Leaving Jesus' Chapel, we enter another recess at the further end of the aisle, which contains an ancient stone font, possessing little interest. "Here, is also a book-stand, with a Bible, &c. chained to its desk."* In the south aisle, an enriched circular arch, once a confessional, leads the mind to reflection. In the approach to the nave, the two circular ends of the church, partly faced with richly-glazed tiles, covered with various devices, inscriptions, and armorial bearings, immediately arrest the attention. † On advancing down the chancel, the beautifully carved stalls of the "white robed monks," which were removed thither during the repairs, with their grotesque figures, stand on either side. The altar, which is paved from the steps upwards with square tiles, now meets the eye; down, and being very much broken, an ignorant glazier mis. placed the pieces that were left. The portraits of Sir Reginald Bray, and Prince Arthur, are all that now remain. The west window of this chapel contained two coats of arms; one Erm. O. and Az., the other Erm. Arg. and Az., and under them the Trinity, with the elevation of the host; and underneath, the baptism of adults and infants; under this the Trinity repeated; and the Pope and Cardinals, and these words: "Parata sunt vobis loca in cœlo." In the middle compartment was the Last supper, and in the third the town and church of Malvern, with the chapel of St. Michael, situated on the side of the hill: in the southern angle of the window, an archer in the forest shooting a stag; underneath, a prior and his monks; on one side of the prior, his relations, on the other, his monks, kneeling, with this inscription: Orate pro animabus Domini Ricardi Bone prioris hujus Loci et Maculini.... Simonis, Nicholai, Agnetes, Willielmi, Mariane parentum eorundem. * In the convocation of 1536, it was resolved to publish a new translation of the Scriptures, in 1538. Henry VIII., jealous lest his own subjects should become such theologians as to question his tenets, used great precautions in publishing that translation of the Scriptures which was finished this year. He would only allow a copy of it to be deposited in each parish church, where it was fixed by a chain: and he took care to inform the people, by proclamation, "that this indulgence was not the effect of his duty, but of his goodness and liberality to them."---Hume. + The mutilated pavement of this church is tesselated with many similar tiles to those already mentioned, which have occasioned much conjecture as to their origin. Some bear the dates 1453, and 36 Henry VI.; and have been called Alhambra tiles, from which it has been supposed that they were imported from Alhambra, in Spain; but their origin is quite uncertain. Amongst the armorial bearings are the arms of England; Westminster Abbey; Mortimer, Earl of March; Bohun, Earl of Hereford; Clare and Despencer, Earls of Gloster; and Beauchamp, Earl of Warwick. These tiles, which are mostly of a dark red, or brown colour, are each about 14 inches square in superficial extent, and nearly 14 inches in thickness. The arms and letters have been impressed upon them whilst soft, and the indents being afterwards over it is a magnificent window; and on looking down the church, the great west window and ancient organ gallery of much splendour, rise with an imposing effect. Some years ago, the west window was again resplendently filled with stained glass, brought from less observable situations in other parts of the church;-and chiefly consisting of single figures of saints, popes, bishops, &c.:-the expense of which was partly defrayed by a benefaction of £50 from the late Princess Charlotte of Wales, and her consort Prince Leopold. Several curious monuments of great antiquity are to be found in this edifice. In the south aisle, under the window, is a remarkable figure, described by Dr. Stukeley, as a carved stone image of very rude and ancient workmanship. "It is a Knight, covered with a mail and his surcoat; in his right hand, a halbert, "This like a pickaxe, in his left, a round target.' figure," says Gough, "is in the oldest mail armour."+ Richard Corbet, a knight templar, who died in the thirteenth century, has a plain table monument, the sides and ends of which are covered with tiles 5 inches square, and 1 thick, on which may be traced the armorial bearings of the Corbet family. On the 22nd of May, 1711, an old tombstone was dug up in the vicar's garden, near the south aisle, bearing the date 1135, which proved from a curious Latin epitaph to have been that of Walcher, the second Prior of Malvern. It is now placed in Jesus' chapel. On the south side of the choir there is a curious alabaster tomb of John Knottesford, Esq., who died in 1589. Many of the ancestors of the principal families in this county rest here; particularly those of the Lygons, of Madresfield court. In the early part of the present century, this splendid relic of the olden time had been suffered to fall into a state of extreme dilapidation. It had been indeed ANCIENT CUSTOM OF SALUTATION. No. III. In addition to the records already given, relative to the ancient mode of salutation by kissing, it may be observed, that the custom possesses unquestionable claims to the very highest antiquity. In the 29th chapter of Genesis, we are told "that Jacob kissed Rachel," at their first interview; and subsequently "when Laban heard the tidings of Jacob his sister's son, he ran to meet him, and embraced him, and kissed him.”