means of production clogged the spirit of enterprise. Like the S/cedish Iiifei/ifjencer of 1632, the Times did not hesitate to point out its shortcomings in the following notice at the foot of the engraving : — ' The only difference in the appearance of the Funeral Car from the engraving is, that, contrary to what was at first intended, neither the pall nor coronet appeared on the coffin. The first was thrown in the stern of the Car, in order to give the public a complete view * There was another Smiday paper in existence about this time, the Sunday Reformer and Universal Jiet/ififer. In the number for Dec. :29tli, 179.'>, tliere i.s a copperplate portrait of Itohert Lowth, D.D., Lord Bishop of London, then recently deceased. 222 The Pictorial Press : of the coffin ; and the coronet was carried in a mourning- coach. Wc had not time to make the alteration.' To the above engraving the following description was appended : — * The Car, modelled at the ends in imitation of the hull of the Victor}-. Its head towards the horses, was ornamented with a figure of Fame. The stern carved and painted in the naval style, with the word " Victory " in yellow raised letters on the lanthorn over the poop. The coffin placed on the quarterdeck with its head towards the stern, with the English Jack pendent over the poop lowered half-stafP. There was an awning over the whole, consisting of an elegant canopy supported by four pillars, in the form of palm-trees, as we have already- mentioned, and partly covered with black velvet. The corners and sides were decorated with black ostrich feathers, and festooned with black velvet, richly fringed, immediately above which, in the front, was inscribed in gold the word " Nile " at one end ; on one side the following motto, " Hostc devicto, requievit;" behind was the word "Trafalgar;" and on the other side the motto " Palmam qui meruit ferat," as in the engraving. The carriage was drawn by six led horses, in elegant furniture.' In 1817 the Times also illustrated the projects of Robert Owen, who laboured long and ai-dently to promote the doctrines of Socialism. In the number for Aug. 9th, 1817, there is a large woodcut called Robert Owen's agricultural and manufacturing villages of Unity and Mutual Co- operation. In those days a page of the Times was not so valuable as it is now, or probably the enthusiastic Socialist would not have found it so easy to enlist that journal in helping to projoagate his doctrines. In 1834 Owen made in London another attempt to put in practice the principles he had so long advocated. He died in 1858, aged ninety. I have mentioned that theO^iryvrrwas the first newspaper that availed itself of the revived art of Avood-engraving ; but it had previously essayed the then difficult task of Its Origin and Progress. 223 illustrating tlie news of the day by the more costly means of engraving on copper. The island of St. Helena having been selected as the place of residence of Napoleon Bonaparte, the Ob.^crrer of Oct. 29th, 1815, published a large copper- plate view of the island, with a descriptive account. The plate is printed on the same page with the letterpress, so that there must have been two printings to produce this specimen of illustrated news. Three years later the Observer produced another copperplate example of news illustration, also printed on the letterpress page. This was a portrait of Abraham Thornton, whose remarkable case attracted much public attention. He was tried for the murder of a young woman, Mary Ashford, with whom he was known to be acquainted, and in whose company he was seen shortly before her death. He was, however, acquitted, the jury probably believing it to be a case of suicide. The brother of the girl then appealed, and Thornton claimed his right to defend himself by wager of battle. This claim was allowed, after long arguments before the judges. It was found, much to the surprise of the general public, that by the law of England a man in an appeal of murder might demand the combat, thereby to make proof of his guilt or innocence. In the present case the girl's brother refused the challenge, and Thornton escaped. This was the last appeal to the 'Assize of Battle ' in this country ; and the attention of the Legislature being drawn to the obsolete statute, it was repealed by 59 Geo. III., 1819. It was during the progress of the arguments in this case, and while the public interest was very great, that the Observer published the portrait of the accused. After this the Observer became remarkable for its illus- trations of news. Mr. William Clement, the proprietor, was a man who early saw the attractiveness of illustrated journalism. I am not aware when he first became associated with the Observer; but under his management frequent illustrations of news were given in that paper. In 1820 Bell's Life in Loudon was started, and very soon Mr. Clement 224 The Pictorial Press : became the proprietor of that paper also. In 1821 he purchased the Iloniiiuj Clirouicic, which, however, turned out a bad speculation. Having invested a very large sum of money in the latter paper, Mr. Clement spared no effort to make it profitable, and the Ohserccr was neglected. It suffered in consequence, and fell in circulation. Frequently the illustrations of news that were printed in the Observer were published the day previously in the Chronicle. They were also occasionally printed in BelVs Life and the English- man, a fourth paper belonging to Mr. Clement. All four papers were carried on together ; but it is the Observer that stands out as the prominent representative of illustrated journalism at this period. Other journals came into exist- ence which took up the idea of illustrating the news of the day ; among them the Sunday Times, started by Daniel Whittle Harvey in 1822, when he was member for Col- chester. Another paper which for a time rivalled, if it did not excel, the Observer in the frequency of its news illustrations was the Weelcli/ Chronicle. It flourished a few 5'ears before the birth of the Plusfrated London Neics, but has long been extinct. Mr. Clement sold the Morning Chronicle in 1834, and soon restored the Observer to its old position. The Horning Chronicle started in 1769 and expired in 1864. The Lnglishman has long been defunct, but I am not acquainted with the date of its disappearance. There was a paper called \}xc EnglisJinuoi in 1714, and the name was again revived by the late Dr. Kcnealy. The Observer and Bell's Life were both published at the same office for many years, but their companionship was terminated in 1877, when they left the office in the Strand where they had so long lived amicably together, the great sporting journal migrating to Catherine Street, and the Observer seeking a new home in the Strand further west. One or two other newspapers occasionally published engravings during the few years immediately preceding the Ilhist rated London Ncics, and of them I will speak in the Its Origin and Froj/ress. 225 proper place. The most prominent, however, wci-c the Observer, BeWs Life in London, and the Weekly Chronicle, and to these three I propose first to direct attention as being the main supporters of the pictorial spirit until it culminated in the lUmtrated London Neics. It was during the ten years preceding 1842 that the foimder of that journal noticed the growing inclination of the people for illustrated news, and it was chiefly in the pages of the Observer and the Weckhj Chronicle that he thought he saw the growth of a hitherto uncidtivated germ. In 1820 all England was startled by the discovery of a mysterious plot of some political desperadoes who planned the assassination of the Ministers of the Crown and the overthrow of the Government. This came to be known as the Cato Street Conspiracy, the place of meeting of the conspirators being in Cato Street, Marylebone. The extra- vagance of the Prince Regent, the high price of bread, and the heavy taxation, had brought about a feeling of discontent among the lower orders which, unhappily, was greatly increased by the Spa Fields riots, and the collision between the soldiers and the people in Lancashire, at what was called the massacre of Peterloo. Thistlewood, the leader of the conspirators, had already been tried for treasonable practices, but acquitted. He had also been in trouble for his connexion with the Spa Fields riots. The sanguinary plan of the conspirators was to murder the Cabinet Ministers while they were all assembled at dinner at Lord Harrowby's house in Grosvenor Square. They were to seize certain pieces of cannon, take the Bank of England, destroy the telegraph to Woolwich, set fire to diiferent parts of London, and then establish a provisional government at the Mansion House, sending emissaries to the outports to prevent the escape of obnoxious persons. They reckoned on large mmibers of the discontented joining them as soon as they had destroyed the tyrants and oppressors of the people, as they termed the Ministers. They had provided pikes, pistols, sabres, knives, blimderbusses, and hand-grenades; Q 226 The Pictorial Press : and one of tlie gang, a butcher, had furnished himself with a heavy butcher's knife, to cut off the heads of ' Castlereagh and the rest as he came at them.' Adams, one of their number, turned informer, and the conspirators were sur- prised by the police at their meeting-place in Cato Street. After a conflict in which one of the police-officers was killed, several of the gang were secured, and others were taken soon afterwards. Thistlewood, the leader, escaped in the first rush, but was captured next day. The place where the seizure was made is described as a hayloft over a deserted stable with a step-ladder leading from the stable to the loft above, with two apertures in the floor of the loft, opening on the racks in the stable below ; opening from the loft were two small inner rooms. On the evening of the 23rd of February, 1820, the conspirators were assembled in this stable, where they were arming themselves for the bloody work they had planned, when the police, aided by a party of the Coldstream Guards under Lieut. Fitzclarence, broke in upon them. Police-officers Ruthven, Ellice, and Smithers, were the flrst to mount the ladder, and enter the loft. ' There were about fivc-and-twenty men in the room, eating bread and cheese, and drinking porter, or selecting arms from a long carpenter's bench which stood close by the wall. Just at that juncture, Thistlewood, hearing a noise, and some one calling, "Hallo! Show a light!" took a candle, and looked down the stairs to see who was coming, and, on seeing that there was u surprise, he put the candle back on the bench, seized a sword, and with three or four others retreated stealthily to the further of the inner rooms — the one that had a window looking out into Cato Street. At that moment one of the men seized below called out to warn his comrades, " Look out there above ! " *At the same time, two of the constables, at tirst almost unnoticed, appeared at the top of tlie ladder, and presenting their pistols, said, " Hallo, is anybody in the room ? Here's, a pretty nest of you !" Its Origin and Progress. 22'7 * Then another of the patrol cried, " "Wc are officers ; seize their arms." 'And a third, " Gentlemen, we have got a warrant to apprehend you all, and as such we hope you will go peaceably." 'Just then Smithers, distrusting further parley, and be- lieying, in his staunch way, in promptitude, before the con- spirators could discover the scantiness of the assailing numbers, or could muster courage to use their arms, cried, " Let me come forward," and pvished towards the door of the inner room, where Thistlewood stood thrusting with a very long sword. The leader of the conspirators instantly rushed forward, and struck Smithers through his right side. The constable threw up his hands, his head fell back, he staggered against Ituthven, cried, " my God, I am done!" and fell dead near the opening of the stairs. Ellice held up his staff at Thistlewood, and threatened to fire with the pistol in his right hand, unless he instantly surrendered. The lights were inmiediately dashed out, and a voice cried in the dark- ness, " Kill the at once ! Throw them down-stairs ! Kill them!" 'Then there were twenty or thirty j^istol- shots fired, and a tremendous headlong rush was made at the stairs, driving the Bow Street men backwards ; the conspirators leaping down into the manger through the holes in the floor, or by the window, others firing at the officers on the stairs, or up through the manger, all making for the arch- way in John Street.'* It would appear the conspirators were closely watched for some time before they were arrested. Indeed, it was suspected that Government emissaries were employed to foment the conspiracy in order that a terrible example might be made for the benefit of the disaffected. How- ever this may have been, the plot excited the most intense interest among all classes. Thistlewood and the other prisoners were tried at the Old Bailey, April l~th, 1820, * ' Old Stories Retold,' iu Ail the Year Round. IV a 3 a ,rs ^ ^ ^ -4 j; C3 Q :c The Pictorial Press 221) and found guilty of high treason. Six wore transported for life, the other five, including Thistlewood, were hung on May 1st, and their heads severed from their bodies — the quartering, the usual doom of traitors, having been graciously forgiven. The Obscrrc)- for March 5th, 1820, published some illus- trations of the Cato Street Conspiracy. One is an exterior view of the stable in Cato Street where the conspirators met, which is copied on the opposite page. ']^ SECTION OF GRENADE PREPARED BY THE C.VTO STREET CONSPIRATORS. FROM THE ' OBSERVER,' MARCH 5TH, 1S20. A. CTclindrioal tin Box contaiuing gmipowder. B. Pitched ton-. C. BiiUets, old nails. Spikes. &e. D. Tin Tube a Fnze filled with damp powder. There was also an interior view of the hayloft, together with sections of some of the grenades, daggers, &c., large quantities of which were found in the loft. These cuts, which are roughly done, were reprinted in the Ohservcr for March 12th, and two new ones were added, ' Interior vicAV of the Hayloft at the moment when Smithers received his Death "Wound/ and a view of the interior of the 230 The Pictorial Press stable. They are all interesting as examples of illustrated news at a time when the means of producing such things were extremely limited. DAGGER TEEPARED BY THE CATO STREET CON'SPIRATORS. FROM THE ' OBSERVER,' MARCH 5TH, 1820. A. Dagsrer made out of a liayonet to nse singly or on top of a pike handle. K. Dagger with hole in the middle to receive dagger A. when screwed on, to be used right and left. C. Section of the transverse dagger B. Mr. Clement, the proprietor of the Observer, gave a remarkable proof of his enterprising spirit when the Cato Street conspirators were tried. At that time newspapers were prohibited under a penalty of 500/. from publishing reports of cases in the courts of law before they were con- cluded, Mr. Clement, seeing the universal interest excited Its Orujlii and Progress. 231 by tlic trial, determined to puLlish a report Avitliout waiting for the verdict. Ho accordingly sent reporters to tlie court, and published the whole in the Ohaenrr before the verdict was given. This was a contempt of court for which he expected to have to pay, and, though the penalty was didy inflicted, it was never exacted. The eclat attending this proceeding was of immense value to the Observer, and the sale of that number was so great that the proprietor could easily have paid the penalty of 500/., and he would still have been a gainer.