Note 366 — Chapter VIII · BIBLICAL AND RELIGIOUS SIGNS.
Reading edition
New Essays and Characters, by John Stephens the younger, of Lincoln’s Inn, Gent. London, 1631, p. 221.
[367] Randle Holme, “Academy of Armour and Blazon,” p. 52.
[368] Postman, Feb. 1-3, 1711.
[369] “Notandum quoq. eius (pavonis) carnem quod D. Augustinus quoq., lib. xxi. de civitate Dei, cap. iii., et Isidorus, lib. xii., affirmant non putrescere.”—Camerarius, Centur., iii. 20, 1697. How to make this agree with Skelton’s idea it is not very easy to explain—
“Then sayd the Pecocke, All ye well wot, I sing not musycal, For my breast is decay’d.”—Skelton’s Armory of Birds.
[370] See Fosbrooke’s Encyclopædia of Antiquities, vol. ii., p. 673.
[371] For particulars of Topham, the Strong Man, see under Historical Signs.
[372] This statement is made on the authority of Hone, in his “Ancient Mysteries.” Doubts, however, have been expressed as to the accuracy of his data upon this particular subject.
[373] Diary of John Evelyn, Feb. 3, 1684.
[374] Bagford Collection, Bib. Harl., 5931.
[375]
“The wood is cut in order to be burned, Therefore is this Abraham’s sacrifice.”
[376] Jacob’s Inn is mentioned by Hatton, 1708, “on the east side of Red Cross Street near the middle.”
[377] “Amusements for the Meridian of London,” 1706.
[378]
“Moses was found in the water. Whosoever purchases his bread here shall have yeast for nought, Besides a currant-loaf at Easter, and a spice-cake at Christmas time.”
[379] “A Step to Stirbitch Fair,” 1708.
[380] Randle Holme, B. ii., ch. xviii.
[381] Weekly Journal, August 4, 1722.
[382]
“Though Samson by his strength could overcome the lion, Defeat the Philistines and master the foxes, Yet a woman deprived him of his sight; Never, therefore, believe a woman unless she has no head.”
This alludes to the Good Woman, described elsewhere in this work.
Samson’s history was not only painted on the signboard, but also sung in ballads, “to the tune of the Spanish Pavin.” Amongst the Roxburgh ballads (vol. i. fol. 366) there is one entitled “A most excellent and famous ditty of Sampson, judge of Israel, how hee wedded a Philistyne’s daughter, who at length forsooke him; also how hee slew a lyon and propounded a riddle, and after how hee was falsely betrayed by Dalila, and of his death.”
[383] See Bibliographia Britannica, voce Golias, and Wright’s History of Caricature.
[384]
“Like to the hart which comes to the water brook to refresh himself, So you enter my house to quench your thirst.”
[385] The first six words are literally the beginning of the psalm in the Dutch version,—
“Like a hart the hunt escaped, wishes for the limpid water brooks, So there is here tobacco, beer, and brandy for sale to strengthen the stomach.”
[386] For the true origin of this sign, see under Miscellaneous Signs.
[387] A Royalist paper, entitled, “The Man in the Moon discovering a world of wickedness under the Sun,” July 4, 1649.
[388] Cromwell’s History of Clerkenwell, p. 32.
[389] “As soon as I had seen your theatre I left it, to go to an Angel whom I adore on account of his good wine.”
[390] Even in the most remote periods of history three was considered a mystic number, and regarded with reverence. The Assyrians had their triads. In Ancient Egypt every town or district had its own triad, which it worshipped, and which was a union of certain attributes, the third member proceeding from the other two. Sir Gardiner Wilkinson, in his “Ancient Egyptians,” vol. iv., ch. xii., p. 230, mentions a stone with the words “one Bail, one Athor, one Akori, hail father of the world, hail triformous God.” Thoms, in his “Dissertation on Ancient Chinese Vases,” says:—“The Chinese have a remarkable preference for the number three; they say one produced two, two produced three, and three produced all things. There is something remarkable in this last phrase; perhaps it conveys an indistinct idea of the Trinity. The Buddhists, who are of modern date in China, use the term ‘the three precious ones’—‘the Deity that has ruled, the ruling Deity, and the Deity that shall rule.’ The Taore sect have also their ‘three pure ones.’ The number three has many associations, as the three bonds—a prince and minister, father and son, husband and wife; the three superintendents—the treasurer, judge, and collector of customs; the three powers—heaven, earth, and man,” &c. In the Hindoo religion combinations of three are equally frequent: they have several trimustis or trinities; three principal deities, Brahma, Vishnu, and Mahadeva; another triad is Brahma, Vishnu, and Siva, or matter, spirit, and destruction; there are three plaited locks on the head of Radha, representing a mystical union of three principal rivers, Ganges, Yamuna, and Sarawati. Siva has three eyes; the sun is called three-bodied; the triangle with the Hindoos is a favourite type for the triune co-equality, hence the pentagram (a figure composed of two equilateral triangles, placed with the apex of the one towards the base of the other, and so forming six triangles by the intersections of their sides) is in great favour with them; further, they use three mystic letters to denote their deity; have 3 × 7 hells, (seven is also a mystic number with them and other ancient races,) and many other combinations of three. The same preference for this number is observable in the Greek and Roman mythology, which mentions three theocraties, three graces, three fates, three harpies, three syrens, three heads of Cerberus, three eggs of Leda, &c. And, taking 3 as a unit, 3 × 3 muses, 3 × 4 principal gods, (Dii Majores,) 3 × 4 labours of Hercules, &c.
[391] London Gazette, Nov 8 to 11, 1680.
[392] Cunningham’s Handbook to London, p. 470.
[393] Soap, wax, tallow, and similar articles were part of the merchandise in which the Hanse merchants dealt.
[394] Kingdom’s Intelligencer, April 6-13, 1663.
[395] Stow’s Survey of London.
[396] See a woodcut of an Amiens pilgrim’s token in the Journal of Brit. Arch. Assoc., vol. i., Oct. 1848; also a detailed account of this venerable relic in Coryatt’s Crudities vol. i, p. 17.
[397] Name of one of the arches of old London Bridge.
[398]
“In the town of Paris there is a bridge named St Michael, On which there are many houses; but one of them is more known than the others. That is the house I mean, which is known by the sign of the Baptist Head. There the bookseller will answer you. Would you also like to know the name of the printer? John Carcain is his name. Now, do not ask any more. Farewell.”
[399]
“Like wine, fine, Driveth away care; So medicine cureth pain, And delivers us from suffering.”
[400] Coryatt’s Crudities, vol i., p. 41.
[401] From his colophon we see that the Trinity on his sign was represented by a triangle with a circle at each angle, respectively containing the words PATER, FILIUS, SPIRITUS, and, between the circles, on each of the sides of the triangle, the words NON EST, a mystical way of representing the Trinity, very common in the middle ages.