Mercurius Democritus

Communicating many strange wonders, out of the world in the moon, the Antipodes, Maggy-land, Tenebris, Fary-land, Green-land, and other adjacent countries; published for the rightunderstanding of all the mad-merry-people of Great-Bedlam. One of those “believe it or not” publications, still popular today that was published periodically in the 1650s. This edition is from February 1654 and the picture shows a ghost that was seen in Smithfield by the local butchers, dressed in the clothes of a Lawyer called Mallet: pulling the meat off the Butchers Tainters; many have adventured to strike at him with Cleavers and Chopping-Knives, but cannot feel anything but Ayre,

Here is the ghost in a  short tabbed doublet and breeches, falling band and an odd kind of bonnet, over which garb he is wearing a lawyer’s gown. He also has high heeled shoes over which have been stuffed what look like ram’s horns, possibly to mark him out as a ghost. Usually ghosts are depicted in their winding sheets.

The Rump

or, An Exact Collection of the Choicest Poems and Songs relating to the late times and continued by the Most Eminent Witts from AD 1639 to 1662.

By Alexamder Broome, printed in 1662, engraving by Richard Gaywood. The plate was reworked several years later for another publication and the centre image was replaced. However, there are some nice details to look at.

 

 

 

Centre top a woman in a pointed coif preaches from a tub whilst some soldiers and women look on.

 

 

 

Here is the “puritan” on the left hand side in a ruff, doublet and breeches. He’s also wearing a belt bag on his waist belt.

 

 

And the covenanter on the left. Note the check plaid, his trews and the engraver’s idea of a Scot’s bonnet.

 

 

This picture from the opposite page shows a bunch of guys preparing to roast a rump of beef. All are wearing short tabbed doublets and unconfined breeches, a more 1650 fashion, which would coincide roughly with the date of publication. Nice shoes too!

 

 

 

All The Memorable Wonderstriking

…….Parliamentary Mercies Affected & Afforded unto this our English Nation within this space of less then (sic) 2 Yeares past Anno 1641 & 1642.

Sold by Thomas Jenner in his shop at the Old Exchange, dated by George Thomason  September 14th 1642, there are several lovely woodcuts illustrating the principle actions that led to the start of the war. It’s a bit like a comic book, but none the less useful for it.

I shall spread the images over multiple postings to make them easier to search.

Page two shows what happened in St Andrews when the Arch-Prelate tried to read the new prayer book. Some of the locals are wearing the traditional knitted bonnet, particularly the fellow who is just about to throw his bagpipes by the looks of the image. He must have been very upset indeed.

 

On the same page, this image shows a mob marching on Lambeth Palace with pitchforks and other assorted implements. All are dressed in the 1640s suit of doublet, breeches and broad brimmed hat.

 

Chairs to Mend

Another image from The Manner of Crying Things in London, 1640. This guy carries his raw material on a stick over his shoulder. His doublet is rather down-at-heel with patches on his elbow and underarm but he has decorated his bonnet with feathers and has a largish falling band at his throat.

Dolefull Newes From Edinborough in Scotland

Pamphlet from 1641 containing amongst other news, the description of a riot in Edinburgh (I know how to spell it, even if the printer didn’t) caused by a rabble of Frenchmen. This picture could be a one of the Frenchmen, but I’m inclined to believe it’s a Scot from his bonnet. He has a short tabbed doublet and a belt with his dirk tucked in it. He’s also holding a pair of gloves much like John Thurloe’s in the pervious post.

A Tankerd Bearer

1655 Cries of London