Volume I Part 2 (2/2)

Loud strike the harp! and raise the song!

To Raymond shall the verse belong!

And hail his n.o.ble, lovely child, The image of her mother mild.

O softly rest, sweet baby there, And as thy morn, thy life be fair!

Long may that smile of angel grace That now illumes thy beauteous face, Attend thee through life's stormy race!

May no mischance destroy thy rest, Be thine the sun-s.h.i.+ne of the blest; And when thy earthly course is past, Be thine the joys shall ever last!

Friends.h.i.+p on earth be thine, and love, And thine eternal bliss above!

The Duke felt exceedingly pleased at the attachment and feeling expressed by the old man in his extempore song, although he might not think very highly of the poetical composition. But the words came from the old man's heart, and the strain to which his harp rang forth was an old Irish air, so the Duke was fully satisfied; and having advanced and entered the hall, he approached old Cormac, and in a gracious tone he said to the sightless bard, ”Thanks, Cormac, accept my grateful thanks; and moreover, here is largess for the minstrel, and withal it is stamped in gold.” So having said, he pa.s.sed a gold _Carolus_ into the minstrel's hand; for which bounty, with tears flowing from his sightless eye-b.a.l.l.s, the grateful old man made a low and respectful obeisance, adding due courtesy.

Here the Duke retired to dress, to receive his company; and meeting with his physician, Sir Patricius Placebo, on his way, he deputed him to do the honours should any of the guests arrive while His Grace was attiring for the banquet.

Sir Patricius Placebo had been created a baronet by king Charles II., in grateful return for active services and personal kindnesses performed in favour of the monarch during his long exile from the throne of his ancestors; and he was, through the favour of His Royal Highness James Duke of York, who afterwards became James II., introduced, with every favourable recommendation, to the Duke of Tyrconnel.

Sir Patricius Placebo now became forth-with family physician to the Duke. He had been baptized plain Patrick, but a.s.sumed that of Patricius; whether it was selected for the euphony of the sound, or the dignity which it implied, or both considerations probably swaying together, the reason of the selection has not been sufficiently defined, nor do our historical annals record the cause. But thus the baronet in sooth was called, and so he wished to be designated.

The attire of Sir Patricius was in due accordance and conformity to the medical costume of the time, which is worthy of being preserved as a historical morceau. His head was enveloped within an enormous bushy peruke, which at this period was confined to the learned professions, or those who affected gravity. This said peruke was _bien poudre_, and upon its summit was perched a small gold-laced hat of triangular shape and form, fastened with gold loops, and a b.u.t.ton at the sinister side of said triangle. His costume was a rich black velvet coat, without a cape, made single-breasted, with long and portentously extended skirts, starched, and stuffed, and stiffened forth, with a magnanimous expenditure of stay-tape and buckram; from out of which sprung, and sparkled forth, the ornamented hilt of a small sword. The sleeves of the coat were large and slashed, each capacious enough to have contained a moderate sized turkey. The waistcoat, formed of the same materials, was likewise in unison with the coat, single-breasted, with long flaps or skirts, which might have given no bad idea of the Roman _sportula_. His cravat was formed of the richest muslin, deeply edged with Mechlin lace, which, after pa.s.sing several times around the neck, meandered through the b.u.t.ton-holes of the waistcoat, so as nearly to reach the extremity of the waist. His small-clothes were made likewise of black velvet, according to the curious, and certainly not very seemly fas.h.i.+on of the times. The hose, or stockings, were of scarlet silk, which were tightly drawn up, and ascended the knees upon the exterior of the small-clothes, and that too to the very utmost of their outstretched extent; at the ankles the hose were adorned with clokes of gold net-work.[9] The shoes were fas.h.i.+oned with broad square toes, made with short quarters and high tops, and were so highly polished that they might well indeed have elicited the admiration, if not the envy, of the fabricator (if then living) of ”Warren's jet blacking!”[10] The shoes were fastened by small square gold buckles richly wrought. His solitaire of rich black satin, must not perish in oblivion, along with all the dignified _et ceteras_ of a proud chevalier of that chivalrous day. His ruffles and chitterlin were of rich Poyntz lace; while over and around his shoulders was flung a long Spanish _capa ropa larga_, a large wide cloak or roquelaire of rich Spanish cloth, the inside dyed white, the exterior scarlet; and it is certainly imagined that no one ever yet stood in proximity with the Doctor's red flowing roquelaire without wis.h.i.+ng mentally for the approach of a fire-engine!

