New Orleans daily crescent., 1860-11-12
The True History of the Round Table nt
NtneheSter,

antfquaries. However, in late year, when the
Archaeological Institute met in the time honored
city OF Winchester one OF the leading members of
that association read very interesting inquiry
into this very popular object of antiquity. This
paper, from the pen of Mr. Edward Smirke, has
been printed in the Proceedings of the Institute,
and our purpose s to present to the reader Mr..
Smifke's ingenious eonjectures and conclusions,
diyested of certain minute and literal evidence, the
omissions of which will not affect reply to the
popular question: What is King Arthur's Round
Table?n
1t appears that in 17sS, Dr. Miner published in
the Gentleman's Magazine some papers the an
tiqnities of Winchester containing statement that
the celebrated Round Table was shown to Charles
" at Winchester, in 1922, when it for the last
time newly painted and that it had been reported
to be the genuine table of Arthur as early as the
twelfth century, having been seen by John Lesley,
Bishop OF Ross in 1887.
Subsequently DIR, Miner corrected this statement
by altering the date of ll37 to 1880; also by
adding, that the Table was for the first time
painted on the occasion of the Emperors visit, and
that the present one was probably the work of
King Stephen. Mr.. Smrke correctively adds that
the Bishop assigns date to his visit, but merely
informs us that he had seen the table " not long
before he wrote the book, which is dated 1878.
The passage shows that the names OF Arthur's
knights were then inscribed on the circumference
of the Table.
Mr.. Smirke is not aware of any distinct reference
to this table before the reign of Henry vi. or Ed
ward lV., when the poetic historian, Hardyng, who
lived in both reigns, alludes to the Table of Arthur
as hanging YETI at Winchester but it is some
what unfortunate for the history of the table that
the verse which mentions it is not to be found in the
earliest manuscript copy of Hardyng. Giovio,
usually called Paulus Jovius, in passage referred
to in Warton's Description of Winchester, informs
US that the table was shown to Charles v. on his
then recent visit to Winchester; but that the mar
ginal names, having been corroded by decay had
been restored unskiuily, and with so little respect
for the venerable antiquity of the genuine work as
almost to impair its character Of genuineness. Jo-
vus is for various reasons not likely have been
himself at Winchester during the recent visit of the
emperor IN 1922, yet his account is probably cor
rect, for the table had been repaired not long be-
fore that year, as we learn from the entry in the
foreign accounts of Henry WILL of ESQ los lid for
tie repair OF the dlda regis tf1Ia cdstl1 de Wyn-
chestre et ie Round Iabya ibidens.
Spanish writer, who was present at the mar
riage Of Philip and Mary is the first who describes
or intends to describe, with some minuteness, the
painting on this table. The author is Diego de
Nero and the passage, in MS in the royal library
at Madrid, is as follows: 90 Lors du marriage de
Philip H. avec Ia refine Marie, on montrait encore
a Hunscrit la table ronde fabriquee par Merlin
ellie Sc oomposait de rs compart mems tentes en-
0lanes ct en- vert lesquels Sc terminaient ponte
au miGeu ct aaient s'elargissant, usqua Ia crcon-
ference, appele place de Judas, gu siege perlleux
restait touours vide.' The description is certainly
not quite accurate, unless the painting has been
altered since; and the name Of Hunscrt is a
greater departure from the photography of the
mltted even to a foreign writer. Yet, when it is
recollected that the occasion on which the writer
saw it was an event which certainly took place in
winchester, can it be doubted that he spoke of
this hall and table?
To what period the identical names now on il
are to be referred, Mr. Smirke leaves those whose
critical acquaintance with the cycle Of the Round
Table Romanees will enable them to state the
source from which the names are borrowed. But
there is no doubt that, whatever retouchng it may
have undergone Especially in the royal figure
which Mr.. Smirke believes to have been repainted
within the time Of living memory the form of the
letters, and general decorations OF the Table, even
/ we had no eXtrinsic evidence, would indicate a
date not later much earlier, than the reign of
Henry vii. It was then that the black letter. ap-
the time of its disappearance from in |
serptions and architectural legends began to grow
Ianciful and extravagant in its forms. ,,.-.,~tl
We may hf here :.s1oaolate thats tbfuddle of the W
~ 1naf;5 - LUG circle, resting upon the rose and
which 4 ~ sne uoaple edge, is canopied niche Y
! H. t.sn y palhted regal figure bearno tb III et
Jug sword and wearing the roya cra2 ,e 9rD o. aa
~; ;qpusea 20 represent King Arthur. and tla LIS m
,,t y the rose and the crown ha va hat S
rs das more or less success to adhere to tbe en-
s;h desgh. Around the centerrose "a iaI MI
,rloed with black letter. exeant 7.s eiFcie W.
