In a folio missal for the use of Salisbury, printed at Paris by Francis Regnault, 1531, there is a singular cut prefixed to the Officium Mortuorum, representing two Deaths seizing a body that has the horrible appearance of having been some time in its grave.

In a Flemish metrical translation of Pope Innocent III.'s work, "De vilitate conditionis humanae," Ghend, 1543, 12mo. there is a wood-cut of Death emerging from hell, armed with a dart and a three-pronged fork, with which he attacks a party taking their repast at a table.

In the cuts to the Old Testament, beautifully engraved on wood by Solomon or le petit Bernard, Lyons, 1553, 12mo. Death is introduced in the vision of Ezekiel, ch. xxxvii. In this work the expulsion from Paradise is imitated from the same subject in the Lyons wood-cuts.

In "Hawes's History of Graund Amoure and la bel Pucell, called the Pastime of Pleasure," printed by R. Tottel, 1555, 4to. are two prints; the first exhibits a female seated on a throne, in contemplation of several men and animals, some of whom are lying dead at her feet; behind the throne Death is seen armed with a dart, which he seems to have been just making use of: there is no allusion to it in the text, and it must have been intended for some other work. The second print has two figures of Death and a young man, whom he threatens with a sort of mace in his right hand, whilst he holds a pickaxe with his left.

"Imagines elegantissimae quae multum lucis ad intelligendos doctrinae Christianae locos adferre possunt, collectae a Johann Cogelero verbi divini ministro, Stetini." Viteberg, 1560, 12mo. It contains a wood-print, finely executed, of the following subject. In the front Death, armed with a hunting-spear, pushes a naked figure into the mouth of hell, in which are seen a pope and two monks. Behind this group, Moses, with a pair of bulls'

horns, and attended by two Jews, holds the tables of the law. In the distance the temptation, and the brazen serpent.

A German translation of the well known block book, the "Ars Moriendi," was printed at Dilingen, 1569, 12mo. with several additional engravings on wood. It is perhaps the last publication of the work. On the title-page is an oval cut, representing a winged boy sleeping on a scull, and Death shooting an arrow at him. The first cut exhibits a sort of Death's dance, in eight small compartments. 1. A woman in bed just delivered of a child, with which Death is running away. 2. A man sitting at a table, Death seizes him behind, and pulls him over the bench on which he is sitting. 3.

Death drowning a man in a river. 4. Flames of fire issue from a house, Death tramples on a man endeavouring to escape. 5. Two men fighting, one of whom pierces the other with his sword. The wounded man is seized by Death, the other by the Devil. 6. A man on horseback is seized by Death also mounted behind. 7. Death holds his hour-glass to a man on his death-bed. 8. Death leading an aged man to the grave. At the end of this curious volume is a singular cut, intitled "Symbolum M. Joannis Stotzinger Presbyteri Dilingensis." It exhibits a young man sitting at a table, on which is a violin, music books, and an hour-glass. On the table is written RESPICE FINEM. Near him his guardian angel holding a label, inscribed ANGELVS ASTAT. Behind them Death about to strike the young man with his dart, and over him MORS MINATVR. At the end of the table Conscience as a female, whom a serpent bites, with the label CONSCIENTIA MORDET, and near her the Devil, with the label DIABOLVS ACCVSAT. Above is the Deity looking down, and the motto DEVS VIDET.

"Il Cavallero Determinado," Antwerp, 1591, 4to. A translation from the French romance of Olivier de la Marche, with etchings by Vander Borcht.

The last print represents Death, armed with a coffin lid as a shield, attacking a knight on horseback. In several of the other prints Death is represented under the name of Atropos, as president in tournaments. In other editions the cuts are on wood by the artist with the mark [monogram: A].

In the margins of some of the Horae, printed by Thielman Kerver, there are several grotesque figures of Death, independently of the usual Dance.

In many of the Bibles that have prints to the Revelations, that of Death on the pale horse is to be noticed.

In Petrarch's work "de remediis utriusque fortunae," both in the German and Latin editions, there are several cuts that relate materially to the subject. It may be as well to mention that this work has been improperly ascribed to Petrarch.

