PICTORIAL NIMBUS OR GLORY.

Can any of your antiquarian readers give any illustrations of the Nimbus of painters, especially in reference to this sacred ornament of the heads of the Savicur and the Virgin Mary in particular; I mean as to its distinctive character, and as expressive of a particular age, or artist? One form, which is perhaps rather more rare than the circlet of light, though it is sometimes used with it, is, I believe, that of the small pointed flame resting upon the crown of the head. I wish to ascertain if this is indicative of a particular school, and of what school of art, as well as to have a reference or two to any remarkable pictures where examples of it are met with?

BIBLICAL MISTRANSLATION CORRECTED.

Joshua said in the sight of Israel-Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; and thou, Moon, in the valley of Ajalon. Ch. x., v. 12. In the Hebrew, the Rev. Stephen Weston observes, the reading is-Sun be thou silent on Gibeon, etc. Dum sile, Zwa. Aquila, Ilavoov, cease to shine, in the Heavenly bodies, is non-appearance or absence. Lunæ silentis dies est interlunium. Plin, lib. xvi., c. 74. Virgil's Per amica silentia lunæ, is in the dark; and when the Greeks sailed unobserved to Troy, 'silentem lunum,' minimè tum lucentem. Politian. in locum. See also Deborah's song, where the stars fought against Sisera, by not lending their light, and his army, in the dark, was driven into the brook Kishon. Dante, Inferno, cap. 1., says—

Mi ripingeva là, dove'l sol tace.

These authorities shew that the original word might have been rendered literally, and not to have occasioned for its explanation the appearance of a miracle. Further, it is evident, the prolongation of light was not the object of Joshua's injunction to the Sun, because he adds, the Moon, which whilst the Sun was above the horizon, could have been of no effect. The prayer was made to the Lord, and the command given probably to enable the army of Joshua, to prolong the fight a whole day in a hot country, at the summer solstice, which would otherwise appear to have been impracticable under a meridian sun. Standing, and not hastening to go down, are expressions intelligible enough, of objects whose motion is not perceivable, when obscured by a cloudy atmosphere.

J. C.

The Emperor Napoleon, on the occasion of the baptism of the Prince Imperial, has presented the Pope with a superb piece of Gobelins' tapestry, and a baptismal font. The chef-d'oeuvre of Caravaggio, in the Vatican, the Descent from the Cross, is the subject of the tapestry; and the font, ornamented with symbols of the Evangelists, is of Sévres porcelain.

PORSON. The following translation of the Latin charade to Miss Laura Crow, in Current Notes, p. 75, is submitted for insertion.

Late, fondly gazing on your charms,
Laura! from me, my first, you stole;
Yet, haply clasp me in your arms :
The loss you caused would soon be whole.
But, than my first, more cold is thine,
As than my second, thine more fair;
While from yon oak, dull croaks divine
To ill starr'd hopes nought but despair.
Answer, Cor-nix.

N. H.

earth, yet maintain an indissoluble bond of union and The Jews, although scattered over the face of the common interest. In every country they are as it were the servants, but the time may come when they will virtually be the masters in their turn. Even at the present day, are they not to a great extent the arbiters of the between the different States, by the mysterious power fate of Europe, maintaining on the one hand, the bond of wealth which they possess; and on the other, loosening the ties of social life, and introducing or fostering ideas of change and revolution among various peoples? In the Jewish nation stirs the Nemesis of the destiny of Europe. VON HAXTHAusen.

