at that period, I made minute inquiry of an old and respectable officer of Guildhall, with whom they were favourites, as to what particulars existed in the city archives concerning them; he assured me that he had himself anxiously desired information on the same subject, and that after an investigation through the different offices, there was not a trace of the period when they commenced to be, nor the least record concerning them. This was subsequently confirmed to me by gentlemen belonging to other departments. However stationary the present ponderous figures were destined to remain, there can scarcely be a question as to the frequent use of their wicker predecessors in the corporation shows. The giants were great favourites in the pageants. * Stow, in describing the ancient setting of the nightly watch in London on St. John's eve, relates that "the mayor was surrounded by his footmen and torch-bearers, and followed by two henchmen on large horses: the mayor had, besides his giant, three pageants; whereas the sheriffs had only two, besides their giants, each with their morris dance and one henchman."+ It is related, that, to make the people wonder, these giants were armed, and marched as if they were alive, to the great diversion of the boys, who, peering under, found them stuffed with brown paper.‡ A character in Marston's "Dutch Courtezan," a comedy acted in 1605, says, "Yet all will scarce make me so high as one of the gyant's stilts that stalks before my lord mayor's pageants."§ During queen Elizabeth's progress to her coronation, Gogmagog and Corinæus, two giants, were stationed at Temple-bar. It is not certain, yet it is probable, that these were the wicker-giants brought from Guildhall for the occasion. In the reign before, when queen Mary and Philip II. of Spain made their public entry, there was at London bridge a grand spectacle, with two images representing two giants, the one named Corinæus, and the other Gogmagog, holding between them certain Latin verses.* There is scarcely a likelihood that these were any other than the Guildhall giants, which on the occasion of a corporation rejoicing could be removed with the utmost ease. Orator Henley, on the 21st of October, 1730, availed himself of the anticipated civic festival for that year to deliver a lecture upon it, mentioning the giants, which he announced by newspaper advertisement as follows: AT THE ORATORY, the corner of Lincoln's-Inn-Fields, near Clare-market, this Day, being Wednesday, at Six o'Clock in the Evening, will be a new Riding upon an old Cavalcade, entituled THE CITY IN ITS GLORY; OR, MY LORD MAYOR'S SHEW: Explaining to all Capacities that wonderful Procession, so much envy'd in Foreign Parts, and nois'd at Paris: on my Lord Mayor's Day; the fine Appearance and Splendor of the Companies of Trade; Bear and Chain; the Trumpets, Drums, and Cries, intermix'd; the qualifications of my L-'s Horse, the whole Art and History of the City Ladies and Beaux at Gape-stare in the Balconies; the Airs, Dress, and Motions; THE TWO GIANTS walking out to keep Holiday; like Snails o'er a Cabbage, says an old Author, they all crept along; admir'd by their Wives, and huzza'd by the Throng. There is no stronger evidence of the indifference to playfulness and wit at city elections, than the almost total silence on jects for allusion and parallel as the giants those occasions respecting such ample subtheir application in this way is to be found in the hall. Almost the only instance of in a handbill on occasion of a mayoralty election, dated Oct. 4th, 1816, addressed "To the London Tavern Livery and their Spouses." It states, that "the day after Mr. Alderman is elected lord mayor for the year ensuing, the following entertainments will be provided for your amusement gratis, viz. 1. The two giants, at the bottom of the hall, will dance a minuet by steam, attended by Mr. Alderman in a new wig upon an elastic principle, a gentleman having bought half of his old one for the purpose of making a new peruke for the aforesaid giants." This is the first humorous allusion to the giants after their removal to their present station. • Strutt's Sports, Pref. p. xxvii. It is imagined by the author of the Gigantick History," that the Guildhall giants represent Corinæus a Trojan, and Gogmagog a Cornish giant, whose story is related at large in that work; the author of which supposes, that as "Corinæus