* The Prince of "Wales (afterwards George IT.), whose unhappy marriage with Caroline of Brunswick produced so much scandal and excitement in this country, had long been separated from his wife, who was residing abroad at the time her husband became King. Her Majesty announced her intention of returning to England ; and though the King's Ministers endeavoured to dissuade her from her purpose, she persisted in her resolution, and on June 6th, 1820, she landed at Dover. Her journey through London was one long trimnph, thousands of people escorting her to her temporarj^ residence, and giving her the warmest possible welcome, for they looked upon her as an ill-used and persecuted woman. The question of omitting her name from the Liturgy had been debated in Parliament, and afterwards a ' Bill of Pains and Penalties ' was brought in, which was in effect placing the Queen upon her trial. Con- temporary newspapers show what intense excitement filled the public mind upon this subject, and how the nation ranged itself on the side of the King or Queen — by far the greater number being for the latter. K^othing was talked of but the * Queen's trial,' and the wrongs and indignitieg that had been heaped upon the head of an innocent woman. On Aug. 16th, the married ladies of the metropolis presented Her Majesty with an address, and three days after the trial commenced, the defence being conducted by Mr. Brougham and Mr. Denman. "When the Queen * Grant's yeicspaper Press. 232 The Pictorial Press: attended the House of Lords large crowds accompanied her through the streets, and manifested by their cries their sympathy for her cause. The Bill of Pains and Penalties was carried on a second reading by a majority of twent}-- eight, but it sank on the third reading to a majority of nine, and was finally abandoned owing to the threatening attitude of the populace. Great rejoicings ensued, London was illu- minated for three nights, and on Xov. 29th the Queen went in state to St. Paul's, On this occasion William Hone, who had distinguished himself as one of the Queen's champions, displayed a transparency at his house on Ludgate Hill, which was painted by George Cruikshank, and is engraved in Hone's collected pamphlets. The Observer, having to some extent laid itself out for ' illustrated news,' the occasion of so much interest and excitement as the Queen's trial was not likely to pass un- noticed. Accordingly, we find in the number for Sept. 17th, 1820, a large woodcut, entitled, 'A Faithful Representation of the Interior of the House of Lords as prepared for the Trial of Her Most Gracious Majesty Queen Caroline.' This was published at the time the excitement was at the highest, and no doubt the eager public properly appreciated the enterprise of the conductors of the paper. In 1821 the House of Commons contained many notable politicians and eminent men who afterwards became leaders and chami^ions among the ranks of Whig and Tory. Amongst the most prominent were Canning, Brougham, Peel, and Palmerston. The question of Reform was be- coming more and more pressing, and the House of Commons as then constituted was tottering to its fall. The conductors of the Oh-serrer, ever on the look-out for Avhat would interest their readers, published on Jan. 21st, 1821, two vicAvs of the interior of the House of Commons, one lookinir towards the Speaker's Chair, the other looking from it. In one the House is empty, but in the other most of the leading jioliticians of the day are introduced. The figures, however, are on too small a scale to be likenesses of the persons Its On'r/in and Pror/rcss. 233 intended, but the reader is assisted by references sliowing- the places occupied by the most prominent members of the House. The national excitement about Queen Caroline's trial was dying out when the first gentleman in Europe prepared for his coronation. On this occasion the Observer ga\e the lieges appropriate pictures of the august ceremony. The best drauglitsmen and engravers on wood, then vei'y few in number, were employed to prepare views of Westminster Abbey and Westminster Hall during the coronation cere- mony and the banquet which followed. The Observer of July 22nd, 1821, contains four engravings, which, consider- ing the limited artistic means at command, are by no means discreditable to the management of the paper. On this occasion a double number was published, the price of which was fourteen pence, and the publisher evidently thought it was very cheap. He announced that he Avould keep the number on sale for ten days after publication, so that no one might be disappointed in getting a copy. All these engravings of the coronation of George IV, were done on what was then considered a large scale, though none of them exceed a half-page of the present illustrated news- papers, and were finished as regards light and shade, according to the best ability of the artist. The coronation number of the Observer produced a great sensation, and it had a very large sale. Nothing like it had ever been done before, and the public eagerly paid the double price for the sake of the engravings, Fourpence Avas paid for stamp duty on each sheet, amomiting on the whole to 2000/. paid to Government for stamp duty, ex- clusive of paper duty. The number consisted of two sheets, each of which had a sale of 60,000 copies. This was a very good stroke of business, and Mr. Clement had fair reason to congratulate himself on his successful enterprise. It prompted him to further efforts ; but, unfortunately, he had not the wisdom to confine his energies to one channel, and what he gained by one speculation he lost by another. It was 234 T]ie Pictorial Press : lit this time he purchased the Morning Chronicle for 42,000/.; but, as I have before stated, this turned out a disastrous investment, and also injured for a time the otherwise suc- cessful Observer. Soon after his coronation George lY. A'isited Ireland, and while on his way received the melancholy intelligence of the death of his consort, the unfortunate Queen Caroline, which, however, did not prevent His Majesty from continuing his journey. The Ohscrrer of Sept. 2nd, 1821, published 'A correct View of his Majesty King George the Fourth landing from the Lightening Steam Packet, Capt. Skinner, on the Pier of the Harbour of Howth, on Sunday, the Twelvth of August, 1821,' In describing this event the Observer spoke of it as the opening of a new era for Ireland, and of the highest imjiortance both in an historical and political point of view. In the following year the King went to Scotland ; but, though the Observer published long and elaborate descrip- tions of His Majesty's visit, the occasion was not deemed worthy of illustration. The opportunity, however, must have been far richer than the visit to Ireland in affording subjects for sketches. It would have been curious to see Avhat a contemporarj'^ * special artist ' would have made of Sir Walter Scott ; and posterity would have been glad to have had handed down to it the ' varra effifjies ' of Georse IV. and Alderman Curtis in the kilt ! In 1823 the city of Cadiz, in SjDain, was invested by the French, who took possession of the place on Oct. 3rd in that year. The Observer, in its issue of Oct. 5th, printed a plan and view of Cadiz, the plan first appearing in the Morning Chronicle of the day before. The view of Cadiz is well engraved, in the manner of that day, by W. Hughes. The plan is also well done, and very comjiletc. Towards the end of 1823 a murder, unparalleled in the history of crime, excited immense public interest, and the Observer at once took up the case, and described and illus- trated it with a particularity and minuteness of detail that Its Or/gin and Proijress. 235 must have satisfied the most ardent sensationalist. The incidents of this remarkable crime have been long forgotten ; but I will give an outline of the story in connexion with the engravings published on the occasion by the Observer. Mr. "\Villiam AVeare was an attorney in Lyon's Inn, who added to his legal practice the business of a bill-discounter, and enlivened the dulness of both pursuits by indulging occasionally in the excitement of gambling. He counted amongst his friends one Mr. John Thurtell, a notorious betting-man ; and it was to keep an appointment with this friend that he left his chambers in Lyon's Inn on Friday, Oct. 24th, 1823. The two friends had agreed to go on a short shooting excursion to a lonely cottage on the St. Albans road, about fourteen miles from London. Thurtell was re- spectably connected, but had an evil reputation, he and his brother being then in hiding to avoid a charge of arson. Two other men were concerned in the murder, Hunt, a public singer, of doubtfid character, and Probert, a spirit merchant, a fraudulent bankrupt, who lived at the cottage to which Thurtell and his friend were going. In the o-amblino: transactions beween Thurtell and AVeare the former conceived himself to have been cheated of 300/., and in revenge he determined to murder Weare, and by robbing him recoup himself as far as possible for his losses. The crime was coolly premeditated, and Himt appears to have been an accessory before the fact, having arranged to meet Thurtell on the road, and to assist in despatching the victim. Tor this purpose the shooting excursion to Probert's cottage was planned; but, owing to a mistake of Hunt's, he did not join Thurtell as agreed, and the latter committed the murder alone. Thurtell and AVeare were seen driving in a gig towards Edgeware about five o'clock in the evening on Oct. 24lh, and they afterwards called at the ' AMiite Hart,' Edgeware, for refreshment. After they were gone Probert and Hunt, also driving in a gig, called at the same inn, where they had some brandy and water, and afterwards drove away. 236 The Pictorial Press : Gill's Hill Cottage, the place -where Probert lived, was about two miles from Elstree, and was approached by a narrow road called Gill's Hill Lane. Some coiuitr}- people passing in the neighbourhood of this lane about eight o'clock in the evening heard a shot fired and deejo groans as if some one was injured. They also heard voices and the wheels of a cart or gig moving. Near nine o'clock Thurtell arrived at the cottage alone, and "•ivins' the horse and fjin: to the ser- vant, went out to meet Probert and Hunt, with whom he soon afterwards returned. Hunt being a stranger, was formal!}' introduced to Mrs, Probert and a Miss Koyes who was staying at the house. The whole party supped together, and spent the evening in jollity. Hunt sang several songs, and Thurtell produced a gold hunting-watch which afterwards proved to be Weare's, and, taking ofE the chain, offered it to Probert for his wife, but he declining it, Thurtell put it round the lady's neck himself. It was after midnight before the ladies retired, and the sleeping accommodation being limited it Mas arranged that Thurtell should sleep on some chairs and Hunt was to occujoy the sofa. A drawing of the sofa forms one of the illustrations in the Obf of the interior of a cotton-factory ; and the Wechly Herald in the same year issued two engravings illustrating the story of "Wat Tyler: — '1. "Workshop scene; "Wat Tyler knocking the Tyrant Tax-gatherer's brains out ; ' the principal charac- ters equipped in boots, buckles, and belts, in true theatrical style 2. ' Smithficld scene ; the assassin "Walworth treach- erously murdering the brave but too-confiding "Wat Tyler/ The same paper also issued this year a view of St. Peter's, Rome. The Magnet, a paper started in 1837, illustrated the proclamation of Queen Victoria, "William lY. lying in state, the Canadian rebellion, burning of the Royal Exchange, coronation of Queen Yictoria, and on Jan. 4, 1841, the re- moval of the remains of Napoleon I. from St. Ilelena. There are two engravings of this interesting historical event. The first is entitled, *A correct view, taken on the spot, of the interior of the tent at St, Helena, after the disinterment of the body of Napoleon, at the instant of the removal of the lid from the coffin ; the remains of the Emperor appearing (as one of the spectators remarked) as if he were asleep.' I have copied the second cut, which represents the embarka- tion of the body, and is one of the last examples of pictorial journalism before the birth of the I//i(sf rated London Heirs. Before concluding this part of my subject it is fitting that I should include the Penny Magazine amongst the pic- torial journals which immediately preceded the establishment of a regular illustrated newspaper. The Penny Magazine, though not a newspaper, was intended to supplant the cheap and pernicious contraband newspapers that then existed in large numbers. It was the most successful experiment that England had then seen of the art of illustration in combina- tion with the steam press, and was the best attempt that had been made in a cheap form to elevate the public taste. Mr. Charles Knight, who thus, in the Penny Magazine, led the way in combining literature with art in a popular form, was a staunch advocate of education, and he never ceased in his endeavours to improve the condition of the 278 The Pictorial Press : masses. He said, ' the poor man must be made a thinking man — a man capable of intellectual pleasures ; be must be purified in his tastes, and elevated in his understanding ; he must be taught to comprehend the real dignity of all useful emjjloyments ; he must learn to look upon the distinctions of society without envy or servility ; ho must resjDCct them, for they are open to him as well as to others ; but he must respect himself more. The best enjo}Taents of our nature might be common to him and the most favoured by fortune. Let him be taught how to appreciate them. Diminish the attractions of his sensual enjoyments by extending the range of his mental pleasures.'* "With such convictions, Mr. Knight, in 1827, joined the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge, a new educational movement then just started by the Reform Party. He brought out, under its auspices, a great number of useful works, most of which were jDrofusely illustrated. In 1832 jMr. Knight resided in the Vale of Health on Hampstead Heath. One of his neighbours was Mr. M. D. Hill, an active member of the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge. It was a time of great political excitement, and the town was flooded with unstamped weekly publications, which in some degree came under the character of contraband newspapers, and were nearly all dangerous in principle and coarse in lan- guage. Mr. Knight and Mr. Hill often walked to town together, and their conversation naturally turned to a subject in which they both felt a special interest — the means of improving the condition of the people by the diffusion of cheap literature, and so counteracting the dangerous and ofiensive publications which then abounded. One morning in earl}^ spring their talk was of this kind, when Mr. Hill exclaimed, ' Let us see what something cheap and good can accomplish ! Let us have a Penny Magazine ! ' Mr. Knight immediately adopted the suggestion, which was cordially approved by the Lord Chancellor Brougham ; and on March 31, 1832, appeared the first number of * the Pcitiii/ • Passages of a Working Life. Its Origin and Progress. 279 Magazine of the Society for tlie Diffusion of Useful Know- ledge.' It was necessary to avoid making the new periodical anything like a newspaper lest it should become liable to stamp duty, and at first very little expense was incurred for illustrations, most of the engravings in the early numbers being reprinted from other works of the Society. It was not till six months had elapsed that Mr. Knight ventured into the wide field of illustration, and made the public familiar with great works of art, such as the 'Laocoon,' the ' Apollo Belvedere,' the * Dying Gladiator,' the ' Cartoons,' &c. The best pictures of the old masters were intermingled with scenes at home and abroad, with places of renown and illustrious men of all nations and of every age. The success of the Penny Magazine was a surprise to the publisher and an astonishment to most persons. At the end of 1832 it had reached a sale of 200,000 in weekly numbers and monthly parts, and it soon produced a revolution in popular art throughout the world. Stereotype casts of its best cuts were supplied for the illustration of publications of a similar character which appeared in Germany, France, Holland, Livonia, Bohemia, Italy, Ionian Islands, Sweden, Norway, Spanish America, and the Brazils. The entire work was also reprinted in the United States from plates sent from this country.* It continued its prosperous career for nine years, when a new series was commenced, with considerable improvements in engraving and printing. Five volmnes of the new series were published, but the sale declined, owing to the com- mencement of illustrated newspapers, and the Penny Magazine in its old form came to an end in 1845, three years after the commencement of the lUust rated London Neirs.'f Knighfs Penny Magazine, a smaller miscellany, commencing * At this time there was another illustrated weekly magazine in existence — the Mirror, which began about 1822. The engravings it •ontained were chiefly of a topographical character. t The Saturday Magazine was started in imitation of the Penny Magazine, and, like its prototype, had a considerable popularity for some years. 