In many of the old editions of Petrarch's works which contain the triumphs, that of Death is usually accompanied with some terrific print of Death in a car drawn by oxen, trampling upon all conditions of men from the pope to the beggar.

"Guilleville, Pelerin de la vie humaine." The pilgrim is conducted by Abstinence into a refectory, where he sees many figures of Death in the act of feeding several persons sitting at table. These are good people long deceased, who during their lives have been bountiful to their fellow-creatures. At the end, the pilgrim is struck by Death with two darts whilst on his bed.

Death kicking at a man, his wife, and child. From some book printed at Strasburg in the 16th century.

Death, as an ecclesiastic, sitting on the ground and writing in a book.

Another Death holding an inscribed paper in one hand, seizes with the other a man pointing to a similar paper. The Deity in a cloud looking on.

From the same book.

"Mors," a Latin comedy, by William Drury, a professor of poetry and rhetoric in the English college at Douay. It was acted in the refectory of the college and elsewhere, and with considerable applause, which it very well deserved. There is as much, and sometimes more, wit and humour in it than are found in many English farces. It was printed at Douay, 1628, 12mo. with two other Latin plays, but not of equal interest.

A moral and poetical Drama, in eleven scenes, intitled, "Youth's Tragedy, by T. S." 1671 and 1707, 4to. in which the interlocutors are, Youth, the Devil, Wisdom, Time, Death, and the Soul. It is miserable stuff.

"La Historia della Morte," Trevigi, 1674, 4to. four leaves only. It is a poem in octave stanzas. The author, wandering in a wood, is overwhelmed with tears in reflecting on the approach of Death and his omnipotent dominion over mankind. He is suddenly accosted by the king of terrors, who is thus described:

Un ombra mi coperse prestamente Che mi fece tremar in cotal sorte Ell'era magra, e longa in sua figura, Che chi la vede perde gioco, e festa, Dente d'acciaio haveva in bocca oscura, Corna di ferro due sopra la testa Ella mi fe tremar dalla paura, &c.

The work consists of a long dialogue between the parties. The author enquires of Death if he was born of father and mother. Death answers that he was created, by Jesus Christ, "che e signor giocondo," with the other angels; that after Adam's sin he was called _Death_. The author tells him that he seems rather to be a malignant spirit, and presses for some further information. He is referred to the Bible, and the account of David's destroying angel:

Quando Roma per me fu tribulata Gregorio videmi con suo occhio honesto Con una spada ch'era insanguinata Al castel de Sant Angelo chiamato Da l'hora in qua cosi fu appellato.

This corresponds with the usual story, that during a plague Gregory saw an angel hovering over the castle, who, on the Pope's looking up to him, immediately sheathed his flaming sword. More questions are then propounded by Death, particularly as to the use of his horns and teeth, and the curiosity of the author is most condescendingly gratified.

Bishop Warburton and Mr. Malone have referred to old Moralities, in which the fool escaping from the pursuit of Death is introduced. Ritson has denied the existence of any such farces, and he is perhaps right with respect to printed ones; but vestiges of such a drama were observed several years ago at the fair of Bristol by the present writer. See the notes to Measure for Measure, Act iii. sc. 1, and to Pericles, Act iii.

sc. 2.

In "Musart Adolescens Academicus sub institutione Salomonis," Duaci, 1633, 12mo. is an engraving on copper of a modern Bacchus astride upon a wine cask drawn by two tigers. In one hand he holds a thyrsus composed of grapes and vine leaves, and in the other a cup or vase, from which a serpent springs, to indicate poison. Behind this Bacchus Death is seated, armed with his scythe and lying in wait for him. The motto, "Vesani calices quid non fecere," a parody on the line, "Fecundi calices quem non fecere disertum?" Horat. lib. i. epist. v. 1. 19.

In "Christopher Van Sichem's Bibels' Tresoor," 1646, 4to. there is a wood-cut of Death assisting Adam to dig the ground, partly copied from the subject of "the Curse," in the work printed at Lyons.