and Gogmagog were two brave giants, who nicely valued their honour, and exerted their whole strength and force in defence of their liberty and country; so the city of London, by placing these their representatives in their Guildhall, emblematically declare, that they will, like mighty giants, defend the honour of their country and liberties of this their city, which excels all others, as much as those huge giants exceed in stature the common bulk of mankind." Each of these giants, as they now stand, measures upwards of fourteen feet in height: the young one is believed to be Corinæus, and the old one Gogmagog. and duchess of Norfolk sat first; then the three earls of Northumberland, Huntingdon, and Surrey, lord Thomas Howard, lord Scroop and his lady, lord and lady Bartlet, lord Abergavenny, with so many other peers, knights, and ladies, that the hall could scarcely contain them and their retinue. * The mayor's share of the expense was one pound, twelve shillings, and ninepence. The feast makers, four in number, paying the rest. The mayor's bill of fare was as follows: Eight stone of beef, at 8d. a stone, and a sir loin Two collars of brawn Four cheeses, at 4d. a cheese A hinder quarter of veal A fore quarter of veal Loin of mutton and shoulder of veal Four couple of rabbits Four brace of partridges Two Guinea cocks Two couple of mallard Thirty-four eggs Bushel of flour Such being the chief particulars respecting these enormous carvings, the terror of the children, the wonder of the 'prentices, and the talk of the multitude, in former days, I close the subject, satisfied with having authenticated their origin. Trifling as this affair may seem, I pursued the inquiry for upwards of sixteen years; and though much of the time I spent in the search might have been better employed, I can assure those who are unacquainted with the nature of such investigations, that I Eighteen loaves of white wheat-bread had much pleasure in the pursuit, and when I had achieved my purpose I felt more highly gratified, than I think I should had I attained to the dignity of being "proud London's proud lord mayor." There are other memoranda respecting the giants and lord mayors' shows in my volume on "Ancient Mysteries," from whence the present particulars are tracted. NORWICH GUILD. ex. MAYOR'S FEAST, TEMP. ELIZABETH. The earls of Northumberland and Huntingdon, the lords Thomas Howard and Willoughby, with many other noblemen and knights, paid a visit to the duke of Norfolk, and were entertained, with their retinue, at the duke's palace, in Norwich, in 1561. The guild happening at this time, William Mingay, Esq., then mayor, invited them and their ladies to the feast, which they accepted, and expressed the greatest satisfaction at their generous and hospitable reception. At the entertainment the duke Peck of oatmeal Sixteen white bread-loaves L. s. d. -058 010 0 14 -0 16 - 0 0 10 - 0 0 5 Three loaves of meslin bread Sixteen oranges · A barrel of double strong beer A barrel of table beer A quarter of wood Two gallons of white wine and Canary Total 1 12 9 After dinner, Mr. John Martyn, a wealthy and honest man of Norwich, made the following speech :-" Maister Mayor of Norwich, and it please your worship, you have feasted us like a king. God bless the queen's grace. We have fed plentifully; and now, whilom I can speak plain English, I heartily thank you, maister Mayor : and so do we all. Answer, boys, answer. Your beer is pleasant and potent, and will soon catch us by the caput and stop our manners and so huzza for the queen's majesty's grace, and all her bonny-brow'd • Five hundred can conveniently dine in this hall. I have seen seven hundred entertained on the guildday. dames of honour. Huzza for maister Mayor, and our good dame Mayoress. His noble grace, there he is, God bless him, and all this jolly company. To all our friends round county, who have a penny in their purse and an English heart in their bodies, to keep out Spanish dons, and papists with their faggots to burn our whiskers. Shove it about, twirl your cap-cases, handle your jugs, and huzza for maister Mayor, and his bretheren their worships." The honesty, freedom, loyalty, and goodhumour of this speech would, at any time, entitle the orator to a patient hearing and an approving smile. The above is from Beatniffe's Norfolk Tour. To that noble and true lover of learning, Sir, I must ask your patience, and be true. That brought their judgments with them; for of late And when I sing again (as who can tell My next devotion to that holy Well?) Your goodness to the Muses shall be all Able to make a work Heroical. 