280 The Pictorial Press : in January, 1846, kept up the old name for six months longer, and then it ceased to exist. In announcing its discontinuance, Mr. Knight thus closes this interesting chapter of literary history: — 'The present series of the Penny Magazine is closed, after an experience of only six months. The editor has no reason to complain of the want of public encouragement, for the sale of this series has exceeded that of its predecessor in 1845. But the sale, such as it is, is scarcely remunerative ; and there are indications that it may decline rather than increase. This is a hint which cannot be mistaken. It shall not be said of his humble efforts to continue, upon an equality with the best of his contemporaries, a publication which once had a decided pre-eminence, that "Superfluous lags the veteran on tlie stage." He leaves this portion of popular literature to be cultivated by those whose new energy may be worth more than his old experience. The Penny Magazine shall begin and end with him. It shall not pass into other hands.' Mr. Knight attributed the falling off in the sale of the Penny Magazine to the extended sale of newspapers and the application of wood-engravings to their illustration ; and in his Passages of a Working Life he relates how he first heard of the journal that was destined to succeed the Penny Magazine in the field of popular art : — * In 1842, having occasion to be in attendance at the Central Criminal Court, my curiosity was excited by an unusual spectacle — that of an artist, seated amongst the civic dignitaries on the bench, diligently emploj'ed in sketching two Lascars, on their trial for a capital offence. "What was there so remarkable in the case, in the persons, or even in the costume of the accused, that they should be made the subject of a picture ? The mystery was soon explained to me. The Illnstrated London News had been announced for publication on the Saturday of the week in which I saw the wretched foreigners standing at the bar. I knew something about hurrying on wood-en- Its Origin and Progress. 281 o-ravcrs for the Penny Jlaf/azine, but a newspaper was an essentially different affair. How, I thought, could artists and journalists so work concurrently that the news and the appropriate illustrations should both be fresh ? How could such things be managed with any approach to fidelity of repre- sentation unless all the essential characteristics of a news- paper were sacrificed in the attempt to render it pictorial ? I fancied that this rash experiment would be a failure. It proved to be such a success as could only be ensured by resolute and persevering struggles against natural difficulties.' Charles Knight was born at Windsor in 1791. The son of a bookseller, he very early became connected with the press. At the age of twenty-one he conducted the JVinchor and Eton Express, and a few years later he became the editor of the Guardian, a London weekly paper. He afterwards started a monthly magazine called the Etonian, and amongst his contributors were Macaulay, Praed, and other clever young men who had been educated at Eton, some of whom supported him in a later venture, Knighfs Quarter I // Magazine. In the midst of his varied duties as author and publisher he never lost sight of the great question of popular education, and heartily joined in the movement for repealing the taxes on knowledge. He gave expression to his views in The Struggles of a Book against Exeessive Taxation and The Case of the Authors as regards the Paper Dutij. He paid the enormous sum of 16,500/. for paper duty on the Penny Cyclopedia alone, and on the same work he expended 40,000/. for literature and engravings. When this great and useful work was completed Mr. Kuight was entertained at a public dinner presided over by Lord Brougham, when the leading men in literature and art united to do him honour. The Penny Cyclopedia was not a commercial success, solely be- cause of the paper duty. Of the numerous illustrated works published by Mr. Knight, the Pictorial Bible was the most successful in a pecuniary sense, and he considered the Arabian Nights the most beautiful as regards illustrations. He was so ardent a 282 The Pictorial Press: -^vovnoicr of illustrative art, that lie invented a press for printing in colours, from whicli issued many coloured engravings for his various works, such as Old EiujJand, the Farmer's Lihrari/, &c. Mr. Knight died at Addlestone, Surrey, March 9, 1873, and was buried in his native to^^'u of Windsor. A marble bust of him was placed by public subscription in the Council Chamber of that town, and two scholarships, bearing his name, were founded in the school of the Stationers' Company. It was well said of Charles Knight on the occasion of unveiling his bust at Windsor, that he set out in life with the desire to make knowledge a common possession instead of an exclusive privilege. He laboured for the good of his fellow-men rather than for the rewards of fame or fortune, and no man was more worthy of honour for his public services and his private -virtues. The last time I saw him was at the grave of an old friend of his and mine; and as I recall the remembrance of his grey hair tossed in the wintry wind, I adopt in all seriousness what Douglas Jerrold said in jest, that two words would suffice for his epitaph — 'good Knight.' It is curious that the printing-press, which has worked such mighty changes, should have reproduced in another form the ancient jester who stood in cap and bells behind his master's chair, and the merry-andrew who made the rustics laugh upon the village green. The numerous satirical and humorous publications of tlic Victorian era represent a distinct kind of illustrated journalism, through which rims an amusing commentary on passing events, combined with a Acin of satire always good-humoured and often instructive. At the head of this array of wit and wisdom stands PuncJi, who, however, was preceded by Figaro in London, conducted by Mr. Gilbert A'Beckett, afterwards one of Funch'a strongest supjjorters. Mr. A'Beckett faith- fully acted up to his motto : — * Satire should, like a polished razor keen, Wound with a touch that's hardly felt or seen ;' Its Origin and Progress. 283 but the constitution of Figaro was not strong, and lie died young. AVhile the Pcnmj Mugazine was yet in vigorous life, and the Illustrated London News was as yet unborn, there used to be a weekly gathering of authors, actors, and artists, at a tavern in "VYych Street, Strand, where the late Mr. INIark Lemon presided as the genial host. This company of merry men were mostly on the sunny side of life, and disposed to look upon the world and the world's cares with a laughing eye. They were ever ready to go out of their way for the sake of a joke, and a pun, good or bad, was pleasant to them. In this congenial atmosphere Punch germinated, and in July, 1841, that shrewd observer and good-humoured satirist appeared. Mr. Punch, like some other great men, had a hard struggle in his early days ; but prosperous times came, and he now combines in his own person the dignity of age with the vivacity of youth. Puck, Diogenes, and numerous other imitators of Punch, attempted to obtain a share of public favour, but most of them died after a brief existence. The best of these that survive are Fun and Judy, which, with the Hornet, Vanity Fair, Figaro (a revival of the name), Moonshine, Funny Folks, and others, continue their weekly budgets with a smartness and vigour not unworthy of their great prototype. 284 Tlie Pictorial Press. CHAPTER VIII. The Illustrated Lomhn Neics — The Early Numbers — The Burnhig of Hamburgh — Facetious Advertisements — Bal Masque at Buckingham Palace — Attempted Assassination of the Queen — The Queen's First Trip by Railway — First Royal Visit to Scotland — Political Portraits — R. (^'obden — Lord John Russell — Benjamin Disraeli — The French Revolution, 1848 — The Great Exhibition, IS-")! — The Crimean "War — Coloured Pictures — Christmas Numbers — Herbert Ingram — The Pictorial Times— Ot\xev Illustrated Journals. Having traced the idea of illustrating the news of the day from the early 'news -book' through its various stages of growth and development, we come to the first regular illus- trated newspaper that was established. The projector had long held the opinion, founded on his experience as a news- vendor at Nottingham, that such a publication M'ould succeed. He had noticed that when the Obserrer and the Weekli/ Chronicle contained engravings, there was a much larger demand for those papers than when they were without illustrations, and he conceived the idea of starting a paper whose chief attraction should be its pictures. He thought if he could combine ai-f and ncics together, he would be adding greatly to the ordinary attractions of a newspaper, and would probably secure a widely extended circle of readers. His customers at Nottingham often asked for the * London news ' when an^'thing of interest was astir in the Metropolis, and his observant shrewdness led him to conclude that this would be a good name for his paper. He accordingly called it the I/liisf rated London Neics, and imder that title the first number appeared on May 14th, 18-42. It contained sixteen printed pages and thirty-two woodcuts, including all the little headings to the columns, price sixpence, and it equalled in size the Atias Avhich was then sold for a shilling, without 286 77/6' Pictorial Press engravings. It Avas printed b}' H. Palmer (at tlie office of Palmer and Clayton), 10 Crane Court, Fleet Street, and published by J. Clayton, 320 Strand. The introductory ad- dress is written in a florid and inflated style ; but it shows a correct perception of the wide and varied range that would have to be taken by an illustrated newspaper. The well-knovNTi engraved heading rejDresents a view of London from the Thames, as it was then, — St. Paul's towering in the centre, and the Lord Mayor's procession in State barges passing up the riVer. The first engraving is a ' View of the Conflagration of the City of Ilamburgh,' which began HEADING TO ' COUET AND HAUT TON,' COLUMN, ' ILLUSTRATED LONDON NEWS,' MAY 14, 1842. on May 5th, and continued for several days. A great part of the city was destroyed, and more than one hundred lives were lost. As marking an epoch in the history of the Pictorial Press, I reprint this engraving and some others from the early numbers. The next cut is apparently a view of some town in Italy or France ; but there is no name to the engraving or any reference to it in the surrounding text, which is all about the dreadful railway accident between Paris and Versailles which had then just occurred, whereby fifty persons were killed, and one hundred and fifty were more or less injured. On the next page are views of the city of Cabul and the fortress of Ghuznee, just then the seat of stirring events. The columns of ' Foreign Intelligence,' * The Court and Ilaut Ton,' ' Births, Marriages, and Deaths,' were each headed by a small Avoodeut, an example of which is Its Origin and Progress. 287 given here. There is also an illustration of ladies' fashions, accompanied by a gushing, descriptive letter from Paris, beginning : ' Dear Mr. Editor, I feel an inexpressible de- light in inditing my first communication to your lady readers, itpon the fashions of the haut ton of this vitle de FASHIONS FOE MAY, 1842. FROM THE ' ILLUSTRATED LONDON NEWS,' MAT 14, 1842, gaite. So suddenly and with such power has the sun lately shot forth, that there is no end to invention in our spring fashions.' It would appear that illustrated police reports were to have formed part of the attractions of the paper, and several small cuts dealing with humorous subjects are scattered through the early numbers. The cases were evidently selected with a view to provoke merriment rather than to 288 The Pictorial Press. indulge a morbid taste for criminal records, and seem to show that the paper in its early days possessed something o£ the frolicsomenessof 3'outli, and did not consider a joke be- neath its dignity. It had its Avild oats to sow, and was not indisposed to emulate its contemporary Punch, then also a young joker. The first illustrations of the kind relate to a case at the Mansion House before Sir Peter Laurie, where the manager of a matrimonial institution sought to defend his establishment from the strictures of that celebrated 'putter-down.' A few pages further on we come upon two facetious advertisements, one of them professing to have been called forth by the report of the above case at the Mansion House : — ' Matiumony. — A professional gentleman, who has for some time past enrolled the category of his multitudinous graces, accomplishments, and prospects, in the portfolio of the "Matrimonial Alliance Establishment," fearing that, under the influence of Sir Peter Laurie's recent animad- version they will waste their sweetness unseen — unkno'SAii in the rose-tinted volume of the modern Hj-men, avails himself of the glorious opportunity afibrded to advertisers by the proprietors of the Jt/tisf rated London Keics, " and boldlj^ and unhesitatingly submits his picture in little," to the ap- j^roving smiles of the fair daughters (and widoirs) of Albion's Isle, conscious of his perfect sincerity in stating that he has no insurmountable objection to fortune being combined with beauty, taste, lively disposition, and cheerful temper ; he feels assured that the level}' creature whose eyes shall be fortunate enough, first to meet this advertisement (and then the advertiser), will secure to herself a perfect amenity, if truth be truth, and manners — not money — make the man. Address, with portrait (miniature set in gold, pearls, or other precious stones, not refused), A. Donis Slim, Esq., 320 Strand.' The other advertisement referred to is of an entirely dif- ferent character, being addressed to the commercial world : — * CAriTAi. Spec ! Safe as the liank I — Wanted a partner A. D0NI3 SLIM, ESQ. rr.OlI THE ' ILLUSXnATED LONDON XEffS, MAY 14, 1842. ■2dO The P (do rial Press in a snug,"gentccl little concern, with an airy and pleasant corner situation in one of the most densely crowded thorough- fares of the Metropolis, and doing a good, ready-money business, without much risk ; which an increase of capital would considerably extend. The returns exceed the outlay, and the Sunday custom alone covers the rent. The taxes PARTNERSniP WANTED. FROM THE ' ILLUSTRATED LONDON NEWS, MAY 14, 1842. are redeemed, and there is a long unexpired term of the lease, which is held at a lolly-pop. The coming into a half- share, including plant and stock, very moderate — say a trifle above 0000/. xVny person who can command the above sum Avill not only find this a decided bargain, but a very desirable opportunity of commencing business, and well worthy the attention of an industrious person of small means and less famil5^ References exchanged. Address, prepaid, to B. B. (Brandy Ball), Pieman's Alley.' Its Origin and Progress, 291 The principal engravings in this first number illustrate the first Bal Masque given by Queen Victoria at Buckingham Palace. They were drawn by Sir John Gilbert, then at the beginning of his career, and it was most fortunate for the new enterprise that an artist of such great and varied abilities was foimd at the very outset to give his powerful aid to the undertaking. His wonderful facility and bold picturesque- ness were exactly suited to the requirements of an illustrated newspaper. The first enabled him to do his work with mar- vellous quickness, and the second was an excellent counter- poise to the damaging effects of hurried engraving and rapid printing. The illustrations of the Queen's Bal Masque are eight in number, including character portraits of Her Majesty and the Prince Consort. There are two cuts from a book under review, and the last illustration in the number repre- sents a long line of men carrying advertising boards ' to pro- claim the advent of this important publication.' The first number sold well, probably because the public was curious to see what the new paper was like. Twenty- six thousand copies were disposed of, but there was a great falling-off in the sale of the second number, which opened with a leading article explaining the principles that were to guide the paper in its future career. The cut on the front page represents the ceremony of taking the veil, and was evidently drawn by Gilbert. The next engravings illustrate Waghorn's Overland Poute to India, then recently organized, followed by an illustrated account of the sale at Strawberry Hill, and a portrait of a then notorious criminal, Daniel Good, which is accompanied by an editorial apology dis- claiming all intention of joining the ' raw-head and bloody- bones' school, but in the interests of science commending the portrait to the disciples of Lavater. This is the only instance of such an engraving being inserted in the paper (with the exception of the portrait of MacNaghten, who shot Mr. Drummond), and it is evident the editor's better feeling revolted against it, although he was only following the ex- ample of the Observer and the IFecIc/// Chronicle. •=^^ HER MAJESTY AS QUEEN PHILirrA. FROM THE ' ILLUSTRATED LONDON NEWS, MAY 14, 1812. The Pictorial Pi-e.'ts. 293 The first cngTcaving in No. 3 is a portrait of Mehemet All, whicli is given in connexion with further illustrations of the Overland Houte to India. But the most important picture in this number is a portrait of the Queen with the baby Prince of Wales in her lap, drawn by Gilbert. There is also the first example of a sporting illustration — a portrait of Attila, the winner of the Derby, which accompanies an account of Epsom Races, with several other engravings. ^||r^^^^'n?