Holford House, situated near the north gate, in the Great Park of the Regent's Park, upon which the late proprietor expended, it is said, not less than fifty thousand pounds, the sewer thence to Hanover Gate cost five thousand, after being for the last two years a subject of much speculation, has been purchased by the Baptist Communion. The purpose being to move to this new and advantageous position the establishment of the Baptist College, now at Stepney; and in which, in addition to the training persons for the ministry, arrangements are to be effected for the reception of a limited number of lay-students. The committee are to have immediate possession. Report states the purchase money was 7000l., but in the Times of the 14th inst., it is saidTo complete the purchase, the sum of 80007. is required, towards which, however, 50007. has been already raised, Sir S. M. Peto having headed the list with the munificent donation of 1000%. Possibly this involves the money required for alterations to adapt the building for collegiate purposes. The land, probably about nine acres, within a ring fence, without the garden-wall of Holford House, is rented from the Crown, at nine pounds per acre per annum.

No. LXXI.]

ON A NYMPH SLEEPING BY A FOUNTAIN.

The subjoined Latin Epigram, more elegant even than Professor Porson's, is to be found in the Anthologia Latina, vol. I. page 62. I send you two versions; the English is the well known one of Pope, which some of your readers may not be sorry to have again brought to their remembrance; the other is a Greek translation of my own; I trouble you with it only in the hope that it may elicit one from an abler pen.

Hujus Nympha loci, sacri custodia fontis,

Dormio, dum blandæ sentio murmur aquæ ;
Parce meum, quisquis tangis cava murmura, somnum
Rumpere; sive bibas, sive lavere, tace.

Nymph of the Grot! these sacred springs I keep,
And to the murmur of these waters sleep;
Oh! spare my slumbers! gently tread the cave,
Or drink in silence, or in silence lave!

Κρουνών "Ερκειος Νυμφὰ γλυκερώτατον ὕπνον
"Ευδω- τοις ψιθυροις ὕδασι θελγόμενα·
Οιτινες εισερχέσθε, θέρει, ἐμα κοιλα μελάθρα,
Σίγατ ̓ ἔιτε πίητ ̓, ἔιτε λοῆσθε, φίλοι.
Newport, Essex.

WILLIAM HILDYARD.

PICTORIAL NIMBUS OR GLORY.

Your correspondent E. B., has been referred to the best authorities on the subject of the Nimbus, yet it may be of service to inform him, that in a page illumination representing the festival of the Pentecost, in a beautifully executed Dutch missal, in my possession, which I suppose, from the character of the illuminations, to be of the early part of the Fifteenth Century; there are shewn the Twelve Apostles, six being on either side of the Virgin, who is seated on a sort of dais; with a circular Nimbus round their heads, and in addition, the red pointed flame mentioned by your correspondent, almost touching the heads. The absence of it over the head of the Virgin is compensated by the substitution of what appears to have been a White Dove, but in consequence of the colour having been laid on the burnished gold, it has suffered greatly by friction, and this supposition of mine may be liable to some little doubt. Ruskin, if I remember rightly, in his Lectures. delivered at Edinburgh, stated that the Dutch Missals are much inferior in point of execution to the English and French, but the one to which I have referred, is certainly an exception to this rule.

[NOVEMBER, 1856.

THE TERM HARDEN JEWS' EXPLAINED. In ages long since gone by, the application of Harden Jews,' was the cognomen given to the inhabitants of a small town in Flintshire, about five miles from Chester; called Hawarden, but commonly pronounced Harden. The term, singular as it may seem, is thus accounted for by a recent traveller in Wales, who met with the elucidation in some legendary traditions which he gathered, in his progress.