2ND. To the Inheritor of all Worthiness, Sir William Scipwith. ODE. 1. If from servile hope or love I may prove But so happy to be thought for Such a one, whose greatest ease Is to please, Worthy Sir, I have all I sought for. 2. For no itch of greater name, Which some claim By their verses, do I show it To the world; nor to protest, 'Tis the best; These are lean faults in a poet : 3. Nor to make it serve to feed At my need; Nor to gain acquaintance by it; Nor to ravish kind Atturneys In their journies; Nor to read it after diet. Far from me are all these aims; To build weakness on and pity; 3RD. To the perfect gentleman, Sir Robert If the greatest faults may crave A long one for a long amiss. If you ask me how is this, Upon my faith I'll tell you frankly; As sour fortune loves to use me, A poor Shepherd I have sent In home-spun gray, for to excuse me : my hopes refuse me You shall have better, never more; It is writ in sad and tragio terms, 'Till when, like our desperate debtors, Leave great meat, and chuse a sallet. Apologetical Preface, following these : To the Reader. If you be not reasonably assured of your knowledge in this kind of Poem, lay down the Book; or read this, which I would wish had been the Prologue. It is a Pastoral Tragic-Comedy; which the people seeing when it was played, having ever had a singular gift in defining, concluded to be a play of Country hired Shepherds, in gray cloaks, with cur-tailed dogs in strings, sometimes laughing together, sometimes killing one another; and, missing Whitsun Ales, cream, wassail, and Morris dances, began to be angry. In their error I would not have you fall, lest you incur their censure.❤ Understand, therefore, a Pastoral to be-a Representation of Shepherds and Shepherdesses, with their Actions and Passions, which must be such as agree with their natures; at least, not exceeding former fictions and vulgar traditions. They are not to be adorn'd with any art, but such improper ones as nature is said to bestow, as Singing and Poetry; or such as experience may teach them, as the virtues of herbs and fountains; the ordinary course of the sun, moon, and stars; and such like. But you are ever to remember Shepherds to be such, as all the ancient poets (and modern of understanding) have received them; that is, the Owners of Flocks, and not Hirelings.-A Tragic-comedy is not so called in respect of mirth and killing, but in respect it wants deaths (which is enough to make it no Tragedy); yet brings some near to it (which is enough to make it no Comedy): which must be a Representation of Familiar People, with such kind of trouble as no life can be without; so that a God is as lawful in this, as in a Tragedy; and mean People, as in a Comedy-Thus much I hope will serve to justify my Poem, and make you understand it; to teach you more for nothing, I do not know that I am in conscience bound. May move you tears; then you content our Muse, That scorns to tronble you again with toys Or needless antics, imitations, Or shows, or new devises sprung o' late; We will revive the which hath long been done. Helena. Both have sworn: A And, Princes, as you hope to crown your heads C. L. So I point it; instead of the line, as it stands in this unique copy Nor instance nor excuse for what they do. The sense I take to be, what the common playwrights do (or shew by action-the "inexplicable dumb show" of Shakspeare-), our Chorus relates. The following lines have else no coherence. Lodge and Avenue at Holwood, THE RESIDENCE OF JOHN WARD, ESQ. FORMERLY OF THE LATE RIGHT HON. WILLIAM PITT. Mr. S. Young's comfortable little inn, the Cross at Keston, or Keston Mark, is mentioned before as being at the north-east corner of the grounds belonging to Holwood. My friend W-- and I, on a second visit to Mr. Young's house, went from thence, for the purpose of seeing the church and village of Keston, through which the main road runs to Westerham. We kept along to the entrance gate of Holwood, which we passed, having the park palings on our left, till we came to a well in the road, which derives its water from springs within Holwood, and stands on a swell of meadow land, called "the War Bank." Further on, and out of the road |