^|[vf TUE queen's FinST RAILWAY JOURNEY. FROJI THE 'ILLUSTRATED LONDON NEWS,' JUNE 19, 1S42. An event now occurred which afforded the first important opportunity of illustrating the news of the hour. This was the attempt on the life of the Queen, who was fired at as she was driving up Constitution Hill by a young man named Francis. The public excitement on this occasion was very great, and it is a little surprising that the lUudrated Lon- don Neira did not make more of it. In No. 4 there are two illustrations in connexion with this event, one repre- senting the attempted assassination, the other the examina- tion of the prisoner before the Privy Council. The engra- vings are not very imposing, but large blocks had not then TJie Pictorial Press. 29i come into use ; and as the event occurred on a Monday there was not too much time, ■with the limited means then at command, to produce them on a large scale. In No. G there is a small cut entitled ' The Queen's first trip by Rail- way,' which illustrates an account of her Majesty's first journey by railway from "Windsor to London. AVith the MR. E. COBDEX, M.P. FKOM THE 'ILLUSTRATED LONDON NE\\-S,' JULY 2, 1842. exception of the drawings by Gilbert most of the illustra- tions in these first six numbers are of an inferior character, and show that the conductors of the paper had not yet obtained the best artistic help. Indeed it was a long time before the higher class of artists and engravers would believe that an illustrated newspaper was worthy of their professional attention. Illustrations of the Police Reports continued to be scattered through the early numbers, mingled with such 206 The Pictorial Pre.^s : subjects as a bullet at Ilcr Majesty's Theatre, a public din- ner, a launcli, a horserace, and sketches of the Chartist riots at Preston. The Queen's first visit to Scotland was very copiously illustrated, and a series of ' Popular Portraits ' was begun which included most of the prominent politicians of the day. In No. 11 the fatal accident to the Duke of Orleans is illustrated ; and further on the hand of Gilbert is visible in the drawings representing the funeral of the Duke of Sussex, the Lord Mayor's Show, and the grand Polish Ball at Guildhall. With ^o. 19 the office was removed to 198 Strand, where it has remained ever since. The lirst Cattle Show illustrations occur in Xo. 31, and it is evident that the artists by whom they were executed had not made that kind of art their special study. The approach of Christmas is heralded by the introduction of various laugh- able sketches ; the Pantomimes are illustrated b}^ Alfred Crowquill, and Christmas himself is welcomed in a ' Song of the Wassail Bowl.' Kenny Meadows finishes the volume with a party of Cupids carrying the Ilhoitrated London Nctc'i through the air, while a literary and artistic Cupid, cap in hand, makes his bow to the reader. The first volume ends with the year 1842, and it has for a frontispiece a large view of London, a title-page drawn by Gilbert, and headings to preface and index by Kenny Meadows. The preface is written in the florid style of the introductory address in the first number ; but the following passage refers, not inappropriately, to the value and interest of the work to the future historian : — ' What would Sir Walter Scott or any of the great writers of modern times have given — whether for the pur- poses of fiction or history, or political example or disquisition — for any museum-preserved volume such as we have here enshrined. The life of the times — the signs of its taste and intelligence — its public monuments and public men — its festivals — institutions — amusements — discoveries — and the very reflection of its living manners and costumes — the variegated dresses of its mind and body — what are — what //.s' Origin and Protjress. 297 mufit be all these but treasures of truth that would have lain hid in Time's tomb, or perished amid the sand of his hour-glass but for the enduring and resuscitating powers of art — the eternal register of the pencil giving life and vigour and palpabilitj' to the confirming details of the pen. Could the daj's of Elizabeth or others as bright and earlier still be unfolded to us through such a mirror, what a mint of wisdom might we gather in from such dazzling periods of the past I Of just as much captivating value then is such a book to the future. It will pour the lore of the Antiquarian into the scholar's yearning soul, and teach him truth about those who have gone before him, as it were, with the Pictorial Alphabet of Art ! It is in this sense that we regard the greatness of our design, and are proud of its en%ied and unexampled success ; and it is for this end that we shall strain everj" nerve to perfect it into order and completeness that may accord with the beautj^ and brilliancy which many ejDisodes of its execution have already been fortunate to display. Scott might carry Elizabeth to Keuilworth through the regions of his fine imagination, backed and supported by books, and we may take cioii gmno mils the Antiquarian's and the Poet's word, but the year two thousand will be ten times better assured of all the splendid realities of our own Victoria's visit to the native land of the Northern Magician who enshrined in fiction the glories of Queen Bess. This volume is a work that history mtid keep.' At the end of the preface is printed the following * Dedicatory Sonnet : ' — * To the great public, — that gigantic soul Which lends the nation's body life and light, And makes the blood within its veins grow bright With gushing glory, — we this muster-roll Of all the deeds that pass 'neath its controul Do dedicate, — the page of simple news Is here adorned and filled with i3ictured life, Coloured with thousand tints — the rainbow strife 298 The Pictorial Press. Of all the world's emotions — all the hues Of war — peace — commerce; — agriculture rife With budding plenty that doth life infuse And fair domestic joy — all — all are here To gild the vfic, and from the bygone year Present a gift to take — to cherish and to use.' The second volume began with several improvements. A ' Romance of Real Life,' by Henry Cockton, illustrated by Kenny Meadows, was the first attempt to infuse a new interest into newspaper literature by the introduction of fiction. Stories by Thomas Miller and others followed. This feature of the paper Avas continued for some time xa\ii\ fiction was crowded out hy fact. The popular portraits were done on a larger scale and yvQve of a more ambitious character. In Xo. 40 there is one of Lord John Russell, which is reprinted here as an examjDle of the improved portraiture of the period. In the following year was commenced a series of ' Parliamentary Portraits,' one of which I have selected to accompany the portrait of Lord John Russell. It is that of Mr. Disraeli, and it will perhaps interest the reader to com- pare the present estimate of Lord Beaconsfield with what was said of Mr. Disraeli in 1844. The following is a portion of the article which accompanies the portrait : — ' The most remarkable speeches in the recent debates have been those of Mr. Disraeli, the Member for Shrewsbury. He has lately made himself more prominent in the sphere of literature and politics as the expounder of the views and opinions of that section of the Conservative party which has received the name of " Young England." His opinions however arc too peculiar, have too much individuality ever to become those of a party. We scarcely think " Young England" capable of holding as points of belief the startling paradoxes to which Mr. Disraeli occasionally gives utterance. His speeches abound with happily turned sentences, in which a clever sarcasm is thrown into the antithetical form; they also PORTRAIT OF LORD JOHN RUSSELL. FROM THE 'ILLUSTRATED LONDON KEWS,' 1843- 300 The Pictorial Press. contain a large amount of historical information, on -u-liich he draws almost as often as Macaiilay liimself. He rarely announces a positively new principle, but he often places old ones in a strange and startling light, and states the most extraordinary inconsistencies with an air of such perfect earnestness and conviction that his auditors are sometimes puzzled whether to admire or laugh at him. Ikit he is not one of those men who can be laughed at ; we have seen him turn the laugh most sorely against those who thought themselves securely trenched behind form and precedent. He can hit hard, and none have suffered more from his sarcasm than the present Premier and tlie Home Secretary. He seems to mangle them with peculiar gusto, and deals with them as if he was annihilating the Tadpole or Taper of his own " Coningsby." His speeches have not much metaphor, nor does he indulge in rhetorical glitter and ornament ; we cannot call him impassioned, nor say he is eloquent ; but he interests, informs, and amuses. A speech from Disraeli is sure to command attention. His manner is not calculated to set off his matter to the best advantage. His deliver}^ is heav}^, and of action he has none whatever. He thrusts his hands deep into his side- pockets, leans forward a little, or turns from side to side according to whom he may be addressing. But that is all. Though he sets the House cheering or laughing for minutes together, his countenance remains impassive ; he says a good thing as if perfectly luiconscious of it.' The paper rapidly advanced in public favour and soon reached a circulation of GG,000. It celebrated the com- pletion of the first year of its existence by the publication of a double number, profusely illustrated by Gilbert, Harvey, and Kenny ]\Ieadows. The Illudnitvd London Keics was not established without many misgivings as to its ultimate success. Its founder prob- ably did not at first realise all the difficulties that lay in his way, but as fast as they appeared he met them with characteristic courage and energy, and overcame them by perseverance. BENJAMIN DISRAELI, M.P. FR03I THE ' ILLUSTRATED LONDON NEWS, JUNE 22, 1S44. 302 The Pictorial Press : He seized on every opportunity to consolidate tlie strength of tte paper, and paid a great amount of personal attention to its management, often denying himself sleep one or two nights a-wcek. As the profits increased he kept on in- creasing the scope and number of its attractive features. He made it a rule to spare no expense in every department of the journal ; whatever money could command for its success he resolved to have. After a time he was able to act on this wise resolve to the fullest extent, and in the end he achieved a great success. In describing the Illustrated London Noes during the first year of its existence, I have directed attention chiefly to the pictorial portion of its contents, that being the characteristic feature of the paper by which it was dis- tinguished from its purely literary contemporaries. The engravings I have reprinted from it are given as curiosities and not as specimens of excellence. The succeeding volumes contain abundant evidence that the highest talent was after- Avards employed in producing the best examples of art as well as in the illustration of news. In its sixth year the course of public events opened up new and stirring scenes for its pages. So great was the interest felt in the exciting events of the j^ear 1848, that the sale of the Illustrated London Neics was more than doubled in three months. The vigorous sketches of the French Revolution published week after w^eek were so eagerly bought that the publisher was not always able to meet the demand. On one occasion he was freely pelted with flour and other harmless missiles because the London * trade ' could not get their supply soon enough to satisfy their impatience. The noisy newsboys, in mocking imitation of the Paris mob which was then making the streets of that city ring with cries of * a has Guizot ! ' vented their indignation against the publisher of the Illustrated London News by shouting ' a bas Little ! ii bas Little ! ' But though the year of revolutions Avas so rich in materials for pictorial journalism, the year of the Great Exhibition was yet more fruitful. The Great Exhibition of Its Origin and Progress. 303 1851 was a perfect novelty, and was hailed as the liarbingcr of peace on earth and good-will among men. Coming so soon after the convulsions of 1848, the peaceful display was more enchanting from the contrast. Such a golden opportunity was not lost upon the pictorial press, and every stage of the construction of the first Crystal Palace was represented. The very plan of the building was first made public in the pages of the lUnst rated Loudon Ncus, the first design adopted by the Commissioners having been super- seded by Sir Joseph Paxton's Palace of Glass. The building was shown in progress from the raising of the first column, and its removal was illustrated to the clearing away of the foundations. In this ' Festival of Labour ' the Illustrated London Neus took a prominent place. An edition was printed in the Exhibition building by one of Applegarth's vertical printing-machines, then the quickest method of printing in use. At this time the paper was distinguished by the number and excellence of its illustrations, and the * London Nens ' printing-machine was one of the attractions of the ' World's Fair.' In three years more the dreams of universal peace created by the Great Exhibition were rudely swept away by the declaration of war with Pussia and subsequent invasion of the Crimea. The long and disastrous siege of Sebastopol, the assaults on the Pedan and the Malakoff, the battles of Balaclava and Inkermann, supplied the most exciting subjects for illustration. It was the first great war since "Waterloo, and the national excitement being intensified by the mal- administration of the Government, the British public eagerly bought the war sketches. The sale of the paper at this time was very great, yet it is a curious fact that it never reached so high a figure as during the peaceful exhibition of 1851, — a proof that, after all, the arts of peace are more attractive than the excitement of war. At Christmas, 1855, a novel feature was introduced into the lUmtratcd London News. For some years a Christmas number had been published, and it was now for the first oO-l TJie Pictorial Press : time printed in colouni. It is true the coloured pictures were little more than ordinary woodcuts with tints printed over them, but their imperfections were principally owing to the breakdown of machinery and the great hurry in which they were produced. In after years much better things were done, and the coloured Christmas pictures which have been for many years produced at the chromatic press of Leighton Bros, take rank among the best work of the kind. They have proved exceedingly popular, and always sold well. That of 'Little Red Riding Hood,' after J. Sant, R.A., published in 1863, was reprinted again and again, until the blocks were utterly worn out. They were then re-engraved, and again reprinted. The Christmas picture issued in 1882 (' Cinderella ') was specially painted by Mr. Millais, R.A., at the price of 3000 guineas. AVhen it is noted that the largo coloured reproduction of this picture, together with seven- teen highly finished full-page engravings by some of the best artists of the day, were sold for a shilling, it will be seen that the pictorial press is no unimportant factor in diffusing the purifying and softening influence of art. During the forty-two years that have elapsed since the first illustrated newspaper was founded, there has never been any long interval of peace. "War of some kind, big or little, has broken out, like a volcano, on some part of the earth's surface, and kept the Argus-eyed newspaper editor on the alert. From Alma to Tel-el-Kebii- and the desert warfare of the Soudan, there has been a succession of con- flicts, with only a short interval of a few j'ears between ; so that the food on which picture newspapers thrive best has been abundantly supplied, and this remarkable ofl'spring of the printing-press has consequently increased and mul- tiplied, and is now found in every corner of the earth, ' from China to Peru.' The reader may form some idea of the magnitude of the operations in connexion Avith illustrated journalism when I state that at the marriage of the Prince of "Wales the Ilhist rated Loiulon Nciva of that week consisted of three sheets, and 930,000 sheets were printed of that issue /i'.9 Or/gin and Progress. 