PEST-HOUSE IN TOTHILL FIELDS, WESTMINSTER-FROM A PRINT BY HOLLAR.

to be very raging on one side, there was scarce any |
passing by the streets, but that several dead
bodies would be lying here and there upon the
ground; on the other hand, it is observable that
though at first, the people would stop as they went
along and call to the neighbours to come out on
such an occasion, yet, afterwards, no notice was
taken of them; but that if at any time we found a
corpse lying, go across the way and not come near
it; or if in a narrow lane or passage, go back again,
and seek some other way to go on the business we
were upon; and in those cases the corpse was
always left, till the officers had notice to come and
take them away; or till night, when the bearers
attending the dead-cart would take them up, and
carry them away. Nor did those undaunted
creatures, who performed these offices, fail to search
their pockets, and sometimes strip off their clothes
if they were well dressed, as sometimes they were,
and carry off what they could get.'

As the plague increased in intensity, the markets
themselves were abandoned, and the country-
people brought their provisions to places appointed
in the fields outside the town, where the citizens
went to purchase them with extraordinary pre-
cautions. There were stations of this kind in
Spitalfields, at St George's Fields in Southwark,
in Bunhill-fields, and especially at Islington. The
appearance of the town became still more frightful
as the summer advanced. 'It is scarcely credible,'
continues the remarkable writer we are quoting,
'what dreadful cases happened in particular families
every day; people, in the rage of the distemper,
or in the torment of their rackings, which was

The

indeed intolerable, running out of their own government, raving and distracted, and oftentimes laying violent hands upon themselves, throwing themselves out of their windows, shooting themselves, &c. Mothers murdering their own children, in their lunacy; some dying of mere grief, as a passion; some of mere fright and surprise, without any infection at all; others frightened into idiotism and foolish distractions; some into despair and lunacy; others into melancholy madness. pain of the swelling was in particular very violent, and to some intolerable; the physicians and surgeons may be said to have tortured many poor creatures even to death. The swellings in some grew hard, and they applied violent drawing plasters or poultices to break them; and, if these did not do, they cut and scarified them in a terrible manner. In some, those swellings were made hard, partly by the force of the distemper, and partly by their being too violently drawn, and were so hard, that no instrument could cut them, and then they burned them with caustics, so that many died raving mad with the torment, and some in the very operation. In these distresses, some, for want of help to hold them down in their beds, or to look to them, laid hands upon themselves, as above; some broke out into the streets, perhaps naked, and would run directly down to the river, if they were not stopped by the watchmen, or other officers, and plunge themselves into the water, wherever they found it. It often pierced my very soul to hear the groans and cries of those who were thus tormented.' "This running of distempered people about the streets,' Defoe adds, 'was very dismal,

him by the king of Denmark; but with neither of these invitations would he accord compliance, the uncertainty of the papal tenure of office, and the cold and moist climate of Scandinavia, being both insuperable objections. To another offer, however, which he received, he lent a more ready ear, and the journey which he undertook in consequence forms, to a Briton, more especially, one of the most curious episodes in the life of the Italian physician.

In the middle of the sixteenth century, the regency of the kingdom of Scotland was held by James Hamilton, Earl of Arran, whose weak and vacillating disposition was very markedly controlled by his more decided and energetic brother John, abbot of Paisley, and afterwards archbishop of St Andrews. The health of the latter, whose course of life was by no means consonant to his ecclesiastical character, had for some years been in a declining condition, and he laboured under a 'periodic asthma. Benefiting apparently little by the ministration of his own physician, William Cassanate, a Frenchman, of Spanish extraction, settled in Edinburgh, Hamilton was recommended to consult the famous Cardan, who had now quitted Pavia for Milan. The suggestion was readily accepted by the archbishop, and a flattering letter was forthwith despatched by Cassanate to Italy, in which he besought Cardan to travel to Paris or at least to Lyon, where he would be met by Archbishop Hamilton, who had resolved to make this journey for the sake of his health. Such an invitation happened to fall in with Jerome's humour at the time, and he returned a favourable reply. T sum of two hundred crowns was paid him, in na of travelling expenses, by the archbishop's senger, and on 23d February 1552, he starte his journey across the Alps, taking the Si Pass into Switzerland, and proceeding from through Geneva to Lyon. At the latter t expected to meet either the archbishop physician, but neither made appearance remained upwards of a month in the pl he reaped a golden harvest from the exe profession of the healing art, nobles guished persons eagerly pressing to themselves of his services. At 1 arrived, bearing a letter from Archbis in which that prelate, after apol inability from cares of church and France at present, besought the 1 to give him the benefit of his pro extending his journey to Scotl intimated that Cassanate would a safe-conduct, and also give 1 any banker in Milan, for such tion as might be agreed on.

