Needlework As Art Part 49

[568] Appendix 9.

[569] This could hardly have been intended originally for an ecclesiastical purpose. It sounds as if it were a stray fragment from Graeco-Roman art, rather than a survival of the cla.s.sical legend employed as a pretty motive for decoration. Wiglaf's veil is named by Ingulphus. See Strutt's "English Dresses," pp. 3, 7. See also "Historia Eliensis," l. 2, ed. Stewart, p. 183.

[570] See Rock's "Textile Fabrics," p. xxi.; also for Council of Cloveshoe, see his "Church of Our Fathers,"

p. 14.

[571] The Benedictines drained the marshes of Lincolnshire and Somersetshire to employ the poor in the eighth century. St. Bennet travelled to France and Italy, and brought back from his seven journeys cunning artificers in _gla.s.s_ and stone, besides costly books and copies of the Scriptures, in order (as is expressly said by Bede) that the ignorant might learn from them, as others learned from books. See Mrs. Jameson's "Legends of the Monastic Orders," pp. 56, 57.

[572] See Raine's "St. Cuthbert," pp. 50-209. Mr. Raine describes it as being "of woven gold, with s.p.a.ces left vacant for needlework embroidery." Beautifully drawn majestic figures stand in niches on rainbow-coloured clouds, and the effect is that of an illumination of the ninth century. The style is rather Greek or Byzantine than Anglo-Saxon. For further notices of St. Cuthbert's relics, see chapter on Materials, _ante_; also see Rock's "Introduction," p. cxvii.

[573] Appendix 10.

[574] See "Calendar of the Anglican Church," by J. H.

Parker (1851): "St. Dunstan was not only a patron of the useful and fine arts, but also a great proficient in them himself; and his almost contemporary biographers speak of him as a poet, painter, and musician, and so skilled a worker in metals that he made many of the church vessels in use at Glas...o...b..ry."

[575] See Rock's "Church of our Fathers," p. 270.

[576] Strutt's "English Dresses," p. 70, quoted from Ingulphus' "History of Croyland Abbey."

[577] Shot, or iridescent materials, were then and had been some time manufactured at Tinnis in Egypt, a city now effaced. It was called "bouqualemoun," and employed for dresses and hangings for the Khalifs. See Schefer's "Relations du Voyage de Na.s.siri Khosrau," p. cxi. The original was written in the middle of the eleventh century.

[578] See d.u.c.h.esne's "Historiae Normanorum." Fol. Paris, 1519.

[579] Queen Matilda was not the originator of the idea that a hero's deeds might be recorded by his wife's needle. Penelope wove the deeds of Ulysses on her loom, and it is suggested by Aristarchus that her peplos served as an historical doc.u.ment for Homer's "Iliad."

See Rossignol's "Les Artistes Homeriques," pp. 72, 73, cited by Louis de Ronchaud in his "La Tap.i.s.serie," p.

32. Gudrun, like the Homeric woman, embroidered the history of Siegfried and his ancestors, and Aelfled that of the achievements of her husband, Duke Brithnod. The Saga of Charlemagne is said to have been embroidered on twenty-six ells of linen, and hung in a church in Iceland.

[580] Domesday ed. Record Commission, under head of Roberte de Oilgi, in co. Buckingham. See also another entry under Wilts, where "Leivede" is spoken of as working auriphrigium for King Edward and his Queen.

[581] Canon Jackson, writing of embroidery, says: "That this was cared for in the great monasteries at this early date appears from a MS. register of Glas...o...b..ry Abbey in the possession of the Marquis of Bath. It is called the Liber Henrici de Soliaco, and gives an account of the affairs of that abbey in A.D. 1189 (Richard I.)." There was a special official whose business it was to provide the monastery with church ornaments generally, and specially with "aurifrigium,"

or gold embroidery, on vestments. For this a house and land, with an annual allowance of food, was set apart.

Another tenant also held some land, to which was attached the obligation to find a "worker in gold."--Letter from Canon Jackson to the Author.

[582] See Mrs. Lawrence's "Woman in England," vol. i. p.

360. She quotes an entry from Madox, a sum of 80 (equal to 1400 of to-day) for an embroidered robe for the Queen, paid by the Sheriffs of London.

[583] Matthew Paris, "Vit. Abb. St. Albani." p. 46; Rock, "Church of our Fathers," vol ii. p. 278.

[584] See Mrs. Dolby's Introduction to "Church Vestments."

[585] Strutt's "Royal and Ecclesiastical Antiquities of England," ed. mdcclxxiii.

[586] Though the work was domestic, the materials came from the East and the South; and while the woven gold of Sicily and Spain was merely base metal on gilded parchment, our laws were directed to the preservation of pure metals for textile purposes.

[587] Matthew Paris, "Hist. Angl.," p. 473, ed. Paris, 1644. See Hartshorne's "Mediaeval Embroideries," pp. 23, 24.

[588] The reproduction by the Arundel Society of this picture will familiarize those who care for English art with what is, perhaps, its finest example, next to the crosses of Queen Eleanor. It has been erroneously attributed to Van Eyk, but it is undoubtedly English.

