Page:Notes and Queries - Series 9 - Volume 1.djvu/449

 9 th S. I. JUNE 4, '98.]

NOTES AND QUERIES.

441

LONDON, SATURDAY, JUNE U, 1898.

CONTENTS. -No. 23.

NOTES: Joan of Arc, 441 " Parrot-like," 443 "Sable shroud" Lost Brass" Pollice verso " Hasted's ' History of Kent,' 445 Water in Blossom Watch-Boxes" Anawl" ="Andall" Eccles Curious Christian Name Brothers with the same Christian Name Marginal Reference Bible, 446 Madoc ap Owen Gwynedd, 447.

QUERIES : " Dodgill Eeepan " Rev. P. Vallavine Coronation Plate, 447 St. Viars Pekin : Nankin Pen- _lly Kisfaludy University Colleges of Residence Sir W. Beaumaris Rush Johanna Pepys Popladies ohn Weaver Sir R. Hotham, 448 Patterns for Samplers R. McLintock Pamphlet Benevent John Wesley les Fifty Years Ago' Veni, Creator Spiritus,' 449. LIES : First Folio of Shakspeare, 449 Gentleman Porter, 450 Boswell's 'Johnson' To Play Gooseberry- Zephyr, 452 Portuguese Boat Voyage Henry Hunt Corpus Christi, 453 West Window, New College, Oxon Scott's ' Antiquary ' " Shot " of Land Carmichael Wm, Blake, 454 Monks and Friars, 455 Bunker's Hill-La Misericordia, 456 Cold Harbour Musical Instruments Rolls in Augmentation Office Glacial Epoch, 457 Dame Elizabeth Holford List of Books" Cross " vice " Kris" " In order "=0rdered, 458.

NOTES ON BOOKS : Harris's ' Life in an Old English Town ' Vicars's ' Index to the Prerogative Wills of Ire- land' Tipper's 'Growth and Influence of Music' Harrisse's ' Cabot ' ' Antiquary '' Melusine ' ' Inter- m ediaire.'

Notices to Correspondents.

JOAN OF ARC.

IF in this age of money - making and self the spirit of chivalry be dead, there is still in the name and fame of Joan of Arc an irresistible charm not only to French- men, but also to the people of at least every European nation. No figure in history is, indeed, better known. The people of Orleans, with becoming gratitude, continue to cele- brate the anniversary of their deliverer's victory of 8 May, 1429; and it is somewhat singular that at or about the time when this celebration was made for the present year, and of her proposed canonization, I should have the good fortune to add to the many other important "finds" which my extensive collections have afforded the discovery of a unique and well -executed original and contemporary drawing of the monument erected in that city, in 1458, to the memory of the heroic Maid, on the ancient bridge the scene of her chief exploits. This drawing, in gold and colours, on vellum, size about Sin. by 4 in., is, notwithstanding its age, in excellent condition, and, having evidently been made on the spot, is full of minute and doubtless accurate detail, even to the grass and weeds growing on the monu-

ment. It is surrounded by a narrow black and gold border, on the lower part of which is written in letters of gold, Sur Le Pont D'Orleans," and bears generally a strong resemblance to the illuminated miniatures met with in some fifteenth - century manu- scripts. Although purchased by me amongst other things at a London auction about twenty years since, it was afterwards long mislaid, so that until quite recently I was unable to satisfy myself whether my idea of its subject was correct; this, however, it is now proved to have been. The discovery, as settling many doubtful points, cannot but be regarded as of the highest interest to the historian and antiquary. Respecting this monument I have consulted many French works, dating from an early period to almost the present time ; but before describing it in detail as represented in my drawing, and stating my views on the subject generally, I think it well to give the following extract from a modern French writer, which I have translated into English as literally as pos- sible. It will furnish probably the fullest and best information obtainable as to the history and description of the monument, and show the discrepancies of the other chief writers on certain points in regard thereto. I may, however, first state that the ancient bridge above referred to, which is not now extant, stood higher up the river (Loire) than the modern one, and near to the site of the present railway bridge ; it rested in the centre on an island.

M. Ch. Aufrere-Duvernay, in his pamphlet entitled 'Notice Historique et Critique sur les Monumens erige's a Orleans en 1'Honneur de Jeanne Dare' (second edition, Paris and Orleans, 1855), after referring to the reversal in 1456 of the sentence on the Maid by which she suffered death at Rouen in 1431, and to certain marks of esteem shown to their de liverer by the people of Orleans, proceeds thus :

Translation.

"But these marks of esteem were insufficient for the gratitude of the people of Orleans. They would render to their deliverer an honour that no other hero of the Middle Ages had yet obtained. Charles VII., upon their earnest entreaties, granted them authority to erect a monument to the Maid. The ladies and young ladies of Orleans would pay all the expense.* The historians of the reign of


 * " ' Vidi ego oculis meis in ponte Aureliano erectam

hujus Puellae seneam imaginem cum inscriptione

ppsitam fuisse, hoc tempore, opera sumptuque yir- ginum acmatronarum Aureliamensium in memoriam liberatse ab ea xirbis Anglorum obsidione' (Pontus Heuterus, lib. iv., 'Rerum Burgundarium His- toria ') Pontus Heuterus was provost of Arnheim, in Guelderland. This historian of the sixteenth