It was not without consid Cardan was prevailed on t undertaking, as he entertaine belief that the archbishop 1 far on the way, knowing wo absolutely refused to visit invited to do so at Milan. consent was at last given, additional guerdon of three and Cassanate set out to northward. Having arrive made a stay of a few week flattering attentions were

EPTEMBER 21.

ad her at the and pations. 1 October castle at e been at and who rho visited in her last

queen set out
Canterbury.
don, Eltham,
or returning,
din at Hertford
She gave alms to
Aldgate; to the
, in whose parish
Lombard Street;
On the 26th of
ing and Prince of
! Street; and we find
four minstrels, who

ord Castle, the queen ed Gascon writer, the of the Comte de Foix. er to England with the ken part, on the English Poitiers; and there are of several noble captives, bove engagement. On the engers arrive from the king ce, as it appears elsewhere, tivity; an indication that y in the stirring events of On the 20th of March, the On each day of the first of May, during the queen's stay tries shew her guests at dinner, dinner, and at supper, as formally cular of our time.

SEPTEMBER

Si le Leaf Sut fer the best mi mier of The Livii I. ve her eff de bist of the fmrer of the fearf

The ambitious Kramer ermiates his crimes in the fuit Istela. the instigar of setition winst her he dhe beaver of her buscant me be Romalee; at Sam the nement that her are friis aested she le 10 TATE SOCKE £ the mincoming the execution of Martinien Frissen als is the ing by the true of is met red us mutter to be tonized in a med ste mi me der plenty of its a wis ja EPL DVS and esprites of ITOUC He made her a handsome Lowice to keep and main the state she bad been used . u rate that she should ever go JIS. I LIVE Iurself road, except in certain mes When BT Shows was edited in the courts of the castle: the green is passed her time there meesy, and the king, her son, visited her twice or care a read." Castle Basing was the place of her confinemen After the ist we reis, the strictness of her seclusion was mixed mi thence she was removed a Bernard Castle. The scenes of the expenses of her household embraces, in distinct Erisions, the green's general icy renses; sums given in alms: miscel Lanecus mereSSLY expenses: Esbursements for dress purchases of place and jewellery, gifts

PATENERS TO Dessences and imprests for various services In the main of the general daly expenses are entered the names of the visitors during the day, together with the movements of the household from place to place. From these entries we gain some insight in the degree of

personal freedom enjoyed by the queen and her connections; the consideration she obtained at the court of the great King Edward III., her son; and even into her personal disposition and occupations. It appears, then, that at the beginning of October 1357, the queen was residing at her castle at Hertford, having not very long before been at Rising. The first visitor mentioned, and who supped with her, was Joan, her niece, who visited the queen constantly, and nursed her in her last illness.

About the middle of October, the queen set out from Hertford on a pilgrimage to Canterbury. She rested at Tottenham, London, Eltham, Dartford, and Rochester, in going or returning, visited Leeds Castle, and was again at Hertford at the beginning of November. She gave alms to the nuns-minoresses without Aldgate; to the rector of St Edmund's, London, in whose parish her hostel was situated-it was in Lombard Street; and to the prisoners in Newgate. On the 26th of October, she entertained the king and Prince of Wales at her house in Lombard Street; and we find recorded a gift of 13s. 4d. to four minstrels, who played in their presence.

After her return to Hertford Castle, the queen was visited by the renowned Gascon writer, the Captal de Buche, cousin of the Comte de Foix. He had recently come over to England with the Prince of Wales, having taken part, on the English side, in the great battle of Poitiers; and there are also entries of the visits of several noble captives, who were taken in the above engagement. On the 10th of February, messengers arrive from the king of Navarre, to announce, as it appears elsewhere, his escape from captivity; an indication that Isabella was still busy in the stirring events of her native country. On the 20th of March, the king comes to supper. On each day of the first half of the month of May, during the queen's stay in London, the entries shew her guests at dinner, her visitors after dinner, and at supper, as formally as in a Court Circular of our time.

