A Pack Of Knaves
April 17, 2020
While people are staying indoors, I have no doubt that some will be getting on each other’s nerves. So for anyone who is growing frustrated, this Pack of Knaves engraved by Wenceslaus Hollar (1607-77) might permit you to forgive your household. Count yourself lucky that you are not cooped up with this lot.
Images courtesy University of Toronto
You may like to read these stories about Wenceslaus Hollar
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I have enjoyed this Very Much. Thank You.????????
Thank you so much. My rebus prize arrived this morning; a bit of brightness on a grey day.
Oh dear. I can see me in there.
Ne’er before hast I lived as locked down and bound in home
With companie that so well to me is known
As words that pass between our lips
Away the day does with a sadness slip .
Yet no knave within our walls do I know
D’spight that we sit among such sad troubles found
No wrath or spite, my ears have found
Tis with this consolation my heart abounds
Yet more.This author so gentle, I praise
I sweare it doth our very spirits raise
This is probably the closest we will ever come to knowing what ordinary people looked like in the 17th century. I wonder whether they are portraits of actual people or just represent general types from everyday observation. The humour and satire is mostly lost on us but no doubt contemporaries would understand them immediately.
I find it amusing that in the second one he ran out of space for the text and had to squeeze it in. I wonder whether pronunciation has changed so that back then “is” and “amiss” did actually rhyme.
I echo the words of Mr Loften
That on many a day and often
The Gentle Author doth our sprits raise
To help us through these strangest days
Our thanks are due for the sweet surprises
Of which his column oft comprises…
PS What is the Overdoo up to with that massive syringe??
Ye olde Lockedowne
My Lord Loften,
My Lady Wilson
My heart was enchanted
by your accomplished prose
Our Author inspires such
splendid reverie
Safekeeping our souls
from these unimaginable woes
Fare thee well,
Doña Amanda of Connell
Ha ha! Yes what an awful ‘Felf Ifolation’ that would be !
I see echoes here of certain politicians…
Naming no names, mind you.
Adam Dant : ?
next door to st annes school was all saints church with All Saints school.
Both were demolished In the 1950s