Words and Pictures From old Books

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Antique Eighteenth-Century Map of Berkshire, from The Antiquities of Englan
2008-04-26 06:38:00
BERKSHIRE Drawn from the Best Authorities and Regulated by Astronomical Observations By T. Kitchin Geogr. This 1786 (approx.) map includes Reading, Abingdon, Faringdon, Wantage, Wallingford, East Ilsley Lamborn, Hugerford, Newbury, Okingham, Windsor, Henley, Maidenhead and many more places.(read more...)
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The grand Door of Barfreston Church in Kent., from The Antiquities of Engla
2008-04-23 11:00:00
On some of these arches is commonly over the key-stone represented God the Father, or our Saviour surrounded with angels; and below a melange of foliage, animals, often ludicrous, and sometimes even indecent subjects. Partly of this sort is the great door at Barfreston Church in Kent . (preface, p. 111)(read more...)
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48. Seal of Haagenti., from The Goetia: The Lesser Key of Solomon the King
2008-04-21 12:04:00
(48.) Haagenti. — The Forty-eighth Spirit is Haagenti. He is a President, appearing in the Form of a Mighty Bull with Gryphon’s Wings. This is at first, but after, at the Command of the Exorcist he putteth on Human Shape. His Office is to make Men wise, and to instruct them in divers things; also to Transmute all Metals into Gold; and to change Wine into Water, and Water into Wine. He governeth 33 Legions of Spirits, and his Seal is this, etc.(read more...)
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47. Seal of Uvall (1)., from The Goetia: The Lesser Key of Solomon the King
2008-04-21 12:03:00
(47.) Uvall, Vual, or Voval. — The Forty-seventh Spirit is Uvall, or Vual, or Voval. He is a Duke, Great, Mighty, and Strong; and appeareth in the Form of a Mighty Dromedary at the first, but after a while at the Command of the Exorcist he putteth on Human Shape, and speaketh the Egyptian Tongue, but not perfectly [He can nowadays converse in sound through colloquial Coptic, according to Crowley]. His Office is to procure the Love of Woman, and to tell Things Past, Present, and to Come. He also procureth Friendship between Friends and Foes. He was of the Order of Potestates or Powers. He governeth 37 Legions of Spirits, and his Seal is this, to be made and worn before thee, etc.(read more...)
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47. Seal of Uvall (2)., from The Goetia: The Lesser Key of Solomon the King
2008-04-21 12:02:00
Alternate form.(read more...)
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Heraldic chapter head, from The New World (1671), added on 16th April 2008
2008-04-16 10:57:00
This woodcut was at the start of a chapter. It features two mermen, I think ,holding a shield bearing an armorial crest.(read more...)
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In the Train, from Through the Looking-Glass And What Alice Found There (18
2008-04-14 12:34:00
“Tickets, please!” said the Guard, putting his head in at the window. In a moment everybody was holding out a ticket: they were about the same size as the people, and quite seemed to fill the carriage. [. . .] All this time the Guard was looking at her, first through a telescope, then through a microscope, and then through an opera-glass. At last he said, “You’re travelling the wrong way,” and shut up the window and went away. (p. 52) Alice is sitting in a railway carriage [US: railroad car].(read more...)
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The Queen kept crying `Faster! Faster!', from Through the Looking-Glass And
2008-04-14 12:19:00
Alice never could quite make out, in thinking it over afterwards, how it was that they began: all she remembers is, that they were running hand in hand, and the Queen went so fast that it was all she could do to keep up with her: and still the Queen kept crying “Faster! Faster!” but Alice felt she could not go faster, thought she had not breath left to say so. (p. 41)(read more...)
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Behold it then! cried Perseus, from Myths Every Child Should Know (1914), a
2008-04-10 14:36:00
“Behold it then!” cried Perseus, in a voice like the blast of a trumpet. King Polydectes has demanded to be shown the head of the Gorgon, which turns to stone all who gaze upon it. So the King is of course turned to stone, and Perseus wins the day.(read more...)
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Llamas in Peru, from The New World (1671), added on 9th April 2008
2008-04-09 03:15:00
Llamas are being used by natives clad in loin cloths or breech-cloths, as mounts and with panniers over their backs. In the background, naked men with bow and arrow are hunting llama on the mountains. As with all of these pictures, one should remember that the artists and writers were biased.(read more...)
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Map of the Americas, from The New World (1671), added on 9th April 2008
2008-04-09 03:08:00
Novissima et Accuratissima Totius Americæ Descriptio per Gerardum a Schagen. This map of both North America and South America shows California as an island. The map was popular, and was probably first attributed to Claes Visscher of Amsterdam in the 1670s. The largest version is a six megabyte file. You can also download the photograph I used as a starting-point from the Library of Congress. I have cleaned this image up rather aggressively.(read more...)