305 in one week. These sheets, if placed side b}^ side, Avould cover GGO miles, so that, as they were printed on both sides, they represent a printed surface of, after deductions for margin, more than 1115 miles in length. Nearly eighty tons of paper and twenty-three hundredweight of printing- ink Avere used in the production of that number. Larger quantities have been printed of some issues, but the produc- tion Avas spread over a longer period of time. 930,000 sheets is tbe largest quantity ever printed in one week. It will thus be seen what an amount of business this represents to the paper-maker, the ink-maker, the wood-draughtsman, the engravers, the electrot}^3ers, the compositors, printers, ma- chine-men, roller-makers, warehousemen, and the numerous other workers in a newspaper printing-office. The first editor of the lUustmted London Ncns was Mr. Bailey, who was nicknamed ' Alphabet Bailey ' on account of the great number of his Christian names, and the conse- quent multiplicity of his initials. He was also called ' Omnibus Bailey ' from his having edited a periodical called the Omnibus. These names were given to him to distinguish him from Mr. Thomas Haynes Bayley, the sentimental song -writer, author of ' I'd be a Butterfly,' * The Soldier's Tear,' &c. Dr. Charles Mackay became' the literary and political editor of the paper in 1848, and in 1852 he took its entire management and control, in which position he continued till 1859, when he resigned. The late John Timbs was for many years on the editorial staff, and his familiar figure is well remembered in the old room at 198 Strand, where he sat with paste and scissors, undisturbed by the noises which surrounded him both inside and outside the bouse, for in this one room the whole business of the paper was at one time conducted. Here the young literar}^ or artistic aspirant, who thought he saw in the new journal an opening for his hitherto unappreciated talents, had to ex- plain his proposals before the eyes and in the hearing of rivals who were waiting for their turn. The place was open to all comers, and was at once the centre of managerial, X 306 The Pictorial Press : financial, and editorial affairs. But the founder of tlie paper received all who came Avith good -humour and generous feeling, and never disregarded a useful hint or refused the proffered assistance of a good man. Herbert Ingram, the founder of the Ilhtdrated London News, was born at Boston, Lincolnshire, on the 27th of May, 1811. He lost his father very early, and being sent to the Boston Free School, he there obtained all the school educa- tion he ever received. The course of instruction through which he passed was of the most circumscribed character, making his success in after-life all the more remarkable. At the age of fourteen he was apprenticed to Mr. Jos. Clarke, then a printer living in the Market Place, Boston. His master soon found that he possessed industry, patience, and perseverance in a high degree, qualities which un- questionably lay at the root of his subsequent success iii life. He was always ready to work all night when orders were plentiful, and was unwilling to abandon anything he began until it was entirely complete. He established a character for punctuality and trustworthiness, while he carefully looked after the interests of his employer. At the expiration of his apprenticeship he came to London and worked for about two years as a journeyman printer. He then settled in Nottingham, and commenced business as a printer, bookseller, and newsagent. It was at this time Mr. Ingram was struck with the evident partiality of the public for iUustrated neics. He found such an extraordinary demand for the numbers of the Weekhj Chronicle containing the engravings of the Greenacre murder that he set seriously to work on the scheme of an illustrated newspaper, and put himself in commmiication with Mr. Marriott, who was then the manager of the WccJili/ Chronldc. But at the outset it appeared impossible to over- come the difficulty of producing pictures quick enough and in such numbers as would furnish forth a paper while the news was fresh. In the gradual development of the first illustrated newspaper it was, however, found that the Tts On'r/in and Progress. 307 draughtsmen and engravers of the day were fully equal to the demands made upon them, and a system of quick production was soon established which kept the paper on a level with current events. Mr. Ingram, who had settled in London before he started the lUmtratcd London News, entered heart and soul into his new enterprise. Ho had much to learn, and many things to do that were neither easy nor pleasant, but he had the rare faculty of picking out the right men to help him. It was his wise policy to employ the best talent, and in order to have it to pay its possessor munificently. He was brought closely into connexion with the artistic and literary world, by whom he was sincerely respected, and with whom his dealings were uniformly marked by kindness and liberality. Though he had not himself received the advantages of literary or artistic culture, he was able to do much in diffusing a knowledge and love of art amongst the people. His enterprise helped to change the character of public taste, and allured it into channels which Avere previously open only to the wealthy and the refined. His practical knowledge as a printer and newsagent were of infinite value in organizing and conducting the varied details of newspaper business. He was ever on the watch, and made opportunities where other men would have been indifferent and inactive. When a new Archbishop of Canterbury was installed the number of the paper containing an engraving of the ceremony was sent to every clergyman in England, and this was followed by a large and permanent increase in the number of sub- scribers — the first large rise in the sale since the paper began. At a much later date — long after the paper had become firmly established — the French authorities stopped the sale of the Ilhoif rated London Nens in Paris on account of some article reflecting on the Emperor Napoleon. Mr. Ingram happened to be in Paris at the time, and he imme- diately showed that the old energy and perseverance of the Nottingham newsvendor had not forsaken him. He used great exertions to get the paper released, in which he at 308 The Pictorial Press. lenfftli succeeded, and he liimself afterwards went round in a cab and delivered the numbers to the various subscribers. When he was at Nottingham he walked five miles (and of course five miles back) to supply a gentleman with a single paper ; and on one occasion he got up at two in the morning, and travelled to London to get some papers, the ordinary post not arriving soon enough to satisfy the curiosity of his customers. His exertions Avere rewarded by the sale of more than 1000 copies of that paper in Xottingham alone. This was probably one of the occasions which struck him so for- cibly when the Nottingham public manifested such an eager interest in illustrated nctcs. Throughout his life Mr. Ingram was devoted to the interests of his native town, and in return the people of Boston, in 1856, elected him as their representative in Parliament. At the general election which occurred after the dissolution in 1857 he was returned again. Amongst other social and political questions in which he took an active interest he was prominent in the agitation for the repeal of the stamp duty on newspapers. He also exerted himself zealously for the repeal of the paper duty, but ho died before that important movement was brought to a suc- cessful issue. In 1848 Mr. Ingram started a cheap daily paper — the Moruincj Telegraph — upon which he spent a large amount of money. He was, however, before the time in this instance. The era of cheap daily papers had not beo-un, and after a time the new speculation was abandoned. He was one of the original shareholders of the Great Eastern. steamship, and was on board the giant vessel when the acci- dent occurred on her trial trip from the Xore to Portland Harbour. It is a remarkable circumstance that the dreadful catastrophe in which he lost his life happened on the anni- versary of this accident on board the Great Eastern. In 1860 Mr. Ingram visited America accompanied by his eldest son. They left Liverpool in the North American on the 9th of August, and landed at Quebec in time to witness, after traversing the Lower St. Lawrence, the Imocking in of HEEEEnT IXGKAM, FOUNDER OF TUE ' ILLUSTEATED LOXDOX NEWS. 310 The Pictorial Press : the * last wedge ' of the Victoria Bridge at Montreal by the Prince of "Wales. They then went on to Niagara, M'hcre they stayed some days. From Niagara Mr. Ingram pro- ceeded to Chicago, intending to cross the prairies, and to follow the Mississippi to New Orleans, and thence to New York, but more especially to Boston, which old associations of history had determined him to make the conclusion of his sojourn in the United States. He altered his plans, however, and decided to visit Lake Superior, and to prolong his stay in America, proposing to return to England about the end of October. Mr. Ingram left Chicago at midnight on the 7th of Sep- tember, accompanied by his son, in the Ladij Elgin steamer, bound on an excursion up Lakes Michigan and Superior. Nearly four hundred persons were on board. The wind blew hard from the north-east, and a heavy sea was running, but no one thought of danger, and there was music and dancing in the saloon. Thirty miles from Chicago and ten miles from land, about two o'clock on the morning of the 8th, there came a sudden crash. The schooner Augusta, sailing at the rate of eleven knots an hour, had struck the Ladij Elgin on the midships gangway, and then, having her sails set, and the wind blowing freshly, drifted off in the darkness. At first it was not thought that any serious damage had been done to the steamer, but those on board soon found that she was settling fast. The captain ordered parts of the wood- work of the vessel to be cut adrift to serve as rafts, and made such other provisions as the hurry would allow. In less than half-an-hour the hurricane deck floated off, and the hulk with the machinery went to the bottom with a tremen- dous noise. When the vessel parted all lights were extin- guished, and the unfortunate passengers were left struggling amid the waves in total darkness. The steamer sank in three hundred feet of water, the sea was running high, and the land was ten miles away. Some of those who survived to see the dawn were drifted towards the shore on pieces of the wreck, and were drowned in the surf in the sight of hundreds Its Oriit rated London Ncns has not sufficient space for machines to carry out the whole of this part of the business, a number of women and girls are employed, whose nimble lingers supplement the work of the folding- machines. In these days of electric telegraphy Puck's notion of putting ' a girdle round about the earth in forty minutes ' is not so ver}' far from being realised. The London citizen as he sips his coffee at his villa in the suburbs runs his eye over the pages of his morning paper, and reads of events that took jjlace yesterday many thousand miles away. Before he starts for business he is informed of what is passing on every side of the inhabited earth. This rapid transmission of intelligence is somewhat damaging to the illustrated newspaper, for by the time it can publish sketches 328 The Pictorial Fres.^. of interesting' events in far distant countries the freslincss of the news is gone, and the public mind is occupied Avitli later occurrences. Until somenietliod is invented of sending sketclies by electricity the pictorial press must endure this disadvantage, but in the meantime it spares no pains to overtake the march of events. Wherever there is any ' moving accident b}' flood or field ' the ' special artist ' of the illustrated newsi^aper is found ' takin' notes.' Xo event of interest escapes his ever ready pencil, lie imdergoes fatigues, overcomes formidable difficulties, and often incurs personal danger in fulfilling his mission. On the eve of a battle he will sleep on the bare ground wrapped in a blanket or waterjDroof sheet, and he will ride all night through a hostile countr}" to catch the homeward mail, lie is equally at home in the palace and the hovel, and is as read}^ to attend a battle as a banquet. He thought nothing of stepping over to China to attend the nuptials of the celestial Emperor ; and on that occasion extended his travels until he had completed the circuit of the globe, winding up with a run on the war-path among the American Indians. He assisted at the laying of tlic telegraph cable between Europe and America, and diversified his labours, and showed the versatility of his powers by taking part in an impromptu dramatic entertainment which he and his comrades ffot up for the occasion, and which they appropriately called 'A Cable-istic Extravaganza.' He was at the opening of the Suez Canal, and he passed with the first railway train through the ]Mont Cenis tunnel. In pursuing his vocation the special artist has to encounter the perils of earth, air, fire, and Avater. Now he is up in a balloon, now down in a coal-mine ; now shooting tigers in India, now deer-stalking in the Highlands. Dr. Schliemann no sooner announced that he had discovered the site of Troy than the special artist was down ui)on the sjjot at once. He is found risking Jiis life in the jDasses of Afghanistan, and in Zululand assisting at the defeat and capture of Cetywayo. IN^ow he is at the bom- bardment of Alexandria, and now facing the savage warriors 330 The Pictorial Pm<>^. of tlic Soudan at El-Teb and Taniasi. At the present time (November, 1884), he is on his way np the Nile Avith the expedition for the relief of General Gordon at Khartoum, and he is in India with the Boundary Commissioners ex- ploring the dangerous jDasses of the Afghan frontier. In peace or Avar the special artist pursues his purpose with stoical self-possession in spite of cold, hunger, and fatigue. The special artist may be said to have commenced his career with the Crimean War. While the signs of the coming storm Avere yet distant the Ilhist rated London JVncs sent the late Mr. S. Head to the expected scene of action, and during the whole course of the war special artists were on the shores of the Black Sea and in the Baltic to chronicle