OUR CITIES: SKETCHED FIVE HUNDRED YEARS AGO. BY CÆSAR CAINE, F.R.G.S. (Read November 2nd, 1898.) HERE lies in the British Museum a small but interesting fourteenth-century transcript by an unknown scribe, of The History of the Britons, compiled by that prince of romancers, Geoffrey, Bishop of St. Asaph (1152), better known by a previous office occupied by him-the archdeaconry of Monmouth. Concerning the fabulous events and shadowy figures of Geoffrey's imaginative and entertaining book we have nothing to say. This paper is designed to direct attention to the work of the patient copyist who penned the above-named manuscript, numbered Bib. Reg., 13, A. iii, among the written books of the British Museum. One characteristic of this manuscript is the addition to the text of numerous drawings of persons and places. Nor can the scribe be charged with filling up his margins with purely fancy sketches. Turning over these ancient vellum leaves, and carefully conning the sketches which embellish them, the student will be persuaded, gradually but fully, that the draughtsman was well acquainted with the places of importance between London and Edinburgh; that he had travelled about the country, and always with his eyes open. Among the towns and buildings illustrating these old pages we have the Tower of London, the most historic stronghold of the country; York, the northern metropolis of mediæval England; picturesque Edinburgh ; and centres of early civilisation in this country like Gloucester, Winchester, and Colchester. Only the most fastidious could turn away from the representation (No. 1) of the famous Tower as an abortive attempt to portray a difficult subject. In the case of York (No. 2) the artist is perhaps more successful, though he condescends to label his work "Ebrauk", the British name for the Roman camp on the Yorkshire Ouse, which was for three centuries the headquarters of a "crack" legion of the Imperial army-the "Faithful, Dutiful, and Victorious" Sixth! The chief feature of this picture of York is one which will be recognised by all who have contemplated the architectural glories of the world-famed Minster. To the left of the drawing there is a fair representation of a portion of this Gothic pile which was in course of construction when the drawing was executed-the east elevation. This is the earliest pictorial representation of York that is known. Edinburgh (No. 3), in this series, is somewhat marred. The folio on which this drawing occurs has sketches on both sides, and the ink of the reverse has penetrated the vellum, giving the drawing here reproduced the appearance of a palimpsest. We cannot look on this bold outline of the Castle Rock, bearing its crown-like fortress, without being assured that the mediæval penman knew perfectly well what he was about. On the next page (No. 4) we have drawings of various sizes, representing (commencing at the top of the page) the walled border town of Carlisle, Canterbury, the Abbey Church of Bath, and Winchester. Upon first sight, the view of Gloucester (No. 5) is disappointing. Perhaps this is so because we expect to see the fine Gothic tower of the Cathedral Church of St. Peter, surmounted by the four well-known pinnacles, forgetting that this beautiful object is of comparatively recent date. This sketch may be one of the most interesting and instructive of these architectural mementoes of bygone days. It is probable that we have here reliable suggestions concerning the tower-the precursor of the present one-which overlooked the unique cloisters with their fan-vaulted roofs, when they were fresh from the chisel |