Читать книгу Notes and Queries, Number 75, April 5, 1851 - Various - Страница 4

The Threnodia Carolina of sir Thomas Herbert is a jewel of historical composition, and I am persuaded that a new edition of it, if formed on a collation of the best manuscripts, and illustrated by extracts from the principal historians of the same period, would not only be received by the public with thanks, but with expressions of surprise that so rare a treasure should have been suffered to remain in such comparative obscurity.

There are four manuscripts of the work in public libraries, two of which I am enabled to describe.

1. The Harleian Ms. in the British Museum, No. 7396.

This Ms. is in folio. The preliminary leaves have the notes marked 1, 2, 3—the second being in the handwriting of sir William Dugdale. The narrative occupies thirty-six pages, with interlinear corrections and additions. This Ms. does not contain the words This brief narrative, &c. nor the letter dated the 3d Nov. 1681.

"THRENODIA CAROLINA."

(1) "This book contains S^r Tho. Herberts memoirs being the original in his own hand sent to S^r W^m Dugdale in 1678."

(2) "A true and perfect narrative of the most remarkable passages relating to king Charles the first of blessed memory, written by the proper land of S^r Thomas Herbert baronet, who attended upon his ma^tie from Newcastle upon Tine, when he was sold by the Scotts, during the whole time of his greatest afflictions, till his death and buriall; w^ch was sent to me S^r Will^m Dugdale knight, garter principall king of armes, in Michaellmasse Terme a^o. 1678, by the said S^r Thomas Herbert, from Yorke, where he resideth."

"VERITAS ODIUM PARIT."

(3) "Court passages in the two last yeares of the raigne of king Charles the first, during y^e time of his affliction."

2. The Harleian Ms. in the British Museum, No. 4705.

This Ms. is in small folio. It was formerly in the possession of Peter le Neve, norroy. A preliminary leaf has the subjoined attestation by sir William Dugdale. The narrative is much more ample and circumstantial than in the former Ms., but it is not all in the handwriting of sir Thomas Herbert. The letter dated 3 November 1681, and the relations of Huntington, Cooke, and Firebrace, are added in the handwriting of Dugdale; also, the names of persons who corresponded with Charles I. while he was a prisoner in the Isle of Wight. The passages transcribed by the Rev. Alfred Gatty appear in this Ms.—also in the edition of 1702. The edition of 1813 is a verbatim reprint of the first and second articles of that of 1702. It was edited by Mr. George Nicol.

"CAROLINA THRENODIA."

"This booke containeth a large answer to a short letter sent by S^r Will^m Dugdale kn^t (garter; principall king of armes) unto S^r Thomas Herbert baronet, residing in the citty of Yorke. By w^ch letter he did desire the sayd S^r Thomas Herbert to informe him of such materiall passages, as he had observed touching the late king Charles the first (of blessed memory) during the time that he the sayd S^r Thomas did attend him in person; B^t for the two last yeares of his afflicted life."

The other Mss. alluded to are preserved in the Ashmolean Museum at Oxford. The most important is No. 1141., which is minutely described in the admirable catalogue compiled by Mr. Black. A transcript of the Threnodia Carolina by Ant. à Wood, also in the Ashmolean Museum, is recorded by Huddesford.

As there were two recensions of the narrative, I have added a specimen of each of the Harleian Mss., which may serve as a clue to the nature of other copies, whether in public libraries, or in private hands.

"The Lords ordered a girdle or circumscription of Capitall Letters to be cutt in Lead and putt about the Coffin. being onely these wordes

King Charles

1648

The kings body was then brought from the chamber to Saint Georges hall. whence after a Little pause, it was w^th a slow pase & much sorrow carrye'd by those gentlemen that were in mourninge: the Lords in blacks following the royall Corpes & many gentlemen after them, and their attendants."—Threnodia Carolina, p. 36. Harleian MS. 7396.

"The girdle or circumscription of Capitall Letters in Lead putt about the Coffin had onely these words.

King-Charles

1648

The Kings body was then brought from his Bed-chamber, downe into S^t Georges-hall; whence after a little stay, itt was with a slow and solemn pace (much sorrow in most faces discernable) carryed by gentlemen that were of some quallity and in mourning. the Lords in like habitts followed the Royall Corps. the Governor, and severall gentlemen, and officers, and attendants came after."—Carolina Threnodia, p. 80. Harleian MS. 4705.

Bolton Corney.

Sir Thomas Herbert's Memoirs of Charles I.—The question suggested by Mr. Gatty's first note upon this subject was one of some importance, viz., whether the original MS. in the possession of his friend contained anything of Sir Thomas Herbert's not hitherto published? There is no doubt that the "Memoir of the two last years of King Charles I." was written by Sir Thomas Herbert, after his retirement to his native city of York, at the request of the author of the Athenæ Oxonienses, who made use of nearly the whole of it in compiling that great work, adapting different portions to his biographical notices of the persons to whom they principally related. The notices of Colonel Joyce and Colonel Cobbet are chiefly composed of extracts from Herbert's Memoir; whilst under the name of Herbert himself not more than about one-third of his own communication will be found.

The first edition of the Athenæ was not published until 1691, several years after Sir Thomas Herbert's death; and the memoir in a complete form, with the title of Threnodia Carolina, did not appear until the year 1702, when it was published by Dr. Charles Goodall, physician to the Charter House, together with other tracts relating to Charles I. This is doubtless the volume described by Mr. Bolton Corney (vol. iii., p. 157.), who will, I hope, favour your readers with the information requested by Mr. Gatty (p. 222.).

The Memoir, as published in 1813 by G. and W. Nicol, Booksellers, Pall Mall, professes to be a faithful reprint of the former edition of 1702. The commencing and concluding paragraphs in this reprint are precisely the same as those transcribed by Mr. Gatty's friend from the MS. in his possession. His idea, that an incorrect copy of his MS. was improperly obtained, and published in 1813, seems to be without foundation.

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