During the reign of Cynan ap Elis ap Anarawd, king of Gwynedd North, at Hardin, was a Christian temple, and in it a rood-loft, in which was placed an image of the Virgin Mary, bearing in its hands a large cross, called the Holy Rood. To this object of their adoration, the inhabitants, during the hot and dry summer of the year 946, addressed their supplications, and ardently implored rain, but unhappily without effect. Among others was the Lady Trowst, wife of Sitsilt, then governor of Harden Castle; but it so happened that while in prayer, the Holy Rood, from some unknown cause, fell upon her, and killed her. Incensed beyond control, a great tumult ensued, and it was at length determined not only to try the said Virgin for the murder of the Lady, but also for the inattention or neglect in not responding to the entreaties for rain from the numerous petitioners. The dumb made of hands' representative of Her Majesty of Heaven,' unable to reply to the charges exhibited against her, was deemed guilty, and the sentence was hanging, but one Span of Mancot, who was one of the judges, opposed this act, by saying it was best to drown the image, since it was rain for which they had prayed. This amelioration of the sentence was fiercely opposed by another of the triers named Corbin of the Gate, who advised that she should be laid on the sands, near the river. This proposition received the general assent, and on the tide receding, the water bore off placidly on its bosom the image of Our Lady,' to a place near the wall of the City of Chester, where on the following day it was found drowned and dead;' and in consequence, those by whom she was discovered burned her, and raised a monument, thus inscribed: The Jews their God did crucify,

The Hard'ners theirs did drown;
Because their wants she'd not supply,
And placed her under this cold stone.

This incident, it is said, caused the name of the river that had been hitherto called the Usk, to be changed to Rood-Die, or Rood-Dee.

VOL. VI.

L

TAPER OF EXORCISM, LAUNCESTON, CORNWALL. The church of St. Mary Magdalen, Launceston, was erected early in the sixteenth century by the munificence of Sir Henry Trecarrel, who, conscious of being the last scion of that old Cornish family, desired in this noble manner to perpetuate his name and his piety. The architecture of the church, as may be supposed, is not remarkable for its purity of taste; the faults of the style are, however, amply redeemed by the unique mode of carving that adorns the whole exterior of the building, on which, among other ornaments, amid heraldic pomp, or graceful fancy, figure the arms of the town, and of the Trecarrels; the rich pomegranate, the slender feather of the Prince of Wales, and the blended roses of the House of Tudor.

Over the north door of this church, is observable the relic of Romish belief here depicted. It represents the Taper that was customarily yearly extinguished, at the time that Satan with his influence was supposed to be expelled from the church. In this especial instance, the representation of the Taper of Exorcism carries with it an additional interest of being one of the last monu

ments Papacy was enabled to raise for itself in the churches of Merrie England; but with the dawn of the Reformation, the light that shone on the Church was unable to bury totally in the shade of deserved oblivion those ceremonies which had long occupied the minds of the people. The character of the English was then, as now, tenacious of old manners and observances; and it was only by degrees that a plainer and purer belief could be instilled into them.

The ceremonies of the Church of Rome joined itself with a superstitious fear of the north side of the church, in accordance with which the north door was frequently blocked up; a custom that still lingers in the darker part of of our land. Very lately, a clergyman informed me it was with some difficulty he prevailed on the parishioners of a village in one of the Midland counties, to turn the rusty locks and unloosen the heavy bars of the north door of the church, in order to proceed with a

funeral. The fear of the north side of the church-yard as the favourite abode of unquiet ghosts and noisy spirits has possibly died out, but it is possible that some of your readers may have noticed instances of it, even in these days of enlightenment.

I should be glad of further information with regard to the ceremonies and observances enjoined on the occasion, when Satanic scores were cleared off for the year to come. I know of no other example of the sculptured Taper of Exorcism, sculptured over the north door, than that under notice, which is evidently debased in its style. Should however earlier examples be extant, I shall be thankful to know their situations and date. Nov. 1.

T. HARWOOD PATTISON.

COLUMNAR ORNAMENT IN GULVAL CHURCH.

The interior of Gulval church was formerly, as occasion required, lime-whited, but about five or six years since, the vicar, the Rev. W. W. Wingfield, caused the whole to be cleansed of the lime-wash, and on an octagon pillar, were discovered two lables painted; on the first and third of three sides, the words, in Gothic characters, IN GRATIAM CHRISTI; and on the second, between the labels, the following device or figure :

What is this centre representation? Is it intended for an olive branch? This discovery has occasioned much discussion here. A beacon it is not; nor are there any notches for footholds to the summit. It is unquestionably intended to pourtray a plant, though of what description is doubtful. Nothing of the kind grows in the neighbourhood, to my knowledge. All sorts of people have endeavoured to comprehend its meaning, but without success, probably some of your readers may explain this difficulty?