Aen py the base of the niche and tba It's ~ is S
!. dnere are also names inscribed mn civ. III
as well as in the circle aronnS If
~ IN color and form corras1 mo
% the several divisions, each hearn wa wa
" q S t1e ne way reports that in bs tima th roo
"a u ar Gawain was in the limbam ~ th nro
~ ~ liable IN the Castle Hall. VI 'he ptg
nnioie, IN MS History of the or5er 80 AZ, f,.t
En- published shortly after the % Inc lael
KS of the Table as hsyine g une restoration, MOI
~ and as hapino. e. ing no snow of anti roOl
,rs an m t tqed through age) by the Parliamen forv
Ashmoles aeconnfs ~ - ,.l .ne iate war;" beer
the Table il n A. pe neeraly true, the iden mott
Y late data ho+L ~ anu we must assign in th
3onaoeiIsnment but it would seem tbat II Gens
calelessiy and from report only WAY ne orda,
. Whatever be the date of this dant;oo, Va.s yLael
mere IS reason to think that If Il IL eon
.ustaatiay one transmitted 10 ne fr,, ~ pe e.
tal ol lhe hall by Henry Ill., it Is al ali gatio
entativa 20 u ancient lineage the SURVIVING gage
Oh very venerable worE IF ~ S1Ss ~
Smirke adds thas bbIe take
Channaiius nuus may having met with the entry after
~ roll 20 Henry M. of tho Paty sai5
hall at Wincbasta painted in the gable broke
y impressed that Il soWara the east, he was none
edeeess0r nf Artb,,, aneei Oh fortune was h; a
ne Lberat rolls OF the same ra;st, l,e tarad
manna rnnnl; y g,iinisslon by the King place
q : 70 O ar. Smirke that an order to daIad 9adi ~
~ tne world had been fauratiyeIv aa rords
painshg a an emblem of its yicissitndes mag y
istian ancestors 80, ~ @5iaesd fayorite with cumsta
his hall ,yas hiit aa ialhlliaf to them long they
v described es ~ a'iu ehe form has been fool wi
female n AZ 10 - larSe wheel, with a or old
.on II y m mt tne center, some rising ethers truth
b,1rat ~. Inefe are also various examnIas | when .
luicnes, both at home and abroad pies viii ~
inversion OF such wheel intn tbas,l: aoi ~ 30
hsed on the Round Table was ohviaJ ,s5 and =;
rune, by revolution of her own a anu raot,
hss has peen deposed and Arthur mada H. are dra
unately for tbi, 4t, of whic
nation that tba MT. Smirke found covered
was sa5 the order to paint the man Of grimaee
n ISSUED ssaea at least after the Wheel If We feel
du ~ t psen painted 1t is, therefore clear place "
gn this wheel may have been tho onnda And nv
he present picture, it could NOT have ha of mar
~ pursuance Of the order to exeento q mans n,
iorm then was this second order CON, al yonr o,u
~ = any Bhefe is the "mappa go,tnd;', since a i
ho recent publication of tba Tas a,, "a a
lese duestinns sS o'5Hs, 10 supply an an ROOM
'hornton romanoa years sin
that in consaa,t. oo VI or Degrevaun we of frie
des ! raha iaae by King Arthur Knight nf without
and the poet youches tho apple ire
aaada' in proof of the fact 'e Ipphr Is hro, .se
= knight Of tabule round ''"e DnnHaats.
a. NAKED is the nlappe mound tIe i'eoee'
N storye fnll ryght.s the pefot
y OF the romance is inclined In eon.., aie oid.
mere to the mappe monndn eoasiusf ~ slsht, ma
lnclui and it certainly is extra,,s1 siet you GU a.
ness the expression has a mnch ,,.iS siAly'hPe
sense of tie word gi'a1 Tb e1art M or map, FAIL 4
nencea no an example of its use in Wo"ia 40 wei
I 10