[9] Silk stockings first became usual in the reign of Elizabeth.

These articles of finery ”were curiously knit with open seam down the legge, with quirks and clokes about the ancles, and sometimes (haply) _interlaced with gold or silver threads_, as it is wonderful to behold.”--_Beaumont and Fletcher_, vol. v. _Note_, p.

353.

[10] ”s.h.i.+ning shoes” are often noticed by Ma.s.singer, Jonson, and other old dramatists.

But we must now complete the portrait of Sir Patricius. He constantly carried an Indian cane, surmounted with a gold head of beautifully perforated filligree-work, the interior of which contained cotton steeped in aromatic vinegar; and it was amusing to behold with what dignified gravity and grimace he ever and anon applied the said cane to the olfactory organ, and with much seeming satisfaction. When this stately toy was relinquished, it gave place to a more magnificent bijou, in the shape of a gold snuff-box: upon the lid was inserted a miniature of Charles II. by the celebrated Samuel Cooper. And let it be remembered that ”he was the first who gave the strength and freedom of oil to miniature!” This fine production of original genius was appropriately encircled around with large brilliants. The act of snuff-taking was slowly performed by the grave pressure of the thumb and fore-finger of the right hand, deliberately and ceremoniously performing a curve, or segment of a circle, while with a sly and approving gaze he contentedly ogled a large diamond ring placed on the little finger. When the Baronet spoke it was with a rich and most mellifluous brogue, and to which the tone of consequence did not seem wanting: albeit to those who invited him to a good dinner when the Duke was absent, or who annually vouchsafed to take or order a box of his _Pillulae Vitae_, he was, in sooth, a very pleasant, accommodating, and polite gentleman.

Sir Patricius was standing on the terrace, and leaning thoughtfully upon his cane, when Captain Heaviside rode up to the steps; and alighting from horseback, he ascended the stately terrace. Captain Heaviside was all things to all men--ay, and to all women. He was the _pious aeneas_ in church, conventicle, or chapel; but he was the _dux Troja.n.u.s_ in the grotto or drawing-room.

”Good morrow, Captain.”

”Sir Patricius, your most humble servant.”

”Would you wish, Captain, to view the demesne?”

”Certainly, Sir Patrick--I mean Sir Patricius. I beg pardon, dear Sir; but will you first allow me to jump out of these leathern turrets? I hate all confounded French fas.h.i.+ons.”

The Captain retired to the chamber appropriated for him. There freely disengaged from the ponderous enc.u.mbrances which were worn at that era.

After a few moments he rejoined the Baronet in the great hall of the castle. It was not then the fas.h.i.+on, _a la Turke_, to wear mustaches; nor was it considered necessary to announce the approach into the drawing-room or dancing saloon, of the man of war, by the loud clank and clatter of his iron heels, steel chains, and bra.s.s spurs, or the ponderosity of an immense sabre, enclosed in an iron sheath, and ”dragging its slow length along.” No; Captain Heaviside came in full-dress, according to the studied propriety and etiquette of the age.

The great baronial hall was sumptuously fitted up as an armoury; the walls were adorned with all the ancient arms and weapons which were peculiar to Ireland; it was wainscoted with carved native oak; the ceiling also was of oak, ornamented with carved, ba.s.so-relievos of armorial escutcheons, armour, warlike weapons, coats of arms, crests mottoes, &c. Several horns of the moose-deer, of immense dimensions, surmounted the architraves and door-cases. At either end of the hall were two large fire-places, with gigantic chimney-pieces of Irish marble; the central compartment of each was decorated with armorial sculpture, representing the Irish harp, surmounted by the radiate, or Irish crown, the supporters, two wolf-dogs of the Irish breed, and underneath, in Gaelic, a motto under each device; the interpretation of which, partly in allusion to the Irish wolf-dog, as also to the manly character of the inhabitants of the island, was, ”Gentle when soothed, fierce when provoked.” Various war-weapons tastefully displayed and arranged, of ancient Irish make and form, glittered upon the walls; viz.

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