In "De Chertablon, maniere de se bien preparer a la mort, &c." Anvers, 1700, 4to. there is an allegorical print in which a man is led by his guardian angel to the dwelling of Faith, Hope, and Charity, but is violently seized by Death, who points to his last habitation, in the shape of a sepulchral monument.

In Luyken's "Onwaardige wereld," Amst. 1710, 12mo. are three allegorical engravings relating to this subject.

In a very singular book, intitled "Confusio disposita rosis rhetorico-poeticis fragrans, sive quatuor lusus satyrico morales, &c.

authore Josepho Melchiore Francisco a Glarus, dicto Tschudi de Greplang."

Augsburg, 1725, 12mo. are the following subjects. 1. The world as Spring, represented by a fine lady in a flower-garden, Death and the Devil behind her. 2. Death and the Devil lying in wait for the miser. 3. Death and the Devil hewing down the barren fig-tree. 4. A group of dancers at a ball interrupted by Death. 5. Death striking a lady in bed attended by her waiting maid. 6. Death gives the coup-de-grace to a drunken fellow who had fallen down stairs. 7. Death mounted on a skeleton-horse dashes among a group of rich men counting their gold, &c. 8. A rich man refused entrance into heaven. He has been brought to the gate in a sedan chair, carried by a couple of Deaths in full-bottom periwigs.

In Luyken's "Vonken der lief de Jezus," Amst. 1727, 12mo. are several engravings relating to the subject. In one of them Death pours a draught into the mouth of a sick man in bed.

In Moncrief's "March of Intellect," 1830, 18mo. scene a workhouse, Death brings in a bowl of soup, a label on the ground, inscribed "Death in the pot." An engraving in wood after Cruikshank.

In Jan Huygen's "Beginselen van Gods koninryk," Amst. 1738, 12mo. with engravings by Luyken, a dying man attended by his physician and friends; Death at the head of the bed eagerly lying in wait for him.

In one of the livraisons of "Goethe's Balladen und Romanzen," 1831, in folio, with beautiful marginal decorations, there is a Dance of Death in a church-yard, accompanied with a description, of which an English translation is inserted in the "Literary Gazette" for 1832, p. 731, under the title of "The Skeleton Dance," with a reference to another indifferent version in the "Souvenir."

The well-known subjects of Death and the old man with the bundle of sticks, &c. and Cupid and Death in many editions of aesopian fables.

CHAPTER XIII.

_Books of emblems and fables.--Frontispieces and title-pages, in some degree connected with the Dance of Death._

EMBLEMS AND FABLES.

It is very seldom that in this numerous and amusing class of books a subject relating to Death, either moral or of a ludicrous nature does not occur. It may be sufficient to notice a few of them.

"La Morosophie de Guillaume de la Perriere," 1553, 12mo.

"Emblemes ou devises Chretiennes," par Georgette de Montenaye, 1571, 4to.

"Le Imprese del S. Gab. Symeoni." Lyons, 1574, 4to.

"Enchiridion artis pingendi, fingendi et sculpendi. Auth. Justo Ammanno, Tig." Francof. 1578, 4to. This is one of Jost Amman's emblematical books in wood, and contains at the end a figure of Death about to cut off two lovers with his scythe, Cupid hovering over them.

"Apologi creaturarum." Plantin, 1590, 4to. with elegant etchings by Marc Gerard. It has one subject only of Death summoning a youth with a hawk on his fist to a church-yard in the back-ground.

Reusner's "aureolorum emblematum liber singularis," Argentorati, 1591, 12mo. A print of Death taking away a lady who has been stung by a serpent; designed and engraved by Tobias Stimmer.

"De Bry Proscenium vitae humanae," Francof. 1592 and 1627, 4to. This collection has two subjects: 1. Death and the Young Man. 2. Death and the Virgin.

"Jani Jacobi Boissardi Emblematum liber, a Theodoro de Bry sculpta."

Francof. 1593. Contains one print, intitled "Sola virtus est funeris expers." The three Fates, one of whom holds a tablet with SIC VISVM SVPERIS. Death attending with his hour-glass. Below, crowns, sceptres, and various emblems of human vanity. On the spectator's left, a figure of Virtue standing, with sword and shield.