the great OA^ents of the time. The Avorld had scarcely for- gotten Balaklava and Inkerman Avhen the Avar between Italy, France, and Austria broke out. Solferino and Magenta were fought. Garibaldi conquered Sicily, and AA^hereA'er the interest Avas greatest there the special artist Avas found. Special artists Avent with the contending armies when Denmark opposed herself single-handed to the xuiited forces of Prussia and Austria, and delineated every impor- tant incident of the campaign. When the present Emperor of Germany Avas croAvned King of Prussia at Konigsberg special artists travelled to that ancient city to furnish sketches of the ceremony. The gigantic civil Avar in America, and the brief struggle betAveen Prussia and Austria in 18G6, ga\-e active employment to the sj^ecial artist ; and Avhen a British force adA'anced into Abyssinia a special artist Avas Avith that most romantic expedition, and sent home numerous sketches of the remarkable scenery of the country, as well as of all the principal cA^ents of the campaign. The assault on Magdala, the disi^ersion of King- Theodore's broken arniA', the customs and dAvellinffs of the people, were all noted and illustrated. When the great Avar of 1870, betAA'cen France and Prussia, broke out, the illus- trated ncAvspapers had special artists on both sides, Avho encountered all sorts of hardships, and passed through all 332 The Pictorial Press : kiuds of adventures in fulfiUinor tlieir duties. Besides beiiiir frequently arrested as spies, and undergoing the jirivations of beleagured jolaces, they had also to run the risk of shot and shell, and sometimes they were obliged to destroy' their sketching materials under fear of arrest. One of them was in custody as a spy no less than eleven times during the war. The danger of being seen sketching or found with sketches in their possession was so great that on one occasion a special artist actually swallowed his sketch to avoid being taken up tis a S2)y. Another i)urchased the largest book of cigarette papers he could obtain, and on them he made little sketches, j)repared in case of danger to smoke them in the faces of his enemies. The following extract from a letter I receiAcd from a sjjecial artist during the war, will give some idea of the trouble and danger of sketching : — ' Of the trouble I have taken to get these sketches you can have no conception. The plan I have been obliged to adopt is this. I walk about quietly, apparently noticing only the goods in the shop-windows. When I see anything, I make memoranda on snuill bits of tissue paper, perhaps in a cafe, or while ai^pearing to look at the water from the top of a bridge, or on the side of an apple, with a big knife in my hand pretending to peel it. These little mems I roll up into pills, place them handy in \ny waistcoat pocket to be chewed up or swallowed if " in extremis." When I get home at night, first making sure that I am not overlooked by way of the winduA\', I unroll these little pills, and from those mems make a complete outline on a thin piece of white paper. Then I paste these sketches face to face, trim the edges, and it looks like a plain piece of paper, but hold it up to the light and the sketch shows. So I make memoranda all over it, — the times of trains starting, prices of articles, or extracts from newspapers. When I get to a place of safety, I soak these pieces of paper in water, pull the sketches apart, and from them have made the sketches I have forwarded to you. If I could not get into a place of safety to make the Its Or'Kjin and Progress. /^)8H sketches, I don't know Avliat I sliould do, in fact I don't think I couhl do anything-, for I Avoidd not, for any con- sideration he foHiid uuil,-iii(/ a sketch, nor n-ith a sketch in tnij possessioji ; nor shonhl I dare post a sketch at the "Bureaux de poste," but I might get it into a street box.' Another special artist being at Metz, found himself in the midst of a population infected with what he called the ' spy-fever.' About a dozen English newspaper corres- pondents were there, and they became a united body through persecution. There was always about a fourth of their number in prison, and what most persons would have con- sidered to be clear evidence that they were not spies, was in the minds of the French clear evidence that they were. If they were told that the correspondent of an English news- paper could not possibly be a spy, the reply was that that was just the character that a cochon of a Prussian spy would assume. The townspeople of Metz became quite wild when they heard of the French defeats at Worth and Forbach, and when they saw an artist sketching the Emperor's car- riage, they pounced upon him as a Prussian spy, and he and his companions were marched off in custody, amid the hoot- ino-s of the mob. The following account of this affair is extracted from the Illmtmtcd London Kens of August 20, 1870 : ' Three of the representatives of London papers, Mr. Simpson, Mr. Henry Mayhew and his son, went to the rail- way station, having heard a rumour that the Emperor was about to start for the front, and also that a train full of the wounded was expected to arrive. At the station they met Mr. Stuart, another newspaper correspondent, who had just come from Italy, having travelled all night. They found the Emperor's carriage and horses waiting to be forwarded by a train on the railway towards St. Avoid. Our artist thought it would be doing no harm to employ the few minutes of his waiting at the station in making a slight sketch of the carriage and horses, which might be useful as materials for an illustration of some future scene where the same equipage might figure. He took a small sketch-book The Pictorial Frcf^s. 335 and pencil out of his pocket and quickly finished this little drawing. There was no attempt at concealment ; he even showed his sketch to one of the bystanders who was close to him, and who seemed to watch his movements with some curiosity. Mr. Simpson then rejoined his three English companions, hut had scarcely done so before they v^qvg sur- rounded by a large party of artillery soldiers, who wore undress jackets and had not their arms with them. They were taken into custody, each one placed between two soldiers, and thus were marched through the streets of Metz to the Place de la Cathedral. A mob of people followed, increasing as they went on, and reviling the foreigners as "Sacres Prusses," or " Cochons de Prusses," threatening vengeance upon them, which might probably have been taken if their violence had not been restrained by the pre- sence of the soldiers. The whole part}- were then brought into the guard-room, where several persons came forward as their accusers to denounce them as spies of the enemy, lurking about Metz with a hostile and insidious purpose. The chief evidence against one of them was that he had bought three copies of a Metz local newspaper; another was suspected because he had been seen four days successively in the same cafe, "and always sitting in the same seat;" a third could be no true man, because, while he said he belonged to a London paper, he confessed that he had just come from Florence. Tlie main charge against ^Ir. Simpson was that he did not lodge at an hotel, but in a private house. These particulars were repeated to the crowd outside, which filled the whole Place, and was in a state of raging fury ; till at last the officers in charge made their appearance and commenced a more regular examination. (Jur artist pro- duced his passport, which was approved as in due order ; but his little sketch-book, with its scraps of notes and bits of outline, seemed to contain matter for serious investigation. In spite of his awkward and rather alarming position, he was struck with the absurdity of viewing such innocent scrawls as proof of heinou? guilt. He endeavoured, however^ 336 The Pictorial Press with tlic assistance of Mr. Mayhcw, to explain A\luii they were, and to persuade the officers that they could do no harm. After a tedious detention, they were permitted to write a note to a friend, who instantly went to the Provost- Marshal, and at once got an order for their inimediate release. Their private letters and papers were examined. Several other persons. Frenchmen as well as foreigners, including one who was the artist employed by a Paris illus- trated paper, were arrested at ]\Ietz on the same day ; and more than one of them suffered rough nsage at the hands of the mob. On the next day they Avcre all ordered to leave the town.' The following is a facsimile of the sketch that produced all this commotion. ;h'- ftT'> T!iE E:\irEr,oi; s carriage at metz. The same artist who made his sketches into pills, being at Bremerhafen, found himself so Avatched and dogged by the police and others who had observed ho was a stranger, that he could not make the sketch he wanted. After much walking about he at length returned to the place where he desired to sketch, and sitting down at the edge of the har- bour he began to draw lines with his umbrella on the mud, as if in a fit of abstraction, and soon had sketched in this way the principal points of the scene before him. This he Its Origin and Progress. 337 repeated several times, imtil the view was fixed in hi.s memory, wlicii he retired to the railway-station, and there, nnobserved, committed the scene to his sketch-book. On another occasion, in the neighbourhood of Mezieres, he was driven at nightfall to seek a lodging in a very lonely and villainous looking inn. The occupants of the place looked upon him with evil eyes, and dreading lest one more should be added to the numerous graves already near the cabaret, he betook himself to a neighbouring wood, where he spent the whole night surrounded by the carcases of dead horses. At Lyons he penetrated into the theatre where the people were storing corn and flour in anticipation of a siege. He had made some hasty notes in his sketch-book, Avhen he was observed and obliged to retreat, followed, however, by several men. He had noticed an umbrella shop round the corner in the next street, and into this shop he rushed, seized an umbrella, opened it, and kept it expanded between himself and the door, as if examining the quality of the silk, while his pursuers ran past, when he demanded the price of the umbrella, paid the money, and walked off, glad to escape at so small a cost. Sometimes his adventiires had a more amusing termination. When the spy-fever pre- vailed very strongly both in France and Germany, he was one day looking into a shop-window when he became con- scious that ho was watched by two officers. ' Now,' thought he, ' I am in for it again, and shall certainly be arrested.' This feeling was confirmed as one of the officers advanced towards him, and raising his hand as if to seize him by the collar, addressed him thus : ' Permit me, monsieur, to adjust the string of your shirt collar, which has escaped from behind your cravat.'* This gentleman was somewhat old-fashioned in his costume, and during his wanderings was sometimes mistaken for a sea-captain. He had even * This incident was illustrated in Punch, and lest I should he accused of using- up old material, I must explain that the hero of the adventure, on his return to England, told the story to one of the Punch artists, who made a sketch of the incident, which was afterwards published. Z 338 The Pictorial Press. received confidential projDOsals to discuss the question of freight. The III list rntcd London News had five artists in the field during the Franco-German war: AV. Simpson, R. T. Landclls, G. H. Andrews, C. J. Staniland, and Jules Pelcoq. From the fact of Landells being already known to the Crown Prince of Prussia and several of his staff, it was settled that his destination should be Germany, and I remember that before his departure he exjaressed to me just the slightest shade of discontent that he should be selected to go on what he thought would be the losing side. He was destined, however, to be present at the proclamation of the German Emperor in the palace of Versailles, and he was one of the first to enter Paris after it capitulated to the German army. Soon afterwards he very nearly experienced the unpleasant consequences of being taken for a German spy. Landells himself was of a dark complexion, and might very well have passed for a Frenchman, but on the occasion referred to he was in the company of a brother artist (Mr. Sidney Ilall, of the Grap/iic), Avho, being fair, might easily be mistaken for German. The excited mob of Paris had just vented their rage on a suspected spy by drowning hini in the Seine, and the two special artists were loitering on the outskirts of the crowd, when Mr. Hall imprudently took out his sketch-book, which was no sooner perceived than a cry was raised of ' Prussian spy ! ' and they too would probably have been pitched into the river had they not managed, with great difficulty, to escape from the crowd. "When the Gorman armies were closing round Paris M. Jules Pelcoq consented to be shut up in the devoted city for the jjurpose of supplying the Illu>itr((f"d London News with sketches. During the hardships of the siege he was quite imable to obtain fuel to warm his apartment, and was compelled to retire to bed, -where, wrapped in a blanket, he finished up the rough sketches he had made out of doors, which were then photographed and sent off by balloons to London. These balloons were regularly despatched during 3-10 The Pictorial Pre.^.^ : the jirevalenco of wiiicls that woiihl carry them to the pro- vinces unoccupied by the Germans. They were followed by Prussian light cavalry as long as they were in sight, and some were captured. Afterwards, as the city became more closely invested, and the danger increased, the precaution was taken of despatching the balloons at night, and the time fixed on Avas kept concealed from all save those immediately concerned, in order to avoid, as far as possible, the chances of its being communicated to the enemy, and thereby ex- posing the aeronauts to the fiery rockets and other pro- jectiles Avith which the Germans were prepared to favour them. The railway-stations were generally chosen as the starting-places, for they not only oifered large open spaces in which to fill the balloons, but, being situated away from the centre of Paris, there was less risk, in ascending, of coming in contact with buildings. To provide against the loss of sketches so sent, photo- graphic cojjies were despatched by other balloons. In some cases two, and even three, copies of the same sketch reached my hands by balloon-post during the German investment of Paris. Considering the danger and difficulty of this mode of communication, the intercourse between the Illustrated Loitdon Xcirs and its artist in Paris was kept up pretty regularly during the Mhole siege. The requirements of special artists when on the 'war path' vary according to circumstances. Mr. Simpson, in France during the Franco-German war, foimd no scarcity of food, but could seldom get a bed to sleep in. On the other hand, Mr. Melton Prior, in South Africa and other hot countries, found that he was never sure of obtaining cither food or drink. During the war in Herzegovina in 1876 the newspaper correspondents had to rough it pretty con- siderably. Sometimes, when the special artist got to a resting-place for the night, he would have to work up his sketches by the light of a single candle, which he kept in an upright position by holding it between his feet as he sat on the ground, while the correspondent of a London 7^.s^ Oriifhi and Progre-'^-s. 341 'dailj^' scribbled his notes beside him. The difficulty of obtaining sleei^ing accommodation was experienced by SKETCHING UNDER DIFFICULTIES. HERZEGOVINA, 18/6. another artist in Servia, who was obliged one night to go to rest in a sort of diligence or covered waggon which stood in the inn yard. It was the only ' spare bed,' and the tired * special ' was very glad to coil himself up within its recesses. These hardships, however, belong to the past. Just as the combatants in modern warfare fight their battles with the most scientific weapons, so the newspaper correspondent now goes to the field armed with the latest appliances against cold, fatigue, hunger, and thirst. lie U-2 The Pictorial Prc^s: i:)rovicIcs himself with an abundant supply of