Samplers as Records of National Events

Fig. 38.—Sampler by Mary Minshull.
Dated June 29, 1694.

A largely added interest might have been given to samplers had a fashion arisen of lettering them with some historical occurrence which was then stirring the locality, but unfortunately their makers very rarely rose to so much originality. Three rare instances were to be seen in The Fine Art Society’s Exhibition. These, curiously enough, came together from different parts of the country—one from Nottingham, a second from Hockwold, Norfolk, and the third from the author’s collection in London—but they were worked by two persons only, one by Mary Minshull, and two by Martha Wright. They are all unusual in their form of decoration (as will be seen by that illustrated in [Fig. 38]), and were practically similar in design, colour, and execution, each having a set of single pinks worked in high relief in the centre of the sampler. Their presence together was certainly a testimony to the all-embracing character of the Exhibition. The inscriptions upon them were as follows:—

(1) “The Prince of Orang landed in the West of England on the 5th of November 1688, and on the 11th April 1689 was crowned King of England, and in the year 1692 the French came to invade England, and a fleet of ships sent by King William drove them from the English seas, and took, sunk, and burned twenty-one of their ships.”—Signed “Martha Wright, March 26th, 1693.”

(2) “There was an earthquake on the 8th September 1692 in the City of London, but no hurt tho it caused most part of England to tremble.”—Signed “Mary Minshull.”

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Plate XII.—Sampler by Ann Maria Wiggins.
19th Century.
Mrs C. J. Longman.

This “Goldfinch” Sampler was one of the most elaborate Samplers in the Bond Street Exhibition, and is really a wonderful production for a child of seven years of age. It was probably made early in the nineteenth century.

The third was a combination of the two inscriptions.

Nothing of a similar character in work of the eighteenth century has come under my notice, but the Peace of 1802 produced the following lines on a sampler:—

“Past is the storm and o’er the azure sky serenely shines the sun
With every breeze the waving branches nod their kind assent.”
ON PEACE
“Hail England’s favor’d Monarch: round thy head
Shall Freedom’s hand Perennial laurels spread.
Fenc’d by whose sacred leaves the royal brow
Mock’d the vain lightnings aim’d by Gallic foe
Alike in arts and arms illustrious found
Proudly Britannia sits with laurel crown’d
Invasion haunts her rescued Plains no more
And hostile inroads flies her dangerous shore
Where’er her armies march her ensigns Play
Fame points the course and glory leads the way.
*******
O Britain with the gifts of Peace thou’rt blest
May thou hereafter have Perpetual rest
And may the blessing still with you remain
Nor cruel war disturb our land again.

“The Definitive Treaty of Peace was signed March 27^th 1802 proclaimed in London April the 29^th 1802—Thanksgiving June the 1st 1802.

Mary Ann Crouzet
Dec^br 17 1802.”

Later samplers gave expression to the universal sympathy elicited by the death of Queen Charlotte.