Mantlings from the Sixteenth to the Nineteenth Century.
It is somewhat difficult to treat distinctly of the mantlings prevailing since the beginning of the sixteenth century; but as they afford indirect evidence of date, I venture to draw up the following short description of their variations; and I do so with some diffidence, in the hope that fellow-students may add to my feeble effort, and that thus we may presently arrive at a perfect and dated scheme of these changes.
I am obliged to treat seals separately from drawings and stone carvings, because the circumscribed space in a seal seems to have prevented some of the variations noticed in the others. At the same time, several characteristic changes are found to occur, and at tolerably distinct dates; and so it is possible to lay down very clearly, as to seals, the current of progressive change.
By far the greater number of heraldic Seals at the beginning of the sixteenth century have no mantling, but display only a bare shield, without ornament—unless some scroll-work or architectural lines, to fill up the space within the dotted or plain circles. Such seals occur constantly till the end of the seventeenth century.
About 1550 helmets with mantlings, open and rather sparse, and kept high up on the top of the shield, appear. These mantlings are rather flat, so that a good space is left for the crest, which thus stands out distinctly. As a specimen, see Wm. Lambarde's seal, 1552 (Archæologia Cantiana, vol. v, p. 256).
Although a good many seals continue still with the mantlings kept up about the top of the shield (while sometimes a motto, &c., is introduced below), it is observed that a little after this date mantlings gradually creep downwards, perhaps to two-thirds of the depth of the shield. See a seal of the Throckmorton family, 1576 (Visitation of Warwick, 1619, Harl. Soc.); also those of Lord Chancellor Bromley, 1581 (Herald and Genealogist, vol. v, p. 5); John Ogle, 1597 (Mascy Charters, plate C, Historic Society of Lancashire and Cheshire for 1887); and Edward Osborne, 1618 (Herald and Genealogist, vol. iv, p. 241; also Archæologia Cantiana, vol. v, p. 234).
This is the character of many examples occurring down to about the year 1650, when a greater profusion of mantling began to be shown: of this the seal of Sir Edward Nicholas, engraved on p. 45, is a good example; and it is the first instance I have noticed in which the folds of the mantling come out from behind the shield, thus marring its distinctness. Usually, although the volume of foldings increases, they are kept away from it, so as to leave the impression of the shield standing out and quite clear. In this, too, the folds extend higher up on either side of the crest than is usual in earlier examples.
It may be interesting here to note that of the fifty-nine seals attached to the death warrant of Charles I., in 1648-9—following the very accurate engraving in Monumenta Vetusta, vol. ii,—twenty-one show mantlings, eleven are distinctly without, ten are doubtful, and the remaining seventeen seals are quite illegible.
From about 1650 many beautifully cut signets are found—the arms, with helmets, crests, and mantlings, the points of which rise up on either side of the crest, thus filling up that empty space. The seal of the Cordwainers of Oxford, made in 1680, is a favourable example of the date (Arch. Journal, vol. vi, pp. 159 and 279).
About 1680 I have observed tassels sometimes appear as a finish to the lower ends of mantlings, as in the seal of Thomas Bate, engraved on p. 45; also in a signet of 1683, in Miscellanea Genealogica et Heraldica for 1886, p. 143; and elsewhere.
Shields set in frames of scroll-work, without mantlings, were prevalent from the beginning of the seventeenth century. For an example, see a signet of Fetherston, 1638, engraved in the Visitation of Warwick (Harleian Society).
From about 1670 cornucopiæ, with flowers, &c., appear, supporting shields more or less egg-shaped; and some of them are most exquisitely engraved. But even at so late a date, I have not observed tincture lines introduced.
I have noticed very few seals about this time in the Jacobean taste. Probably no room was left in so confined a space for scroll-work around the base of the shield. But mantlings—rather heavy, although not voluminous, and kept up pretty high—are found towards the end of this seventeenth century. In many cases also, at this time, plain Georgian shields occur, without mantling.
Early in the eighteenth century seals are found in late Jacobean frames, open and with trellis-work, adorned with rushes and flowers, and without mantlings.
The influence of Chippendale taste strongly affected seals from about 1750 to 1775.
Many followed in the style of Adam, with ribbons and festoons of flowers, and sometimes lightly scrolled frames. These, of course, are without mantlings.