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Title Page, Descrtion of the new World, from The New World (1671), added on
2008-04-09 03:07:00
De Nieuwe en Onbekende Weereld: of beschryving van AMERICA en ’t ZUID-LAND with text and engravings/woodcuts by Arnoldus Montanus, Amsterdam, 1671. I made a separate image of the engraving from this page.(read more...)
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Rhinocerous (Hornnase Rhinocer) Engraving, from A description of the nature
2008-04-02 06:12:00
The Rhinoceros borrows his name from the horn in his snout. Some call him an Ægyptian Ox, some an Æthiopian Bull, but they mistake; for there are none in Ægypt, except by chance. In Æthiopia indeed is a bull like him in the horn, which the unskilfull miscall a Rhinoceros. Authors are most uncertain in their descrtiption of him.(read more...)
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84.---Julias Cæsar., from Old England: A Pictorial Museum (1845), added on
2008-04-01 14:09:00
The laurelled conqueror (Figs. 83, 84) Julias Cæsar (Caesar, Cesar), the Roman Emperor.(read more...)
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44. Seal of Shax., from The Goetia: The Lesser Key of Solomon the King (190
2008-03-26 08:24:00
(44.) Shax. — The Forty-fourth Spirit is Shax, or Shaz (or Shass). He is a Great Marquis and appeareth in the Form of a Stock-Dove, speaking with a voice hoarse, but yet subtle. His Office is to take away the Sight, Hearing, or Understanding of any Man or Woman at the command of the Exorcist; and to steal money out of the houses of King s, and to carry it again in 1,200 years. If commanded he will fetch Horses at the request of the Exorcist, or any other thing But he must first be commanded into a Triangle, ?, or else he will deceive him, and tell him many Lies. He can discover all things that are Hidden, and not kept by Wicked Spirits. He giveth good Familiars, sometimes. He governeth 30 Legions of Spirits, and his Seal is this, etc.(read more...)
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43. Seal of Sabnock., from The Goetia: The Lesser Key of Solomon the King (
2008-03-26 08:22:00
(43.) Sabnock. — >The Forty-third Spirit, as King Solomon commanded them into the Vessel of Brass, is called Sabnock, or Savnok. He is a Marquis, Mighty, Great and Strong, appearing in the Form of an Armed Soldier with a Lion’s Head, riding on a pale-coloured horse. His office is to build high Towers, Castles and Cities, and-to furnish them with Armour, etc. Also he can afflict Men for many days with Wounds and with Sores rotten and full of Worms. He giveth Good Familiars at the request of the Exorcist. He commandeth 50 Legions of Spirits; and his Seal is this.(read more...)
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42. Seal of Vepar, or Vephar., from The Goetia: The Lesser Key of Solomon
2008-03-26 08:21:00
(42.) Vepar. — The Forty-second Spirit is Vepar, or Vephar. He is a Duke Great and Strong, and appeareth like a Mermaid. His office is to govern the Waters and Ships laden with Arms, Armour, and Ammunition, etc., thereon. And at the request of the Exorcist he can cause the seas to be right stormy and to appear full of ships. Also he maketh men to die in Three Days by Putrefying Wounds or Sores, and causing Worms to breed in them. He governeth 29 Legions of Spirits, and his Seal is this, etc.(read more...)

Ornament: Cornucopia, from The Antiquities of England and Wales (1783), add
2008-03-25 07:15:00
This antique typographic ornament was used as a chapter tail-piece at the end of a section of the preface. You could also use it as a decorative page element. This was scanned from a 1780s book, and is not perfect: I have not tried to clean it up or make it look new. It shows a horn of plenty with fruit and leaves in it.(read more...)
More About: England , Wales , England and Wales , Ornament , Antiquities

Ypres Tower, Rye, from Chatterbox Annual (1916), added on 21st March 2008
2008-03-21 08:36:00
[in the Middle Ages] There were three strong gates, and on the south side, looking out across the sea, was a large stone watch-tower, known as the Ypres Tower (pronounced locally ‘Wipers’). It was built by Wlliam of Ypres, Earl of Kent, in the reign of Stephen. Te small garrison kept a close look-out for the enemy’s fleet, and when it was seen to be approaching the warden gave orders that the watch-bell, that stood close by, should be rung to alarm the inhabitants and to call them to prepare for defence. (p. 124)(read more...)