On May 14, Isabella left London, and rested at Tottenham, on her way to Hertford; and there is entered a gift of 6s. 8d. to the nuns of Cheshunt, who met the queen at the cross, in the high-road, in front of their house.

On the 4th of June, the queen made another pilgrimage to Canterbury, where she entertained the abbot of St Augustine's; under 'Alms' are recorded the queen's oblations at the tomb of St Thomas; here, too, are entered a payment to minstrels, her oblations in the church of St Augustine, and her donations to various hospitals and religious houses in Canterbury.

The entries of 'alms' amount to the considerable sum of £298, equivalent to about £3000 of present money. They consist of chapel-offerings, donations to religious houses, to clergymen preaching in the queen's presence, to special applicants for charity, and to paupers. The most interesting entry, perhaps, is that of a donation of 40s. to the abbess and minoresses Without Aldgate, in London, to purchase for themselves two pittances on the anniversaries of Edward, late king of England, and Sir John, of Eltham (the queen's son), given on the 20th of November. And this is the sole instance of any mention of the unhappy Edward II.

OF FIVE HUNDRED YEARS AGO.

Among these items is a payment to the nuns of Cheshunt, whenever the queen passed the priory, in going to or from Hertford. There is more than one entry of alms given to poor scholars of Oxford, who had come to ask aid of the queen. A distribution is made amongst a hundred or fifty poor persons on the principal festivals of the year, amongst which that of Queen Katherine is included; and doles are made among paupers daily and weekly throughout the year, amounting in one year and a month, to £102. On the 12th of September, after the queen's death, a payment of 20s. is made to William Ladde, of Shene, on account of the burning of his house by an accident while the queen was staying at Shene.

Under the head of 'Necessaries,' we find a payment of 50s. to carpenters, plasterers, and tilers, for works in the queen's chamber. Next are halfyearly payments of 25s. 2d. to the prioress of St Helen's, in London; and rent for the queen's house in Lombard Street. Next, is a purchase of two small catastre,' or cages for birds, in the queen's chamber, and of hemp-seed for the birds; and under the 'Gifts' are two small birds presented to Isabella by the king. Here, likewise, are payments for binding the black carpet in the queen's chamber; for repairs of the castle; lining of the queen's chariot with coloured cloth; repairs of the queen's bath, and gathering of herbs for it; for skins of vellum for writing the queen's books; and for writing a book of divers matters for the queen, 14s., including cost of parchment. Also, to Richard Painter, for azure for illuminating the queen's books. Here payment is entered of the sum of £200, borrowed of Richard, Earl of Arundel. Here are entries of the purchase of an embroidered saddle, with gold fittings, and a black palfrey given to the queen of Scotland; and a payment to Louis de Rocan, merchant, of the Society of Malebaill, in London, for two mules, bought by him at Avignon, for the queen, £28, 13s.; the mules arrived after the queen's death, and they were delivered over to the king.

The entries relating to jewels shew that the serious events of Isabella's life, and her increasing years, had not overcome her natural passion for personal display. The total amount expended in jewels is no less than £1399, equivalent to about £16,000 of our present currency; and,' says Mr Bond, after ample allowance for the acknowledged general habit of indulgence in personal ornaments belonging to the period, we cannot but consider Isabella's outlay on her trinkets as extravagant, and as betraying a more than common weakness for these vain luxuries. The more costly of them were purchased of Italian merchants. Her principal English jewellers appear to have been John de Louthe and William de Berkinge, goldsmiths, of London.' In a general entry of a payment of £421, are included items of a chaplet of gold, set with bulays' (rubies), sapphires, emeralds, diamonds, and pearls, price £105; divers pearls, £87; a crown of gold, set with sapphires, rubies of Alexandria, and pearls, price £80; these ornaments being, there is no doubt, ordered for the occasion of Isabella's visit to Windsor, at the celebration of St George's Day, Among others, is a payment of £32 for several articles-namely, for a girdle of silk, studded with silver, 20s.; 300 doublets (rubies), at 20d. the hundred; 1800 pearls,