Imatges de pàgina
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on that occafion: their iffue adopted the idea; and holding it as a great honour to retain thofe badges, which their fathers had worn in the holy war, not only bore them during their lives, but tranfmitted them to their pofterity as permanent marks of family distinction. In confequence of this, the great lords and principal gentry did not only continue thofe badges and marks on their fhields, but, in order to be better known and diftinguished, had the like badges and devices depicted on the breafs and backs of the tunics and furcoats which they wore over their armour, as aifo on the caparifons of their horfes. This fashion of furcoats, fpread over their coats of mail, and reaching down to their heels, Sir William Dugdale, from John Rous, informs us, commenced in the reign of King John; but it certainly was of an earlier date, and introduced about the middle of the twelfth century; fince we find the figure of Galfridus Earl of Richmond, who died anno 1186, reprefented in that dress on his feals *. Arms, having thus increafed and become hereditary, foon acquired fuch an acceffion of eftimation and importance, that they were fometimes transferred, as tefimonies of favour and affection, from the legal poffeffor to fome other perfont; and being no longer affumable at pleasure by any man whatfoever, they came to be confidered as proper remunerations of merit, valour, and good fervices performed; fo that princes, kings, emperors, and their generals and commanders, whilft in the field, as Guillim obferves 1," beflowed them on mar "tial men, whofe valourous merits, even in juftice, required due "recompence of honour anfwerable unto their worthy acts; the re"membrance whereof could not better be preferved and derived unto

pofterity, than by these kinds of honourable rewards." In imitation of this practice, feveral great earls affumed to themselves the privilege of granting, by their letters patent, particular arms, together with titles and places of dignity, to the inferior gentry, and fuch perfons as they deemed meritorious, although not ranked among their immediate tenants and dependents §.'

We fhall infert one quotation more, becaufe to many of our Readers it may appear curious. It refpects the origin of the office of Herald.

We learn from Bertrand Caprioli, and others, that anciently it was customary for the Emperors to take under their more immediate care and protection, fuch of their best, most experienced, and valiant foldiers of gentilitial birth, as had been either grievously wounded or maimed in their wars, and to provide them with victuals and all forts of neceffaries for their fupport; that these foldiers were diftinguished by the appellation of Veterani, or veterans; that great refpect was paid to them, as well on account of their ancient descent, and experience in feats of arms and matters of warfare, as of their having hazarded their lives in the fervice of the Emperor and the

Regift. Hon. de Richmond, Sigil. 5.

+ See Camden's Remains, where are feveral inftances of fuch grants.

1 Introduction to Guillim's Difplay of Heraldry.

See Grant of Arms from Humphrey, Earl of Stafford and Perche, to Robert "Whitgrove, in Camden's Remains,

Bertrand Caprioli, under the word militia, cited by Nic. Upton, de militari officio, lib. i. cap. 8. Laboureur l'Origine d'Aimes, p. 118,

Public;

Public; and that the undertaking and profecution of fieges and engagements, and the conduct of all other military affairs, were carried on by their advice, and under their direction. On thefe accounts, the frequent attendance of the Veterani on the perfons of their imperial masters became neceffary; and the affiftance they from time to time afforded, foon encouraged the emperors to employ them in carrying meffages unto, and negotiating and fettling matters of difpute with, their enemies and rebellious fubjects. As, on thefe occafions, they obferved the most profound fecrecy and honour, never betraying or divulging the ftate and condition of the one party to the other, they established their reputation with people of all ranks and nations, to whom they were fent, infomuch that, by general confent, they paffed freely, unmolefted, and refpected, through the countries and armies of the princes with whom their master was at war, and were by thofe princes received, treated, and difmiffed with fafety, civility, and esteem.

