Old England: A Pictorial Museum (page 11/48)

2045.—Infantry Armour, 1625 (From a Specimen at Goodrich Court; engraved in Skelton’s Armour)

“Armour, on the decline at the close of the last period, continued to be used through the [English] Civil Wars, though it did not exactly justify James I’s characteristic praise—that it not only saved the life of the wearer, but hindered him from doing hurt to anybody else. Many a life was lost, clad in complete steel, or nearly so, and many [...] (Fig. 2050) or head-pieces were invariably worn in the field. Those of the Cavalier (Fig. 2044) and the Cuirassier (Fig. 2048) were in general crowned with plums. The Dragoon (Fig. 2051), whose order was first raised in France in 1600, by the Marshal de Brisac wore in our armies a stout buff coat with deep skirts. Infrantry armour (Fig. 2045) consisted of back and breast pieces, worn over a buff coat, and with throat-pieces and skill-cap, the cheeks being also defended.” (p. 211) [more...]

37.—Kit’s Coty House.

Sheep graze by the neolithic burial tomb while two shepherds wait. [more...]

38.—King’s Coty House

Another picture of King’s Coty’s House; compare Fig. 37. There is also a picture of this in Francis Grose’s Antiquities. [more...]

Hall of Christ Church College Oxford

“Christchurch, you have no doubt heard, is the richest, most magnificent, and most celebrated of all the collegiate establishments of Oxford. It is the especial resort of the sons of the richest gentry and [...]Sir Robert Peel was educated here. It has been honoured by hosts of men who have belonged to a different aristocracy,—men who are seldom acknowledged to be illustrious during their lives, but whom none deny to be so for every afterwards. Sydney, Ben Jonson, Otway, Locke, Penn, and Canning, were all members of Christ’s. [Note: I have linked these to the Nuttall Encyclopædia, I hope correctly! Liam] The founder was Wolsey; and every thing one sees here harmonises with the associations suggested by his name, although his scheme was [only] in part accomplished.” (p. 291) [more...]

39.—Trevethy Stone

Trevethy Stone, also known as Trethevy Quoit, is a Domen or Cromlech near Liskeard in Cornwall. [more...]

40.—Cromlech at Plas Newydd, Anglesey

See also Grose’s Antiquities for an older engraving of this neolithic burial tomb. [more...]

2440.—The Cockpit.

“We may be grateful that the Cockpit (Fig. 2440) does deal with an amusement that no longer exists—there is hardly even a type left of the class to which it belonged, its gambling adjunct of course excepted. Cock-throwing, bear and badger [...]battue may be considered as little better: it must be owned there is a great resemblance between that sport and the more ferocious and bloody ones of the last century. And a stranger scene to any but familiar eyes than a cockpit of Hogarth’s time represented it would be difficult to find. There were congregated in it persons from the highest down to the lowest classes of society—peer and sweep were there. “Hail fellow, well met” together. Theignoble lord who is seen in Hogarth’s picture represents Lord Albemarle Bertie, who was totally blind, and yet placed his chief enjoyment in such a scene as this. He is the centre of attraction to most of the reprobates and gamblers who are here collected together; five of them at once are endeavouring to bet with him as to the issue of the combat. Mark, too, the rascal who looks up so furtively at him while abstracting a bank-note from the nobleman’s store: the expression of that thief’s face is truly inimitable. [more...]