print;
satirical print
- Museum number
- 1868,0808.3435
- Title
- Object: The Funeral of the Low Church or the Whig's last Will and Testament
- Description
-
Satire on Whig losses at the election of October 1710 in three separate scenes. At the top, the funeral procession of the Low Church approaching its grave, the coffin covered with a pall decorated with calves' heads and axes is followed by mourners one of whom says, "I'll unbutton my Cloak, and let High Church fall", and led by others, including D[octor] P[ede] saying "Would we had let Sacheverell alone"; the grave digger, standing on a board across the grave, says, "Come and Welcome". Below on the left, an elegant Whig gentleman collapses at the door of a building supported by George Ridpath ("The Observator") saying "100 Old Members still", D[e]. Foe saying "The Cause revives", and Richard Steele ("Bickerstaff") saying "Be comforted Brother"; at left, a Tory leaves exclaiming, "Let Whiggism dye". On the right, a Whig crying "What is the Parliament dissolv'd?" lies on his death bed attended by B[enjamin] H[oadly] saying "Would Oliver were alive", A Gils and D[aniel] B[urgess] saying "Fetch him my Bottle". Below are four columns of verses beginning with the dying Whig's words and lamenting the fate of his party and listing his legacies to the friends shown in the print. 1710
Etching
- Production date
- 1710
- Dimensions
-
Height: 195 millimetres
-
Width: 255 millimetres
- $Inscriptions
-
- Curator's comments
- The print was advertised as "just publish'd" by Pennock in the Evening Post on 12 December 1710: "The Funeral of the Low Church, or the Whiggs last Will and Testament, curiously engraven on a Copper Plate. Printed on a fine Dutch paper with an Heroic Poem
explaining the whole. To be sold by W. Pennock at the picture Shop in Pannier-Alley in Pater-Noster-Row, price 2d. where is to be had Faults on both Sides, a Copper Plate, price 1.d.". It appeared again in the same newspapeer for 3 - 6 February 1711: "Just publish'd The Effigies of the Three Oculists of Great Britain, viz. Dr. Sacheverel, Sir Will. Read and Roger Grant Esq; Price 2d; The Turn-Coats, Pr.2d. The Funeral of the Low Church, or the Whigs last Will and Testament, Pr. 2d.The Jacobite Hopes, or Perkin riding in Triumph, Pr. 2d. London's Happiness in 4 Loyal Members, Pr. 1d. Faults on both sides pr.1d. All curiously engraved on copper, and Printed on fine Paper, with Heroic Poems to each explaining the Figures. All printed for Will. Pennock at the Picture shop in Pannier Alley in Pater-Noster-Row" (information from Malcolm Jones, October 2010)
Neither Doctor Pede or A Gils have been identified.
Literature: T.Clayton, 'The English Print 1688-1802', New Haven and London, 1997, pp.78. Fig. 90.
For the Calf's Head Club, see BM Satires 1517.
- Location
- Not on display
- Acquisition date
- 1868
- Department
- Prints and Drawings
- Registration number
- 1868,0808.3435