tinned meats and champagne, plenty of clothing, the latest improvements in saddlery ; and when he arrives at the scene of action ho buys as many horses as he wants for himself and servants. Acting on the experience of former campaigns, ]Mr. Prior was able in the Zulu War to travel much more comfortably than any member of the staff, not even excepting Lord Chelmsford himself. ' I had then no fewer than five horses : two in the shafts of m}^ American waggon, one for myself, one for my servant, and one spare horse. I followed the army through all its marches in my travelling carriage, and on the eve of the Battle of Ulundi I was the only man who had a tent ; all the others lay down in the open.' While recording the progress of events — the deeds of war mingling with the works of peace — the pictorial press is not unmindful of what is done in the cause of humanity. One of the recent experiences of the special artist was in making a journey across Siberia in search of the survivors of the crew of the American exploring ship Jcancttc. Mr. J. Gordon Bennett, the proprietor of the A>/r York IlerahJ, having- THE Sl'AUK liKD, sent out a commissioner to search for the missing expedition, he was joined by the special artist of the III unt rated Loudon 344 The Pictorial Press. Ncics. They bad before tbem a journey of two or three thousand miles, and they travelled in one of the covered sledges used in Siberia in the winter time. It was their travelling carriage by day and their sleeping apartment at night. Sometimes they had to turn out and defend them- selves from the wolves which followed them over the snowy waste. The artist on this occasion was Mr. Larsen, of Copenhagen, who proved himself a first-rate special. "When the effects of a deadly climate are added to the usual chances of war, the courage and endurance of the newspaper corrosjDondent are doubly tried. The 'specials' of the principal London journals joined the Ashantee expedi- tion with as much alacrity as if they had been going to a revicAV in Hyde Park. Among them was Mr. Melton Prior, the artist of the Il/iisf rated London Kcus, who landed at Capo Coast Castle before the arrival of the British troops, marched with them to Coomassie, and remained in that place till it was destroyed by the victors. But the long march in such a climate had exhausted the strength of many, and the special artist was among the number. On nearing Coomassie he could no longer trust to his own unaided powers of locomo- tion, so he laid hold on the tail of a mule which he saw ambling before him, and so was helped forward. The gen- tleman who was riding the mule turned round, when it proved to be Sir Garnet Wolseley himself, who, in answer to the exhausted artist's apologies, good-humouredly told him to ' hold on ! ' AVhile coolness and courage are indispensable qualifica- tions for the special artist, if he can sometimes accomplish a little harmless dissimulation he finds it very useful. In 1877, during the war between Russia and Turkey, a special artist overcame the difficulties he encountered in getting to the front by assuming the character of a camp-follower, and professing to sell composite candles, German sausages, Russian hams, dried fish, Dutch cheese, &c., and when jjassing Cossacks became importunate they were propitiated with a candle or two, a slice of cheese, or a jjacket of 34G Tlic Pictorial Press. llouinauian tobacco. In like manucr the artist wlio -went to the port of Ferrol to accompany Cleopatra's Needle to London shipped on board the tug Anrjlia as a coal-trimmer, and signed the usual articles as one of the crew, there being no room for passengers. After the successful voj'age of the tug the artist left her at Gravesend, being anxious to bring his sketches to head-quarters ; but until he Avas logaUy discharged from service he ran the unpleasant risk of being taken up for absconding from his ship. Not the least of a special artist's troubles is to get his sketches sent home without loss of time. INIr. Simpson, who has had a large and varied experience as a special artist, having 'been all round the world in that capacity, gives it as his o2)inion that the first duty of a special correspondent when ho arrives at the scene of action is to find out the post- office, if he happens to be in a part of the world where such a civilised institution exists. He should take care to post all his packets himself, and never trust to any one else. He says, ' In all my various travels I never lost a packet but once, and that was during the week's fighting at the time of the Commune in Paris. There were three sketches in the packet. I was very dubious abovit letting them out of my hands, but I had been all the week with the correspondent of the Times, who had sjjent a considerable sum of money upon messengers to get his letters taken through the lines outside l*aris and oft to London. I ventured to let my packet go with his, thinking it was safe, but neither of them ever reached their destination.' In connexion with this sub- ject I may quote the following story related by jNlr. Prior to the editor of the Pall Mali Gazcitc : — ' I remember one time -when I Avas attached to Mchemet All's head-quarters in Bulgaria during the Ilusso-Turkish war. Tlic Turkish cen- sor stopped no fewer than six weeks of my sketches. Things Avere getting desperate. Our peo2)lo Avcre telegraphrug out to know Avhether I was alive or dead ; and, finding that something must be done, I determined to see the thing through or leave the camp. It so happened that I had 348 The rictorkd Prexs : been the Avitncss of some peculiarly atrocious deeds perpe- trated by Turks upon Bulgarians, so I set to ■work and drew lialf-a-dozen faithful representations of the sufferings which I had witnessed. Armed with these I went up to the censor's office and asked that they might be stami^cd for transmission home. The censor looked at the first and said it was ridi- culous. Couldn't pass that ; no such atrocities had ever been committed ; and so forth. The second was condemned in the same way, and so on until the last was reached. When ho had rejected that also I said to him very delibe- rately, " You are going to jiass every one of these sketches !" " On the contrary," said he, "I am going to tear them up." " If you do," said I, " I shall draw not only six but twelve pictures worse than these, and send them home by my own messenger." '*I will have him arrested then," said the censor. "Very -well, then, in that case I shall leave the camp at once, and in London I will draw twenty pictures all worse than these, and they will all be published, so that people may see the real truth about how you are behaving here." The censor, like a sensible man, saw that it was no use carr3'ing things with too high a hand, and came to terms. He admitted he had stopped all my sketches, promised to do so no more, and I left him with my atrocity pictures in my jjocket, assuring him that the first sketch of mine that lie stopped again the whole series should go to London by the next steamer. I never had any more trouble with him in that respect, though he paid me out by having me arretted some months later.' During the Franco-German War Mr. Simpson often proved the advantage of his plan of alwaj's posting his sketches himself. At the fall of Strasburg he was in the advanced trench when the white flag Avas displayed from the tower of the cathedral. It was late in the evening when he got home to bed, but he was up with the first streak of dawn finishing his sketch of the historical event he had witnessed the day before. He then walked five miles to General Werder's head-quarters to post the sketch. He wasted no y/.s' Oriijui and Pro(jrc^>i. 849 time in trying to got a horse or carriage, in whicli lie might have failed, nor wouhl he trust the packet to a messenger. He knew that the slightest delay Avoidd posti^one the publi- cation of the sketch for a whole Aveek. The sketch arrived in time, as he had calculated, for the next publication, and he had the satisfaction of knowing that on tliis occasion, as on njany others, his promptitude and energy had well served the interests of the journal he represented. A special artist has to encounter many troubles and vexa- tions ai)art from the dangers and difficulties of Avar time. When IMr, Simpson Avas at Brindisi, on his Avay to the open- ing of the Suez Canal, Avishing to sketch the toAvn and forti- fications, he ensconced himself in a snug corner, Avell sheltered from the 'Bora,' or cold Avind that Avas bloAving, and had settled doAvn comfortably to Avork, AA'hen he Avas interrupted by a man A\'ho addressed him in Italian, a language Simpson did not understand. He, hoAvever, made out that the man's * padre ' or master Avould not like Simpson to be there ; but the latter replied in plain English that he cared nothing for his ' padre,' that he had the permission of the Commandant to go Avhere he pleased, and so he went on with his sketching. After much unintelligible talk the man attempted to stop the sketcher's AaeAV by standing betAveen him and the toAvn, but finding the sketching Avent on just the same, he suddenh' Avent aAvay and then returned Avith a gun, pointing it in a threatening manner towards Simpson, who thought the gun Avas perhaps not loaded, or at all events that the man would ncA'cr be such a fool as to shoot him, so he merely gave a majestic AvaA^e of his hand and Avent on Avith his work. The man's rage then increased to such a degree that ho seized tlie butt end of his gun, uttering a A'olley of curses, and from the word ' testa ' Simpson supposed the man Avanted to smash his head. HoAA'ever he never flinched, and the man, loAvering his gun, muttered something about the * Cani,' and AA'ent off again. Presently he returned dragging Avith him a huge dog. Simpson felt more afraid of the dog than the man, but it turned out that the dog had more sense than his 350 Tlie Pictorial Press master and refused on any terras to attack tlie artist. He bolted, the man after liim, and Simpson then armed himself "with two stones in case the attack should be renewed, resolv- ing, like Tell when he devoted one of his arrows to Gessler, that one stone should be for the dog and the other for his oppressor. The man however could not get the dog to return to tlie attack. lie had exhausted the whole of his XEWSrAPEE COEEESPOXDEXTS' HUTS ON THE BATTLE-FIELD OF KACELJEVO, 1S77. resources, and was evidently astonished and annoyed to find he had failed to frighten the artist, so he finished off with a torrent of curses and then gradually calmed down. He remained watching the completion of the sketch, and then obligingly favoured the artist with some criticisms on his work. He pointed out that a ship in the liarbour had been forgotten, and could not understand that it had been pur- posely left out because it interfered -with one of the principal buildings. In this instance it was perhaps best for both Jts Or'ujui (1)1(1 Pi'Oijress. ,';51 parties that they did not understand each other's hmguage ; hut the special artist is occasionally placed at a disadvantage by not understanding the language of the country where he happens to he. However it rarely leads to more than a tem- porary embarrassment, and is often the cause of more amuse- ment than vexation. Mr. G. II. Andrews on one occasion desired to have a couple of eggs for breakfast, but could not make the maid of the inn comprehend his meaning. He tried all he knew of French, Flemish, and German, but the girl shook her head. At length a bright idea struck the artist. He drew from his pocket a pencil and note-book, and sketched a couple of oval forms, meaning them for eggs, and explained by gestures that tJidt was what he wanted. The girl's face brightened at once when she saw the sketch, and with a nod of intelligence she tripped aAvay. In a few minutes she returned and presented the hungry artist with — a pair of spectacles ! The late Mr. S. E-ead, who was one of the first special artists employed on the pictorial press, travelled much abroad, yet he knew little or nothing of any language save his mother tongue. Germany, Italj^ Austria, Spain, France, Belgium, Switzerland, were all visited bj^ him, and he got on very well without speaking the language of any of those countries. He was a man of genial humour, accustomed to make the best of everything, and not easily put out by trifles. He was once travelling in the south of France when a fellow- passenger in the train accosted him in French, and was much surprised to find he was not understood. ' Yat ! ' said the Frenchman ; ' you travel and speak no French ! Speak you German ? ' 'No.' 'Nor Italian?' 'No.' ' Spanish ? ' 'No.' ' Ah, mon Dieu I you travel and sjDcak noting ! ' and with a pitj'ing grimace and shrug of the shoulders he looked round 352 TJie Pictorial Press : at the other passengers. Presently our artist took his re- venge. As they were passing a towTi with a ruined castle on a hill he said, with much fervour, addressing the French- man, — ' How beautifully that old tower is relieved by the dark foliage ! What a splendid contrast is the cold gre}^ of the hill behind ! IIoav harmoniously the distance is blended with the middle distance, and the middle distance with the foreground, by means of the bridge across the river I ' The Frenchman stared, stammered, and confessed he did not comjirehend. ' What ! ' said our artist ; ' you travel and do not imdcr- stand English ! ' ' Yer leetle.' ' Do you speak Scotch ?' '^on, m'sieur.' ' Nor Irish ! ' 'Non.' 'Welsh?' 'Is' on.' 'Suffolk?' ' Non, non, m'sieur.' AVith an exact imitation of the Frenchman's contemptu- ous shrug our friend turned to their fellow-travellers amid the loud laughter of those who understood the joke. When the special artist exercises his vocation at home, though he lacks the excitement of danger, ho meets with many amusing incidents. An artist who attended the meeting of the British Association at Lincoln many years ago desired to sketcli tlio house which was reputed to have been the residence of John o' Gaunt, and asked the waiter at the hotel if he could direct him to it. ' Johnny Gaunt, Sir ?' said the waiter, evidently puzzled ; ' I don't know him, Sir, but I'll inquire.' In a few minutes he returned and said he had incpiired at the bar, but that no such jicrson as Johnny Gaunt resided thereabouts. Another, ^\\\o was something of a wag, was once making a sketch in the heart of St. Giles's ; Its Origin and Progress. 353 there were no School Boards in those days, and numbers of idle street boj^s surrounded our sketcher, performing all manner of bewildering gymnastics. Not at all disturbed, however, he amused himself by asking his young friends numerous questions, all of which were answered with rapid pertness. At last he inquired of one active imp if he could read. ' No, I can't read,' said the young gentleman, 'but I can stand on my head and drink a quartern o' gin.' The methods pursued by special artists in obtaining their sketches are as various as the methods of painters in pro- ducing their pictures, or of authors in writing their books. One man uses a very small sketch-book, another prefers a large one, but they all require to supplement their hurried sketches Avith marginal notes. "When there is not time to sketch a comj)lete cow, it is good to write underneath the sketch, * This is a cow.' Many events have to be sketched that last only a few minutes, and in such cases some little mistakes will occur even with old practitioners. Literary correspondents are liable to the same misfortune. At a certain royal marriage in St, George's Chapel, Windsor, the Lord Chamberlain obligingl}^ sent a gentleman to attend the members of the press, and inform them as to the name and rank of the distinguished guests as they entered the chapel. The correspondents courteously allowed the artists of the pictorial press to take front places, so that some of their number were unable to see what was going on, and had to trust to their comrades for information. When the Duke of A , in full Highland costume, entered the chapel, there was a general inquiry, 'Who is that?' 