ARMS OF THE BARBER SURGEONS' COMPANY.

The original grant of arms to the Company of Barber Surgeons, by Garter, Clarencieux and Norroy, in 1569, is on parchment, having on three sides, a floriated border, with, at the top, the arms of Queen Elizabeth, between a Tudor rose, and a fleur-de-lis, or, each within a wreath, vert.

On the margin, on the left side of the grant, are emblazoned the arms, crest, supporters, and motto-DE PRESCIENTIA DEI of the Company of Barber Surgeons; and on the right side, a portcullis, or, encircled within a wreath, vert.

The initial T, at the commencement, is of large size and illuminated; within it is the representation of Dethick, or Garter King of Arms, in his official tabard; and below, the date 1562.

Reference in this grant is made to heraldic insignia here stated to have been assigned by "King Henry th Eight of famouse memory," to the Company of Surgeons solely, but for which no patent appeared; Garter and his associates seem not to have known that these arms

To all and singuler as well Kinges, Herehaultes, and Officers of Armes, as Nobles, Gentlemen and others to whome these presentes shall come, be seene, heard, read, or understand, Sir GILBERT DETHICKE, Knight, alias Garter principall Kinge of Armes; ROBERT COOKE, Esquire, alias Clarencieulx Kinge of Armes of the south partes of Englande; and WILLIAM FLOWER, Esquire, alias Norroy Kinge of Armes of the northe partes of Englande, send greetinge in our Lorde God euerlastinge.

Forasmuch as aunciently from the beginninge the valiaunt and vertuouse actes of excellent personnes haue ben comended to the worlde and posterite with sondrey monumentes and remembrances of their goode deseartes, Emongst the which the chiefest and most usuall, hath ben the bearinge of signes and tokens in shildes, called armes, beinge none other thinges then euidences and demonstracions of prowesse and valoir diversly distributed accordinge to the qualytes and deseartes of the persons meritinge the same. To th'entent that such as have don cōmendable seruice to their prince or countrey, either in warre, or peace, or otherwyse, by laudable and couragiouse entreprices, or proceedinge of eny person, or persons, in th'augmentacion of the estate or comon wealth of their realme, or countrey, might therby receyve due honor in their lyues, and also deryue the same successively to their successors and posterite for euer. And whereas in the Citie of London, th'experience and practise of the science and facultie of Chirurgery is most

requisite, and duly to be exercysed, and experimented for the preseruacion of meny, and by th'occasion of the practise thereof meny expert persons be brought up and experimented to the relief, succour, and helpe of an infinite nomber of persons; and for as much as within this Citie of London, there were two severall cōpanyes th'one by the name of Barbours Chirurgeons, and th'other by the name of Chirurgeons onely; the Barbours Chirurgeons being incorporate, and th'other not, and both occupyenge th'arte of Chirurgery, wheruppon greate cōtention did arise; and for that it was most meete and necessary that the sayd two cōpanyes shuld be vnited, and made one hole body, and so incorporated to th'entent, that by their vnion and often assembly togither th'exercyse and knowledge of their science and mistery might appeere as well in practise, as in speculation, not onely to themselfes but to others vnder theim: So that it was thought most meete and cōuenient upon graue and greate cōsideracion to vnyte and joyne the said two cōpanyes in one, which was don as may appeere by an acte of Parleament in ano [1540] xxxij of Henry th'Eight, in these wordes :

Be it enacted, by the Kinge, our Souereigne Lorde, and the lordes spirituall and temporall, and the cōmons of the same, that the sayde two severall and distinct companies, that is to say bothe the Barbours Chageons, and the Sourgeons, and every parson of theam, beinge a freeman of either of the saide cōpanies after the custome of the sayde Citie of London, and their successours, from hencefoorthe immediatly be vnyted, and made one entier and whole body corporate, and one societie perpetuall, which at all tymes heerafter shalbe called by the name of Maisters and Gouernours of the mistery and comunalty of Barbours and Surgeons of London, for euermore, and by none other

name.