—That a salute was the accompanying reciprocal seal of the "was hol” and “drinc heil" of our Anglo-Saxon ancestors, appears equally certain. An article on this subject, in the "Relics of Literature," (1823) contains the following paragraph. Dr. Pierius Winsemius, historiographer to their High Mightinesses, the states of Friezland, in his for some time previously in too ruinous a state to be used with safety for public worship. The boys in an adjacent school actually used to amuse themselves with pelting the beautiful windows. On the wall of Jesus' Chapel, in 1788, a large pigeon-house was erected, (belonging to the clergyman); the pigeons being suffered to fly all over the church.* Hounds and a fox were kept within the sacred edifice. The church was filled with "rubbish, poles, pew lumber, broken altar tables," &c. At last the shameful neglect of this venerable structure excited general attention, and about £2000 was raised and expended on the repairs, from 1802 till 1812. Whitewash was unsparingly used; and an immense ivy bush, which had covered a large portion of the eastern end of the fabric, and overhung the tracery of the great window, instead of being reduced in size, was entirely cut away. It has been excellently observed that ivy holds the same situation in architectural old age, that grey hair does in that of man : "clustering about the tracery of Gothic work, and circling the mullions in fantastic" Chronijck van Frieslandt," printed in 1622, inwreaths of green, it sometimes looks like a garland of laurel round a death's head, speaking more forcibly of mortality and decay by contrast." In 1812, we still find the edifice styled " a whitened sepulchre." Much yet remained to be done; and subsequently a large sum was raised by the spirited exertions of the Rev. Henry Card, who was appointed vicar in 1815. Lord Beauchamp also obtained a grant from Government of £1000 towards the repairs. An organ has been purchased; and the interior of the church, the magnificent organ gallery, the ancient decorated stalls on either side of the chancel, and the superb ceiling, have once more been restored, if not to their pristine beauty, at least to a creditable state of renovation. The light of Heaven streams no longer through the broken windows, the wind moans no more along the aisles with a strange unearthly sound, and a "dim religious light" diffuses itself through stained glass as of old. However, time has again fallen heavily on Malvern Abbey; and as we formerly noticed, a bazaar was held in the village to raise funds for its repair in 1831. We cannot better conclude this paper than in the words of Webster. forms us, that the pleasant custom of kissing was utterly "unpractised and unknown" in England,---(just as it is this day in New Zealand, where sweethearts only know how to touch noses when they wish to be kind), until the fair princess Rouix, (Rowena) the daughter of King Hengist, of Friezland, "pressed the beaker with her lipkens,” (little lips) and saluted the amorous Vortigern with a husjen, (little kiss.)" Our own old chroniclers date the origin of drinking healths in Britain, from the introduction of Rowena to Vortigern, and the two lines quoted at p. 24, of the present work, from Robert le Brunne, expressly refer to the proceedings of the princess on that occasion; but the statement of the northern annalist, that kissing was previously "unpractised and unknown" in the island, must surely be received as applying only to the novel fashion of which the salute formed a peculiar part. The existence of a similar practice among the festive Greeks of Howel's time, is mentioned by him in the 56th Epistle of his 2nd vol. of Familiar Letters. The New Zealand mode of courtship by touching noses, alluded to above, might bear some affinity to a manner of kissing, by putting ear to ear, prevalent among the Greeks and Romans, and illustrated in the "Relics," by a Latin epigram on the subject. Notwithstanding the instances adduced to shew that the English stood alone in their former habits of personal greeting, it may be reasonably doubted whether they were at any period exclusively singular in this usage. Towards the close of the last century, Mr. Pratt found the "kissing ceremony," as he terms it in "modern Athens," it indisputably, once formed the his "Gleanings," common throughout every part of most popular disport of Caledonia, and remnants of the German territories. Persons of both sexes, though the practice are still to be found among the heather. but next door neighbours, were accustomed to em- Mr. Douce copies from the " Orchesographie" of brace when separating, and to present both sides of the Thoinot Arbeau, published in 1588, the music of a face for salutation. So methodical was the practice, Scotish brawl;-but we learn from the "Complaynt that the obstinate refusal of a fastidious young En- of Scotland," printed at St. Andrews, forty years glishman to conform to it, was attributed merely to previous to the above date, that even at that early his fear of exposing an impure breath. period, the Brawl had become so completely natuHowever strange this custom, as a general rite of ralized that it was the ordinary pastoral amusement. ceremonious etiquette, might appear to the gallicThe author of the "Complaynt," speaking of a joyous dames of the 16th century, they, certainly, were not rural assemblage, says "They began to dance in ane unused to the "warm close of lips" in a more familiar ring, evyrie ald scheiphird led his vyfe be the hand, form, or averse to promiscuous caresses in good com- and evyrie yong scheiphird led hyr quhome he luffit pany. "Master" queries Moth, in Love's Labour best." He then proceeds to describe the figure as Lost, "will you win your love with a French brawl?" commencing with " twa bekkis" (nods) and “ vith a On this passage Mr. Douce remarks, that the ancient kysse." English dance denominated a brawl, was an importation from France, with which balls were usually opened; the performers first "uniting hands in a circle," and then, according to an authority in the "language François," printed at