The inftitution of jufts, tilts, and tournaments, which originated in Germany, feems to have opened a new field for the employment of the Veterans. The practice of thofe trials of kill and prowess was esteemed a proper and honourable fchool and feminary, in times of peace, for young gentlemen to learn initiatory exercifes fit for a military life; to keep them from floth and idleness; to habituate them to the use of arms; and to roufe in them a spirit of emulation, and thirst after glory, whereby they might acquire honour to themfelves, and benefit to their country. But at the fame time it was neceffary, that thofe exercifes fhould be performed under due regulations, and the infpection of fuch perfons as were best qualified to manage and conduct them. The task therefore naturally devolved upon the Veterans, who, from their former course of life, could best judge and determine on thofe matters, and who, from their neceffary acquaintance with families and perfons of the nobility and gentry, and the characters of each individual, knew whether they were properly admiffible within the lifts, no one being permitted to enter into them, against whom there was any fufpicion of reproach, that is, who was fuppofed to have committed any action unworthy of a gentleman; a method of exclufion, which was looked upon as a proper motive to polish the manners, and give an inoffenfive elegance of behaviour, in an age when all young gentlemen were eager to get a reputation by their addrefs in tilting. The feudal fyftem, as hath been herein before obferved, which began to fpread itself over the western and northern parts of Europe, nearly about the fame time that tilts and tournaments became fashionable, had introduced and established tenures by knights fervice; the holders of lands under which tenure, according to the condition thereof, and the quantity of land held by them, were obliged to furnish a flated number of knights or military horfemen, ready to engage in the fupport and defence of their prince and country. Thofe tenants, in order that they might readily be known and diftinguished from each other, feverally affumed fome particular device or token, and bore it upon their respective banners, furcoats, and fhields; and as no other perfons were then deemed to be noblemen or gentlemen, fuch devices, afterwards called arms, became the gentilitial tokens and enfigns of

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the families who had fo affumed them. In like manner, the challengers who offered to engage in tournaments, tilts, and jufts, in proof of their gentility, hung up, at the entrance of the lifts, fhields charged with their devices and fymbols; as did likewife the acceptors, no one who had not a certificate from the Veterans, of his being a gentleman, and of which his device, fymbol, or arms, was the criterion, being permitted to tourney. Hence therefore a new branch of bufinefs fell into the province of the Veterans, they being under a neceffity of making themselves acquainted, not only with the different enfigns of princes, but with the diftin&t devices each family had affumed and arrogated to itfelf, and of preventing fuch confufion as might arife from bearing them improperly.'

Mr. Edmondfon relates many curious and interesting facts. concerning the hiftory of the middle ages: his authorities are faithfully cited; and he feems not to labour under any defect of materials but we must observe, that these materials are not always arranged in the happiest manner. The performance abounds with useless repetitions; the ftyle is generally careless and inelegant; and there is fuch a deficiency of tafte in every part of the work, that whatever rank Mr. E. may hold as an HERALD, he is not entitled to the most honourable distinction as an AUTHOR. Even in the chapter which treats of the blazoning of arms, or of the principles of Heraldry, confidered as a fcience, we meet with many terms in the beginning of the dilcourfe, which no reader who is not already acquainted with the fcience which Mr. E. means to teach him, can be fuppofed to understand. He appears to be totally inattentive to the fimpleft rules commonly obferved in the art of book-making. There is a copious Table of Contents, but without any reference to the pages where the particulars are to be found. Some parts of the Armorial science are explained by engravings. The Reader is directed to look at Figure I. but is not told where this figure is placed. After turning over the first volume to no purpose, he concludes that his copy is imperfect; till by accident he looks into the second volume, and there finds the figures illuftrating what is faid in the first. Such inaccuracies are peculiarly un fortunate in a work which is recommended to our attention as a magazine of useful facts. The great excellence of a magazine is, that, as we have occafion for its contents, we can readily find them.

Notwithstanding these defects (which we are forry to obferve), Mr. Edmondfon's work must be confidered as the moft full and comprehenfive, and confequently the most useful BODY OF HERALDRY, which this country has yet produced. The undertaking was vast, and expenfive; and, on the whole, it will probably be long before we shall fee it excelled by any other production of the kind,

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ART. XI. The Candidate, a Poetical Epiftle to the Authors of the Monthly Review. 4to. 1 s. 6d. H. Payne. 1780.

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O usual is it for a disappointed Writer to vent his fpleen upon the Reviewers, that we fully expected the poem before us, judging from its addrefs, had been an effufion of that • It is angry paffion. It feems, however, we were mistaken. publifhed," fays the Author, with a view of obtaining the opinion of the candid and judicious Reader, on the merits of the Writer as a Poet; very few, he apprehends, being in such cases fufficiently impartial to decide for themselves.' And, as to critics of acknowledged merit (we thank him for the acknowledgment), it is addreffed to the Monthly Reviewers.'

