Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 5.djvu/260

 200 NOTICE OF A MEDIEVAL MIMIC ENTERTAINMENT. of the Savoyard lads, visitors of our metropolis, who accom- panies their movements (which he produces by twitching the string with his knee) with a rude tabor and life. The knock- ing together of these two figures is possibly intended as a rude illustration of the matrimonial jars of Punch and Judy. Of the origin of Punch much has been written. The anonymous author of " Punch and Judy," with illustrations by George Cruikshank, London, 1828, (8vo. pp. 141,) has collected much interesting information on the subject. Strutt observes that a facetious performer, well knoAvn by the name of Punchinello, supplied the place of the Vice or mirth-maker, a favourite character in the ancient moralities. Fosbroke makes him descended from a character well known in the theatres of ancient Rome, whilst an anonymous writer in the Literary Gazette (December 25, 1847) derives him from a famous Italian buffoon, named Paol Cinella, about the year 1600, whence the name Pulcinella was immediately derived. The origin of the names Punch, Punchinello, Policliinello or Pulcinella, or that of his hunch-backed figure, is not perhaps so important as his character, and we see the latter plainly represented in the sketch here given, which is two hundred and fifty years older than the date of the supposed origin of his name. It is surprising that Strutt should have omitted this design, as the volume from which it is taken was greatly used by liun in his " Sports and Pastimes," and contains another nearly, similar representation of the same subject. J. O. WESTWOOD.