Angers, in 1579, the leading couple placing themselves in the centre of the ring," the gentleman saluted all the ladies in turn, and his fair partner each gentleman," the figure continuing until every pair had followed the example set them. The annotator observes, it was probably to this dance, that Stubbes and Northbrooke, two puritanical writers of the Elizabethan age, alluded in their coarse invectives. Northbrooke, the earlier censor, inveighs in very gross terms against "daunces" wherein maidens and matrons are "kissed and dishonestly embraced;" and Stubbes, who far exceeds his predecessor in grossness of language, exclaims, amidst a hurricane of invective, "what clipping, what culling, what kissing and bussing, and smouching one of another." In spite, however, of all opposition, this kissing dance ran a career unparalleled in the history of salutation. It spread from land to land, and every where, from the court to the cottage, was enthusiastically welcomed. We all know, that with our stately "mayden Queene,"-" My grave Lord Keeper led the brawls;" and Wraxall, in his History of France, relates from Bassompierre, that the Duke of Montpensier, only a very few days before he expired, in 1608, was removed from his bed purposely to witness "one of these dances, which was performed in his own palace, by some of the young nobility." Kiss in the ring, yet holds a place among the pastimes of the lower classes, in "Merrie England ;"and though there is but little probability that the Brawl will ever regain its ancient honours in the Though kissing, in these decorous days, is banished from the ball-room, if antiquity of custom might plead privilege, the act of salutation "in graceful movement to harmonious sounds," could be defended on very high precedents. The fanatic Northbrooke indeed, (cited by Mr. Douce), in his fiery zeal against the reigning vices, positively declares that not even the Pagans, ever knew" this newe fashion of dauncing of ours;"-yet a reference to that vast store-house of classic lore, and quaint observation, "The Anatomie of Melancholy," will not only disprove his rash assertion, but so far justify the decried practice, that granting a revival of the usage at Almack's, it might be found productive of the precise results described by Burton, as attendant on its existence in Attica. From his relation, it appears that Xenophon, (at a banquet,) after vainly endeavouring to move the pas sions of Socrates, closed all "with a pleasant inter lude, or dance, of Dionysius and Ariadne,” in which the amorous blandishments of a bride and bridegroom were so correctly displayed to musical cadences, that all the spectators were so ravished at the sight, that the married men hasted home to their wives, and the single ones sought to get married! FEMALE SPY. THE Earl of Surrey, writing to Cardinal Wolsey, says, that he was spared from burning the Priory of the best and assured spyes that wee have in Scotland, Coldstream," bycause the prioresse thereof is oon of for which cawse we may not well spare her."* * Ellis's Original Letters on English History, p. 224. THE progress of the works for forming the approach from Tooley Street to the new London Bridge, has laid open some further remains of the Hostelry of the Prior of Lewes.* These remains consist of a vaulted chamber, forming a parallelogram of about twenty-seven feet in length, by twenty-one feet in width, and originally about ten feet in height; but the earth has accumulated to the depth of about three feet, thus reducing the height, as at present, to about seven feet. The style and character of the building are very similar to that of the chamber before described,† but somewhat plainer and more solid. In the centre is a plain massive round pillar, from the capital of which elliptic-ribbed arches are extended to a flat pier, or pilaster, at each of the four sides of the chamber; and from the pilasters to square quartercolumns at the angles of the chamber, other similar arches are extended, forming a groined roof. The height of the central pillar, including the base and capital, is about six feet. The capital is slightly and roughly sculptured. At the east end of the chamber, on the left hand, is an arched door-way, as appears by the stone jambs; but this door-way is at present stopped up with old stone work of the same kind as that used in the building. On the right, at the east See a former article on this subject, pp. 44-46. + Ibid. p. 45. end, are the remains of an arched window; and on the right of the north side is another window, but both are stopped up with masonry and brickwork. The present entrance is at the left of the north side, by a few wooden steps leading down from the street into a small area, whence an entrance has been made through the wall of the chamber; the crown of the vault being about two feet above the level of the pavement of the street. This entrance, however, seems to have been a modern alteration in the original building. This vault was situated beneath some ancient wooden tenements occupied by very poor people, in the place called Walnut Tree Alley, a small court on the east side of Carter Lane, now pulled down. Most probably this was Stowe's "Hostelry for travellers, which had to sign the Walnut Tree;" and of which Cuthbert Beeston died seized in the 24th of Elizabeth's reign. The vault was perhaps the cellar of the tavern. It was lately used as a cyder cellar. The accompanying view, taken from the west end, near the entrance, shows the door-way on the left of the east end; together with the pillar in the centre, supporting the groined roof.* Q. A ground plan of this remain has been made by Mr. C. E. Gwilt,, for John Gage, Esq. F.R.S., and it will probably appear, with other particulars, in a future volume of the Archæologia."-ED. |