That its art is contemporary with the time of Richard II., is shown by the design and motives of the woven materials and embroidery in which the king and his attendant saints are clothed. They remind us of the piece of silk in the Kensington Museum, into which are woven (probably in Sicilian looms) the cognizance of the King's grandfather, the sun with rays; that of his mother Joan, the white hart; and his own, his dog Math.

This is a good example of the value of an individual pattern. It helps us to affix dates to other specimens of similar style.

[589] See Miss Strickland's mention of the Countess of Oxford in her "Life of Queen Elizabeth of York," p. 46.

[590] From the fragments found, it appeared that King John's mantle was of a strong red silk. Till lately, when it was effaced by being completely gilt, the mantle on the rec.u.mbent effigy was of a bright red, bordered with gold and gems. See Greene's "Worcester," p. 3, quoted in the "Report of the Archaeological a.s.sociation of Worcester," p. 53.

[591] "Notice sur les Attaches d'un Sceau," par M.

Leopold Delisle (Paris, 1854); and also Rock's Introduction to "Textile Fabrics," p. xxii.

[592] The opus Anglicanum often included borders and orphreys set with jewellers' work (or its imitation, worked in gold thread), gems, and pearls.

[593] Edward III. had from William de Courtenay an embroidered garment, "inwrought with pelicans, images, and tabernacles of gold. The tabernacles were like niches, with pinnacles and roofs."

[594] Bock, "Liturgische Gewander," i. p. 211, says there is a piece of opus Anglicanum in the treasury of Aix-la-Chapelle, called the Cope of Leo III.

[595] For further notice of the "opus Anglicanum," see chapter (_ante_) on ecclesiastical embroideries.

[596] Appendix 11.

[597] The orphreys are probably not the original work.

[598] "Testamenta Vetusta," ed. Nicholas, t. i. p. 33.

[599] Woolstrope, Lincolnshire. Collier's "Ecclesiastical History of Great Britain," v. p. 3 (ed.

Lothbury). This proves that the monks sometimes plied the needle.

[600] See Hall's "Union of the Houses of York and Lancaster," pp. lxxv-lx.x.xiii.

[601] See Brewer's "Reign of Henry VIII.," vol. i. pp.

347-376.

[602] In the Public Record Office is an inventory of Lord Monteagle's property, 1523 A.D.; amongst other things, is named a piece of Spanish work, "eight partletts garnished with gold and black silk work." This Spanish work is rare, but the description reminds us of a specimen belonging to Louisa, Marchioness of Waterford (Plate 82)--a square of linen, worked with ostriches, turkeys, and eagles in gold and black silk st.i.tches. See Mrs. Palliser's "History of Lace," pp. 6, 12.

[603] Quoted from Cavendish by Miss Strickland, "Queens of England," iv. p. 132.

[604] "The invalid queen, in her moments of convalescence, soothed her cares and miseries at the embroidery frame. Many specimens of her needlework were extant in the reign of James I., and are thus celebrated by Taylor, the poet of the needle:--

"'Mary here the sceptre sway'd; And though she were no queen of mighty power, Her memory will never be decay'd, Nor yet her works forgotten. In the Tower, In Windsor Castle, and in Hampton Court,-- In that most pompous room called Paradise,-- Whoever pleases thither to resort, May see some works of hers of wondrous price.

Her greatness held it no disreputation To hold the needle in her royal hand, Which was a good example to our nation To banish idleness throughout the land.

And thus this queen in wisdom thought it fit; The needle's work pleased her, and she graced it.'

"According to Taylor, Mary finished the splendid and elaborate tapestry begun by her mother."--Miss Strickland's "Life of Mary Tudor," v. p. 417.

[605] "After the action at D'Arbre de Guise, Elizabeth (of England) sent to Henri IV. a scarf embroidered by her own hand. 'Monsieur mon bon frere,' wrote the queen, 'its value is naught in comparison to the dignity of the personage for whom it is destined; but I supplicate you to hide its defects under the wings of your good charity, and to accept my little present in remembrance of me.'"--"Henri IV.," by Miss Freer, p. 311.

[606] In the year 1683 the Marchese Luca Casimiero degl'

Albizzi visited England, and his travels were recorded in ma.n.u.script by Dr. A. Forzoni. At Windsor he observed over a chimney-piece a finely wrought piece of embroidery--"un educazione di fanciulli"--by the hands of Mary Queen of Scots.--Loftie's "History of Old London;" also article on "Royal Picture Galleries," by George Scharf, p. 361 (1867).

[607] "The Company of the Embroiderers can make appear by their worthy and famous pieces of art that they have been of ancient use and eminence, as is to be seen in divers places at this day; but in the matter of their incorporation, it hath relation to the fourth year of Queen Elizabeth."--Stow's "Survey of London and Westminster," part ii. p. 216; also see Edmonson's "Heraldry," vol. i. (1780). "The Keepers, Wardens, and Company of the Broiderie of London.... 2 keepers and 40 a.s.sistants, and the livery consists of 115 members. They have a small but convenient hall in Gutter Lane."--Maitland's "History of London," book iii. p.

602.