'That,' said the gentleman from the Lord Chamberlain's department, ' is the Duke of A , the great Mac Callum More.' ' Who is it ?' cried some of the gentlemen in the background, and the name was passed on, but by the time it reached the outer fringe of correspondents it was changed into ' The Duke of A with the Great Claymore,' and under that stjde and title his grace's name figured in at least one newspaper next day. A A 354 The Pictorial Press : What may be called the shorthand notes for a sketch are sometimes difficult to make out without explanation. On one occasion a sketch was under consideration, when the editor made certain suggestions to the artist, who was very good natured, and of a most pliant disposition. 'I think, you know,' said the editor, ' if you were to add two or three more figures in the foregroimd it would improve the com- position and help to detach the principal group from this windmill.' ' Well, the fact is,' replied the artist, ' what you call a windmill I intended for a man on horseback, but if you think it will come better as a windmill I'll alter it with pleasure.' THE SPECIAL ARTIST ON THE ROAD. Its Origin and Progress. 355 CHAPTER X. Artists who have assisted in founding the Pictorial Press— Sir John Gil- bert, R.A., G. H. Thomas, and others— Wood-Engraving and its Con- nexion Avith the Pictorial Press— Other Methods of producing Illustra- tions — AVood-Engraving in England before and after Bewick's time — Its wide Diffusion owing to the kindred Art of Printing— The resources of the Art developed by Pictorial Newspapers— Conclusion. News- papers a Necessity of Civihsed Life— The Acta Diurna of the Romans — Early Newspapers in Venice, Germany, and the Low Countries — List of Illustrated Newspapers published Abroad. The establishment of the pictorial press as an English institution was greatly aided by the active co-operation of many distinguished artists, the very foremost in this con- nexion being Sir John Gilbert. Other Eoyal Academicians and eminent painters have drawn on wood for the illustrated newspapers, but Gilbert stands out pre-eminently the great popular illustrator of the Victorian era. He it was who first gave a distinctive character to the illustration of news. He seemed to possess an inborn knowledge of the essentials of newspaper art, and could express by a few freely drawn lines and touches the hurried movement of street crowds or the state and dignity of Court ceremonies. "Whether he had to draw a knight in armour or a gentleman in a paletot he did it in a way exactly suited to rapid engraving and printing. The feeling which, in his pictures, makes him delight in battle-fields, blazoned banners, velvet and gold, made his drawings on wood brilliant in handling and always pic- turesque. It was most fortunate that the commencement of his career was coincident with the foundation of the pictorial press. William Harvey and other artists were already in the field, but Gilbert's style was better adapted to newspaper work. His quickness and versatility made him just the man 356 The Pictorial Press : tliat was wanted. Harvey had drawn some of the subjects published in the Observer, but his style was not suited to the illustration of current events. Nothing came amiss to Gilbert, who supplied the pictorial press for twenty years with a constant succession of effective drawings, embracing all kinds of subjects, and he never failed in that most essen- tial quality of a newspaper artist — pnnctiiah'f?/. It is as the popular illustrator that the name of Gilbert stands at the head of that nxmierous band of artists who contributed to the foundation of illustrated journalism in this coimtry. The late George H. Thomas was not less successful than Gilbert in the spirit and vigour of his drawings. His bold and eminently artistic pencil alternated with Gilbert's in portraying the exciting events following the revolutionary period of 1848-49. His contributions to the lUust rated London JVews during the Crimean war were marked by great force and truthfulness, and jDrocured him the notice and patronage of her Majesty Queen Victoria. Mr. Thomas's premature death in 1868 was a great loss to the world of art in general, and to the pictorial press in particular. It is remarkable that manj^ of our distinguished artists should have begun their careers as engravers or draughtsmen on wood. The production of works in black and white, whether as engravings or drawings, is no doubt good artistic practice in the study of light and shade, and the young artist who draws on wood as a means of heljjing him to live while he is waiting for fame, is at the same time pursuing a useful branch of his art education. Luke Fildes, A.R.A., Birket Foster, AY. Small, R. C. Woodville, C. Gregory, A.R.A., and many others began in this wa}', and among deceased artists occur the names of S. Read, E. Duncan, and F. AV. Topham. The two last were both engravers. All these men have done good work on the pictorial press, and some of them first won distinction through its medium. Both the I/lus- tra fed London News and the Graphic may claim to have done good service to art and artists in this respect. Their pages have always been open to young artists of ability, and while Its Origin and Progres.<^. 357 they have helped forward struggling genius they have opened up new sources of enjoyment to the general public. The pictorial press has hitherto been mainly dependent on the art of wood- engraving for its illustrations, but latterly several inventions have been used, not unsuccessfully, in the production of blocks in relief, to be printed in the same manner as woodcuts. The great improvements that have been made in surface printing render it probable that in the future these process blocks may be extensively used in illus- trated newspapers. They are recommended by their cheap- ness and rapid production ; and as the intermediate process of engraving is dispensed with, they retain the exact touch of the artist, and are not liable to be mutilated by careless or hasty engraving. It may be said of all these inventions, however, that they are best suited for slight sketches, and should not be applied to the production of highly-finished subjects. For the latter there is nothing better than a woodcut, which, when well executed and carefully printed, has a richness superior to any other method of engraving. But in the present day competition is so great and the march of events is so rapid that cheapness and rapidity of produc- tion will override artistic excellence, and jorocess-engraving, as it is called, will probably be the method adopted for the daiJu pictorial press, the era of which is approaching. Wood-engraving, as an art, scarcely existed in this country before the time of Thomas Bewick. To him we owe its revival, and he was thus indirectly concerned in the crea- tion of the pictorial newspaper. Though we have seen that the Grub Street Journal and the Observer on a few occasions used copperplate illustrations, it is perfectly certain that an illustrated newspaper, properly so-called, never could have ex- isted but for the art of wood-engraving. It was an essential agent in bringing into life this novel offspring of the printing press, just as it assisted in the birth of the old ' block books.' When Caxton brought the art of printing into this country the woodcuts printed at his press were probably executed by the printers whom he brought with him. His successors 358 The Pictorial Press : illustrated their books in the same way, and even after wood- engraving was practised in England as a distinct profession many of the illustrations in books and pamphlets were the work of printers. When somethhig of sujDcrior design and finish was wanted, ready-made woodcuts were procured from Nuremberg or Lyons, then the chief marts for such pro- ductions. The blocks so obtained were sometimes used with- out much regard to the book in which they were printed. Cuts originally designed for an edition of Odd appeared in the Bible, and no notice was taken of this mixture of sacred and profane things. Albert Diirer's influence on the art of wood-engra\ing was very great, but it never extended to this country. Hans Holbein, who came to England two years before Diirer's death, made a few designs for the wood- engravers during his long residence here. His transient use of the art, however, did not raise it to a better condition, and printers contiaued to be the chief producers of woodcuts. In the time of Queen Elizabeth there flourished a printer and engraver of the name of John Day, who took for his mark an emblematic device of the day-spring of the reformed religion, with the motto, ' Arise, for it is Day.' The best illustrated books of that jjeriod were produced b}'' him. About this time the art was rapidly declining in other countries, but in England it was in a better condition than at any previous period. It soon, however, declined in this country also, but was kept alive by Edward Kirkall, John Baptiste Jackson, and others, until it was revived by Thomas Bewick. The low condition of the art of wood-engrravino: in this coimtry was chiefly owing to the want of good designers, and it was not until a man arose who possessed the power to dmu- as well as to engrave that an English school of wood- engraving was created. Bewick jiossessed the artistic faculty as a direct gift from nature ; and though it was from acci- dental circumstances that he was led to exercise this innate power in drawing and engraving on wood, he soon discovered of Mliat the art was capable, and devoted his chief attention Its Origin and Progress. 359 to it. He drew such things as he understood and had studied from nature, and thoroughly comprehending the scope and power of wood-engraving, he was able, with little labour, to produce the best results. At the time of Bewick's death, in 1828, England had scarcely recovered from the exhausting wars of Napoleon, trade was stagnant, and taxation was heavy. The mass of the people had no money to spend on such luxuries as illustrated books, and the enterprise of publishers was con- fined to the production of the well-known * Annuals ' of that day ; but they were illustrated with steel engravings, and were only purchased by the wealthier classes. Such works as Rohinson Crusoe and the Pihjrwi's Progress, for which there is always a demand, were illustrated by Cruikshank and Harvey. There was Northcote's Fables, on which all the best engravers of the day were employed ; but it was not until the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge began its operations, and Charles Knight took the lead in illustrated literature, that wood -engraving began to be ex- tensively used. The art was so little known that when the woodcuts of the Penny Magazine began to attract attention a nobleman of that day spoke of them as the productions of a new art. Illustrations were so seldom used that the pre- paration of even a small woodcut was of much moment to all concerned. I have heard the late AVilliam Harvey relate that when AVhittingham, the well-known printer, wanted a new cut for his ' Chiswick Press ' series, he would write to Harvey and John Thompson, the engraver, appointing a meeting at Chiswick, when printer, designer, and engraver talked over the matter with as much deliberation as if they were about to produce a costly national monument, and after they had settled all points over a snug supper, the result of their labours was the production, months afterwards, of a small woodcut measuring perhaps two inches by three. At this time only about a dozen persons, besides Bewick's pupils, were practising the art of wood-engra^dng in England, and in France the art was so low that a few years later the 3G0 Tlie rictorial Press : blocks for the Jlagazin Pittorenque were sent from Paris to London to be engraved. In Germany, the cradle of tbe art, it languished as in other countries, while in America, a country which is now taking a leading part in the cultivation of wood-engraving, the art was almost unknown as a native production. It is now in use all over the civilised world, and there is scarcely a capital city without its newspaper illustrated with woodcuts. It has even penetrated to the sunless regions of ice and snow. In the Library of the South Kensington Museum there is a book with illustrations drawn and engraved on wood by Esquimaux ! The cause of this wide diffusion and extended employ- ment of the art of wood-engraving is undoubtedly its close alliance with the kindred art of printing. Ko other method of engraving lends itself so easily to the rapid productions of the printing-press. From the earliest days of printing the two arts have advanced hand in hand, aiding in the growth of knowledge and the spread of civilisation. The application of steam to the art of printing revolutionised the world of tj'pography, and wood-engraving was not slow in adapting itself to the new conditions. The advancing spirit of educa- tion created a demand for cheap knowledge. Penny maga- zines and pictorial newspapers came into existence. The steam printing-press spread them far and wide, and wood- engraving since the time of Bewick has shown that it pos- sesses capabilities which that genuine old artist would have rejoiced to behold. In tracing the origin and progress of the pictorial press I have confined my researches to British journalism, but the subject might be widely extended. From the daj^s of the Acta Dhirna of the Romans something in the shape of a newspaper appears to have been a necessity'- of civilised life. Soon after the invention of printing small news-sheets ap- peared in various towns of Germany and in Venice. In the Low Countries an illustrated war gazette was published as early as 1605. It was called the Nieicetijdingho, and it was the precursor of the Gazette van Anticerpen, which surAived Its Origin and Progress. 361 till 1805. During the Spanisli aud Austrian rule in Belgium eaeli town had its privileged newspaper. As the printers of those days were well acquainted with the art of wood-engrav- ing, it is not unlikely that some of these early newspapers contained illustrations. The earlier newspapers of Holland were chiefly devoted to commercial intelligence, aud afforded little scope for illustration, but illustrated broadsides were not uncommon. In Germany the first regular newspaper appeared in 1615, when the art of wood-engraving had greatly declined ; and when the physician Eenaudot started the first newspaper in France, in 1631, if the idea of illus- trating it had occurred to him he would have had to rely on his printer for the production of the woodcuts. As, however, the low condition of illustrative art in the seventeenth cen- tury did not deter English printers of 'News-books' from seeking such pictorial aid as they could obtain, it is highly probable their Continental brethren did the same, however insufficient might be the means at their command. When the history of our own age comes to be written the pictorial newspapers will form an inexhaustible store- house for the historian. The following list of cities in Europe, America, and the English colonies, with the names of the illustrated newspapers published by them, will convey some idea of the extent to which pictorial journalism has spread during the last forty years: — Paris : L^ Illustration. Le Monde lUustre. U Univers li/ list re. La RepuhUque Illustree. La France Illustree. Berlin : Deutsche Illustrirte Zeitung. Stuttgart : Uher Land und Meer. Das Buchfur Alle. 362 The Pictonal Press : Leipzig : Illustrirte Zeitung. ViEXXA : Neue lllustrirte Zeitung. Milan : LThiafrazione Universale. L" lUnstrazione Italiana. Madrid : La Illiistmcion Espanola. Barcelona : La Illustracion Catolica. Warsaw : Tycodnik Powszechny. Amsterdam : De Hollandsche Illustratie. St. Petersburg : Universal lUustmtion. Copenhagen : lUustreret Tidende. Christiana : Nil lUustreret Tidende. New York : Harper's Weekly. Harper's Bazaar. Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper. Spirit of the Times. The Daily Graphic. lllustrirte Zeitung (printed in German). Washington : Illustrated Washington Chronicle. Montreal : Canadian Illustrated News. Le Monde lllustre (French). Its Origin and Progress. 36a Sydney : Illustrated Sydney News. Melbourne : Illustrated Australian News. Australian Sketcher. Mexico : Revista Universal. Montevideo : La Illustracion JJruguaya. Rio De Janeiro : A Illustra^do. Cape Town : South African Illustrated News. the end. 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