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41. Seal of Focalor., from The Goetia: The Lesser Key of Solomon the King (
2008-03-15 13:58:00
(41.) Focalor. — The Forty-first Spirit is Focalor, or Forcalor, or Furcalor. He is a Mighty Duke and Strong. He appeareth in the Form of a Man with Gryphon’s Wings. His office is to slay Men, and to drown them in the Waters, and to overthrow Ships of War, for he hath Power over both Winds and Seas; but he will not hurt any man or thing if he be commanded to the contrary by the Exorcist. He also hath hopes to return to the Seventh Throne after 1,000 years. He governeth 30 Legions of Spirits, and his Seal is this, etc.(read more...)
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40. Seal of Räum., from The Goetia: The Lesser Key of Solomon the King (190
2008-03-15 13:57:00
(40.) Raüm. — The Fortieth Spirit is Räum. He is a Great Earl; and appeareth at first in the Form of a Crow, but after the Command of the Exorcist he putteth on Human Shape. His office is to steal Treasures out [of] King ’s Houses, and to carry it whither he is commanded, and to destroy Cities and Dignities of Men, and to tell all things, Past and What Is, and what Will Be; and to cause Love between Friends and Foes. He was of the Order of Thrones. He governeth 30 Legions of Spirits; and his Seal is this, which wear thou as aforesaid.(read more...)
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39. Seal of Malphas., from The Goetia: The Lesser Key of Solomon the King (
2008-03-15 13:56:00
(39.) Malphas. — The Thirty-ninth Spirit is Malphas. He appeareth at first like a Crow, but after he will put on Human Shape at the request of the Exorcist, and speak with a hoarse Voice. He is a Mighty President and Powerful. He can build Houses and High Towers, and can bring to thy Knowledge Enemies’ Desires and Thoughts, and that which they have done. He giveth Good Familiars. If thou makest a Sacrifice unto him he will receive it kindly and willingly, but he will deceive him that [doeth] it. He governeth 40 Legions of Spirits, and his Seal is this, etc.(read more...)
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King Henry VIII Stares Back, from The National and Domestic History of Engl
2008-03-10 11:17:00
A detail from the Portrait of King Henry the 8th, tightly cropped so that it makes a screen background image at an 8:5 aspect ratio. There is also a full-head version.(read more...)
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Portrait of King Henry the Eighth, from The National and Domestic History o
2008-03-10 09:38:00
King Henry VIII (Henry 8th) taken from the engraving King Henry VIII and His Six Wives. I have also made two cropped versions available for use as wide-screen (8:5) screen desktop backgrounds (“computer wallpaper”): (1) The head of Henry VIII and (2) Henry The 8th Stares Back.(read more...)
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Free Wallpaper: The head of Henry VIII, from The National and Domestic Hist
2008-03-10 09:37:00
A detail from the Portrait of King Henry the 8th, scaled and cropped so that it makes a screen background image at an 8:5 aspect ratio. There is also a scarier version.(read more...)
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Clip-art: Victorian border of twigs and leaves, from The National and Domes
2008-03-09 05:30:00
A decorative full-page border used to frame an illustration in the book. Twigs and leaves.(read more...)
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Henry VIII and His Six Wives, from The National and Domestic History of Eng
2008-03-09 05:30:00
Anne of Cleves Jane Seymour. Henry VIII. Catherine Howard. Catherine Parr. Anne Boleyn. Catherine of Aragon.(read more...)
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Specimen of the Würzburg Missal. Written about 1470 or 1480., from The Nat
2008-03-07 13:31:00
This full-page plate occurs next to the discussion on the invention of printing, and the dramatic effect it to reduce the power of the Church. The plate does not appear to be mentioned in the text. The Würzburg Missal (a prayerbook from the town of Würzburg) is generally dated now to 1495, and was looted from the Fraenkisches Luitpold Museum during the Second World War by German forces. It was recovered in 1953.(read more...)
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Builders at Work., from The National and Domestic History of England (1878)
2008-03-07 08:56:00
The view of builders at work, taken from a fifteenth century manuscript, sufficiently explains some of the mechanical appliances then in use. (p. 174) We see builders using a winch and pulley to raise a heavy load; another holds an axe, as if about to cut the rope on the pulley! Another uses calipers or diverders to measure or mark a block.(read more...)
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St. Michael's Mount; , from Castles (1926), added on 5th March 2008
2008-03-05 12:59:00
The westernmost of the castles of the British Isles is in some ways the most interesting and picturesque of them all. Essentially a water-fortress girt round on all sides by a natural moat, it differs from all others because its moat is the ocean. My husband and I visited Saint Michael’s Mount in 2004, and I took some castle pictures(read more...)
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