Old England: A Pictorial Museum (page 39/52)

1143.—Mummers (Bodleian MS.)

On the far left a young mang with curly hair wears a plain robe or long tunic; he plays a lute or other stringed instrment. There are then, from left to right, a person wearing the head of a deer, a person dressed in plain mediæval (or “medieval”) clothes, a person dressed as a rabbit, and another perhaps as a bull, and on the right a woman. The [...] [more...]

1144.—Quarter-staff (From the Old Ballad of Robin Hood and the Tanner.)

“Quarter-staff (Fig. 1144) was the glory of the stout old English peasant or yeoman, in which, as far as we can learn, he was without a competitor in any foreign nation.” (p. 334) [more...]

1145.—Playing at Draughts (Harleian MS. 4431)

Two men in mediæval clothing [US: medieval] sit with a draughts [US: drafts or checkers] board balance between their knees. Two other men, one a knight [...] [more...]

1146.—Chair (Royal M.S. 14 E, iii.)

“The square-backed chair (Fig. 1146) was frequent in the mansions of the thirteenth century. In the fourteenth, they, and other articles combining household utility and elegance, were modified by the pointed architecture, and partook of the beautiful variety of its forms: this, in the engraving of Library furniture (Fig. 1140) we see in the reading-table [...] [more...]

1147.—Hand Organ or Dulcimer, and Violin

Two men are shown with curly hair and mediæval clothing; the violinist wears a hat, a knee-length tunic split to the hip at the side, tight silk stockings and shoes with buckles. The dulcimer player wears a hooded robe, although the hood hangs down from the shoulder. Either his robe has a double sleeve or he has a shirt with a long sleeve buttoned [...] [more...]

1148.—Circular Chess Board (Cotton MS. and Strutt.)

“Draughts (Fig. 1145) and chess were amusements of the higher ranks. The circular board (Fig. 1148) is peculiar; the chess-men differed somewhat in form and name from the ordinary chess-men.” (p. 334) [more...]

1149.—Hand Bells. (Royal MS. 15 D. iii.)

“Dulcimer and violin players (Fig. 1147) were among the regular musical performers mentioned in the roll of Edward III.’s household. Hand bells (Fig. 1149) were also played upon.” (p. 334) [more...]

1150.—The Coronation of Henry IV

The coronation ceremony shown here, at which Henry IV was crowned and became King Henry IV, took place at Westminster Abbey in October 1399. [more...]