The fituation which we are drawn into by this addrefs, is fuch as might bring upon us, on the one hand, the imputation of moroseness, should we not be foftened by a compliment which few patrons can withstand; and on the other, fhould we treat this epiftle with a lenity which the ftricteft impartiality would not justify, it might reasonably be fufpected, that we had fuffered our judgment to be duped by flattery. To avoid, therefore, every imputation or fufpicion of either kind, let the Poem fpeak for itself.

Say then, O ye who tell how Authors speed,
May Hope indulge hér flight, and I fucceed?
Say, fhall my name, to future fong prefix'd,
Be with the meaneft of the tuneful mix'd?
Shall my foft ftrains the modest maid engage,
My graver numbers move the filver'd fage,
My tender themes delight the lover's heart,
And comfort to the poor my folemn fongs impart ?

For O! thou Hope's, thou Thought's eternal King,
Who gav'ft them power to charm, and me to fing-
Chief to thy praife my willing numbers foar,
And in my happier tranfports I adore ;
Mercy! thy fofteft attribute proclaim,
Thyself in abstract, thy more lovely name;
That flings o'er all my grief a cheering ray,
As the full moon-beam gilds the watery way.
And then too Love, my foul's refiftless lord,
Shall many a gentle, generous ftrain afford,
To all the foil of footy paffion blind,
Pure as embracing angels, and as kind;
Our Mira's name in future times fhall fhine,
And-though the harfheft-fhepherds envy mine;
Then let me, (pleafing task!) however hard,
Join, as of old, the prophet and the bard;
If not, ah! fhield me from the dire disgrace
That haunt's our wild and vifionary race;
Let me not draw my lengthen'd lines along,
And tire in untam'd infamy of song,

Left,

Left, in fome difmal Dunciad's future page,
I ftand the CIBBER of this tunelefs age,
Left, if another POPE th' indulgent skies
Should give, infpir'd by all their deities,
My luckless name, in his immortal strain,
Should, blafted, brand me as a fecond Cain;
Doom'd in that fong to live against my will,
Whom all muft fcorn, and yet whom none could kill.
The youth, refifted by the maiden's art,
Perfifts, and time fubdues her kindling heart;
To ftrong entreaty yields the widow's vow,
As mighty walls to bold befiegers bow :
Repeated prayers draw bounty from the sky,
And heaven is won by importunity;
Ours, a projecting tribe, purfue in vain,
In tedious trials, an uncertain gain;

Madly plunge on through every hope's defeat,

And with our ruin only, find the cheat.'

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The Author of this Epiftle, of whofe merit our readers may probably by this time form no unfavourable opinion, will not, we are perfuaded; think we mean

to damn (as he expreffes himself) with mutilated praife, if we intimate that, befide fome few other trifling inaccuracies, his rhymes are not always regulated by the pureft standard of pronunciation: for inftance, fhone, moon, gods, abodes, &c. Thefe are petty blemishes, which, fhould a future edition be called for, might eafily be removed. And we would then also recommend to him to confider, whether his Poem, which bears evident marks of hafte, might not admit of improvement in other refpects; particularly one in which it is materially defective-the want of a fubject to make a proper and forcible impreffion on the mind: where this is wanting, the best verses will lofe their effect.

MONTHLY CATALOG U E, For SEPTEMBER, 1780.

POLITICAL.

Art. 12. Domestic Peace and Good Humour effential to national Happiness. Addreffed to a Member of Parliament. Small 8vo. 1 s. 6d. Johnfon. 1780.

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O argue against the use of any thing from its abufe, is one of those shallow arts of fophiftry which is certain, in the end, to betray the cause it is meant to fupport. The prefent Writer, under the fpecious pretence of expofing the impropriety of indifcriminate oppofition to the meafures of government, artfully endeavours to infinuate that all oppofition, especially in material points, is inconfiftent with the fafety of the state. Is not a certain confidence, fays he, in minifters of ftate acquainted with the business of it, neceffary

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