In consideracion wherof, and for that it doth appeere a thinge most requisite for the vnitinge of these two cōpanyes togither, and for that th'occupation of the Barbours Chirurgeons, beinge incorporate hath since the tyme of Kinge Henry the Sixt, used and boren armes, that is to say, Sables, a cheueron between three flewmes, argent, which were unto them assigned onely by the gifte and assignement of Clarencieulx, Kinge of armes, as by the patent thereof doth and may more plainly appeere, and since th'vnitynge of the sayde two copanies these armes of the sayd corporation of Barbours Chirurgeons hath ben used, and none other.

Yet, notwithstandinge the late Kinge Henry th'Eight of famouse memory, assigned and gave vnto the Company of the Chirurgeons onely, a cognoysance, which is, a Spatter thereon a rose gules, crowned golde, for their warrant in fielde, but no authorite by warrant, for the bearinge of the same in shilde as armes, and for that it pleased the same Kinge Henry th'eight, not onely to unite and incorporate these two cōpanyes togither by acte of Parleament but also hath ratifyed and cōfirmed the same by his letters patents, under the greate seale of Englande, and so lately cōfirmed by the Queenes Majestie that now is, And whereas, Thomas Galle, in the third yere of the Queenes Majesties reigne that now is, beinge maister; Alexander Mason, John Standon, Robert Mudesley, governors of the same corporation, mistery and comunaltie of Barbours and Chirurgeons, beinge desirouse to have some signes and tokens of honor, added and augmented to th'olde and auncient armes of the Barbours Chirurgeons, not onely for a perpetuall memory

as well of the famouse prince Kinge Henry th'Eight, their founder and patrone, but also for a further declaration of th'vnitinge of those two cōpanies togither, did instantly require the late Clarencieulx Heruey to cōsider the premisses, and to shew his endevor therin.

Who findinge their request just and lawfull, did graunt and give unto theim, by his letters patentes, under the hand and seale bearinge date the 5th of July [1561,] in the third yere of the reigne of the Queens Majestie that now is, an augmentacion in chief to their old and auncient armes with heaulme and creast to the same, which chief was paly argent and vert, on a pale gules, a lyon passant gardant, golde, betweene two spatters, argent, on eche a double rose, gules and argent, crowned golde; and to their creast, on a torce, silver and sables, an Opinicus, golde, mantelled gules, doubled argent.

And further, in the tyme of Robert Basthrop, Esquire, Sergeaunt of the Queenes Majesties Chirurgeons, then beinge maister of the said mistery and cōmunalty of the Barbours and Chirurgeons; and George Vaughan, Richard Hughes, and George Corron, Governors of the same corporation, the sayd Clarencieulx Heruey, did graunt unto the sayd Corporation, two supporters to those armes, before given theim, which were two Linxe, in their proper coulor, aboute their neckes a crowne with a chayne, argent, pendent thereat as by the sayde letters patentes more plainly doth appeere. Yet notwithstandinge, for as much as it doth plainly appeere vnto us, the sayd Garter, Clarencieulx and Norroy, Kinges of Armes, that the aforesayd armes in some respectes were not onely contrary to the wordes of the corporation of the sayd Barbours and Chirurgeons, but that also in the same patent of armes there are sondrey other thinges contrary, and not agreinge with the auncient lawes and rules of

armes.

