June 17. 1854.] 



NOTES AND QUEKIES. 



565 



EARLY GERMAN COLOURED ENGRAVINGS. 



(Vol. ix., p. 57.) 



H.'s prints are probably cut from a work on 

 Alchemy, entitled 



" Lambspring, das 1st ein herzlichen Tcutsclier 

 Tractat vom philosophischen Steine, welchen fur Jah- 

 ren ein adelicher Teutscher Philosophus so Lampert 

 Spring geheissen, mit schonen Figuren beschreiben 

 bat. Frankfurt-am-Main, bey Lucca Jennis zu fin- 

 den." 1625, 4to. pp. 36. 



The series of plates extends to fifteen, among 

 which are those described by H. Some are re- 

 markable for good drawing and spirited expres- 

 sion, and all are good for the time. The verses 

 which belong to Plate 2. are printed on the back 

 of Plate 1., and so on, which rendered transcrip- 

 tion necessary on mounting them. Each repre- 

 sents, figuratively, one of the steps towards the 

 philosopher's stone. Some have Latin explana- 

 tions at the foot. Not understanding alchemy, I 

 can appreciate them only as works of art. An 

 account of one as a specimen may be of some in- 

 terest, so I select the least unintelligible. 



Plate 6. A dragon eating his own tail. 

 Above : 



Below 



Das ist gross Wundr und seltsam list, 

 Die hochst Artzney im Drachen ist." 



" Mercurius recte et chymice prascipitatus, vel sub- 

 limatus, in sua propria aqua resolutus et rursum coa- 

 gulatus." 



On the opposite page : 



" Ein Drach im Walde wohnend ist 

 Am Gifft demselben nichts gebrisst ; 

 Wenn er die Sonn sieht und das Fewr, 

 So speiisst er Gifft, fleugt ungehewr 

 Kein lebend Thier fiir ihm mag gnesn 

 Der Basilisc mag ihm nit gleich wesn, 

 Wenn diesen Wurmb wol weiss zu tiidtn 

 Der Kbmpt auss alien seinen nothn, 

 Sein Farbn in seinem Todt sich vermehrn 

 Auss seiner Gifft Artzney thut werden 

 Sein Gifft verzehrt er gar und gans, 

 Und frisst sein eign vergifften Schwanz. 

 Da muss er in sich selbst volbringen 

 Der edlst Balsam, auss ihm thut tringen. 

 Solch grosse Tugend wird mann schawen, 

 Welches alle Weysn sich hoch erfrawen." 



The three persons in Plate 13. appear first in 

 Plate 11. The superscription is — 



" Vater, Sohn, Fiihrer, haben sie beym Handen : 

 Corpus, spiritus, anima, werden verstanden." 



In Plate 13. the father's mouth may well be "of 

 a preternatural wideness " as he swallows the son ; 

 and in Plate 14. undergoes a sudorific in a curi- 

 ously-furnished bedchamber. In Plate 15. the 

 three are seated upon one throne. The stone is 

 found. They also will find it who strictly follow 



Dr. Lambspring's directions, as given in a rhyming 

 preface. Only one ingredient is left out of the 

 prescription : 



" Denn es ist nur ein Ding allein, 

 Drinn alls verborgn ist ins gemein. 

 Daran solt ihr gar nicht verzagen, 

 Zeit und Geduld must ihr dran wagen." 

 What is it ? H. B. C. 



U. U. Club. 



THE BELLMAN AT NEWGATE. 



(Vol. i., p. 152. 5 Vol. iii., pp. 324. 377. 451. 

 485. : and see Continental Watchmen, Vol. iv., 

 pp. 206. 356.) 



Formerly it was, according to a very ancient 

 custom, the practice on the night preceding the 

 execution of condemned criminals, for the bellman 

 of the parish of St. Sepulchre to go under New- 

 gate, and, ringing his bell, to repeat the following 

 verses, a3 a piece of friendly advice, to the un- 

 happy wretches under sentence of death : 



" All you that in the condemn'd hold do lie, 

 Prepare you, for to-morrow you shall die. 

 Watch all and pray, the hour is drawing near, 

 That you before the Almighty must appear. 

 Examine well yourselves, in time repent, 

 That you may not to eternal flames be sent. 

 And when St. Sepulchre's bell to-morrow tolls, 

 The Lord have mercy on your souls ! 

 Past twelve o'clock ! " 



The following extract from Stowe's Survey of 

 London, p. 125. of the quarto edition, printed 1618, 

 will prove that the above verses ought to be re- 

 peated by a clergyman instead of a bellman : 



" Robert Doue, citizen and merchant taylor, of 

 London, gave to the parish of St. Sepulchre's the sum 

 of 50/. That after the several sessions of London, 

 when the prisoners remain in the gaole, as condemned 

 men to death, expecting execution on the morrow fol- 

 lowing ; the clarke (that is the parson) of the church 

 shoold come in the night time, and likewise early in 

 the morning, to the window of the prison where they 

 lye, and there ringing certain tolls with a hand-bell 

 appointed for the purpose, he doth afterwards (in most 

 Christian manner) put them in mind of their present 

 condition, and ensuing execution, desiring them to be 

 prepared therefore, as they ought to be. When they 

 are in the cart, and brought before the wall of the 

 church, there he standeth ready with the same bell. 

 And after certain tolls rehearseth an appointed prayer, 

 desiring all the people there present to pray for them. 

 The beadle also of Merchant Taylors' Hall hath an 

 honest stipend allowed to see that it is duely done." 



This note is an extract from the Romance of 

 the Forum, vol. ii. p. 268. J. W. Farrer. 