We the sayd Kinges of Armes, by power and authorite to us comited by letters patent under the greate Seale of Englande, have confirmed, giuen, and graunted, the foresayde armes, creast, and supporters heretofore mentioned to be boren in maner and fourme heer after specified. That

is to say

Quarterly, the first, sables, a cheveron betweene three flewmes, argent. The seconde quarter, per pale, argent and vert, on a spatter of the first, a double rose, gules and argent, crowned golde. The third quarter as the seconde; and the fourth, as the first; over all, on a crosse, gules, a lyon passant gardant, golde; and to their Creast, upon the heaulme on a Torce, argent and sables, an Opinicus, golde, mantelled gules, doubled argent, supported with two Linxe in their proper coulor about their neckes, a crowne with a chayne, argent, pendent thereat, as more plainly appeerith depicted in this margent.

Which Armes, Creast, and Supporters, and every parte and parcell thereof, We the sayd Kinges of Armes, have confirmed, ratified, giuen, and graunted, and by these presentes, do ratify, confirme, giue, and graunt, unto Richard Tholmowed, maister of the sayd mistery and comunaltie; Nicholas Archenbolde, Thomas Burston, and John Fielde, gouvernors of the sayd Corporation, Mistery, and Cōmunaltie of Barbours and Chirurgeons, and to their successors, by the name of Maister and Gouvernours, and to the whole assistantes, company, and fellowshippe of the sayd Corporation, mistery, and comunaltie of Barbours and Chirurgeons, within this Citie of London, and to their successors for euermore, and they the same to haue, holde, vse, beare, enjoy, and shewforthe in shylde, seale, banner,

or bannerrolles; standard, or standardes; penon, or penons; pencell, or pencelles; or otherwise, to their honors and worshippes at all tymes, and for euer heerafter, at their libertie and pleasure without the impediment, let, molestation, or interruption of eny person, or persones.

In witnesse whereof, We the sayd Ġarter, Clarencieulx, and Norroy, Kinges of Armes, haue signed these presentes with our handes and affixed therunto, our severall Seales of Armes, the second day of June, in the yere of the nativitie of our Lorde Jesus Christ [1569,] and in the eleventh yere of the reigne of our most dread Souvereyne, Lady Elizabeth, by the grace of God, Queene of Englande, Fraunce, and Irelande, defender of the faithe, etc. GILBERT DETHICK, alias Garter, principall Kinge of Armes.

ROBERT COOKE, alias Clarencieulx Roy Darmes. p moy WYLLIAM FLOWER, alias Norroy Roy Darmes. Entered, approved, and allowed, in the Visitation made 1634. HEN. ST. GEORGE, Richmond.

On referring to Chambers' Biographical Dictionary of eminent Scotsmen, art., Alexander Gordon, it will be seen how very little is known respecting him: the following letter addressed to Anderson, the Scotish antiquary, and dated August 19, 1723, will therefore doubtless be perused with some interest :

Sir, Since you did me the favour of lending me Sibbald's book, I have been much instructed and informed by it, I have therefore ranged over all the booksellers' shops in town in search of purchasing it, but to no purpose, save that Paton has promised to procure it for me this week; however, seeing the Baron and I shall probably go out of town to-morrow, I have in a manner an indispensable necessity of having that book of Sibbald's along with me in my antiquary peregrinations; so if I could so far prevail on your goodness to lend it to me, till I come back from the Virtuoso Tour, which can be no further than Glasgow, Stirling and Perth this summer, I should take it as a demonstration of very condescending goodness in you, seeing I cannot get another at present, and this book is absolutely necessary for my designs, seeing it directs me to fifty or sixty places which I know nothing about. Besides, I am to trace the Vallum according to the stages set down in this draught. All this considered and that it may chance to be a public good, I hope you will indulge me with the favour which I came to ask of you in person, but that I heard you were at Fowlbriggs. I am therefore impatiently waiting your commands this way, or, if positively you will have it returned, I shall; but at any rate, I should not keep it *Waverley Novels, edit. 1829, vol. v. p. 11.