We are thus brought to the end of the eighteenth century. Only occasionally have I met with mantlings between about 1740 and 1800; but I must explain that it is very difficult to get together a body of examples of the eighteenth century: such are not old enough to be figured in engravings, and documents likely to bear them are not of sufficient interest to be examined for any other purpose. I trust fellow-students who read this book will sketch, with their dates, all instances of this epoch: it is only in that way we can get together a body of evidence.
It seems to have been very common, also, for successive generations to repeat the style of their seals, as if that were as important as the heraldry displayed; and thus instances of the several variations occur, perhaps, much later than their legitimate dates—as classified above, from many examples. I know one family whose seals from 1718 to 1840 show, with only one or two exceptions, "the tasteless though still prevalent form" No. 80, and without any mantlings.
Although taking Drawings and Stone Carvings together, there are certain differences observable in each; for instance, we constantly find, in monumental sculptures of the sixteenth century, designs with mantlings above and scroll-work below, which very closely correspond with Jacobean book-plates and engravings such as did not appear till about 1720. I would refer to Thoroton's History of Notts, p. 227; where is engraved a monument, at Wollaton, to Henry Willoughby, who died 1581, which is quite Jacobean in taste and treatment. Another equally so is at Newark-upon-Trent Church: this was erected in 1661, to Thomas Atkinson (Thoroton's Notts, p. 200). Another with cornucopiæ and scrolls stands in West Lake Church, to the memory of Richard Mansfield, who died 1624 (Thoroton's Notts, p. 27). This last exactly corresponds with some of Hollar's beautiful designs, in Sandford's Genealogical History, published in 1677; and it is very remarkable that these are a distinct advance upon Hollar's own designs in the preface and dedication to the Bysse edition of Nicholas Upton, which he engraved in 1654; while for nearly fifty years this monumental example had stood in West Lake Church, and we know it was only one of many similar English works. I have many times noticed that sculpture precedes engravings or paintings. It is, I think, inherently so: designing in the round comes first, to be afterwards translated, by skilful and artistic and educated shading, into the flat.
Through the kindness of Dr. Jackson Howard, Maltravers Herald, and Messrs. Mitchell and Hughes, I am able to shew the engraving (from Miscell. Genealogica et Heraldica for 1884, p. 99) of a very unusual mantling from the Confirmation of Arms in 1526, by Thomas Hawley, Clarenceux, to Francoys Galuerdet, a native of Rhodes, and Receiver General in England for the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem. This mantling is unusually small; there is no helmet, and the torce is beautifully worked [compare the brass to Sir Wm. Say, lithograph No. 71]. I put this forward first because of its early date, and it seems that at this time mantlings in heraldic drawings, grants, &c., were kept very small.
It will be convenient to describe, and in a numbered list as follows, the variations observed at successive dates.
1.—From 1550 to 1570 there is a tendency to keep the greater portion of mantlings above the shield. They are of smaller volume, and one fold is allowed to wander down on each side, ending in a tassel about one-third down the depth of the shield. A very characteristic example is engraved in Miscell. Genealogica et Heraldica for June, 1887, being the grant to Thomas ffletewood, of London, 1st June, 1545. In the grant to John Lambard, 15th January, 1551 (engraved in Archæologia Cantiana, vol. v, p. 247), such a mantling has four tassels, two above carried up somewhat high, and two below standing about one-third down the shield. The mantling to the arms of Goodricke, engraved in Gerard Legh's Accedens of Armory, edition 1562, is of the same character, but without tassels.
2.—A little later the number of folds is observed to increase, and the tassels are carried down further and turn inwards towards the base point of the shield.
3.—In a grant dated 1572, which is printed in Miscell. Genealogica et Heraldica, vol. i, p. 321, occurs the first instance I have noticed of the foldings coming from behind the shield, and the same may be seen in a grant of 1575, printed in Sylvanus Morgan's Sphere of Gentry, lib. ii, p. 74.
4.—From about 1590 to 1630 a return to the simpler style is observable; a single fold wandering away from the body and reaching with tassels to the base of the shield. Occasional instances return wholly to the descriptions given under 1 and 2.
5.—After about 1620 the volume of mantling gradually increased, and seemed to be purposely so arranged as to come out from behind, probably because it was found in drawings to give artistic relief to the shield.
6.—By about the year 1670 mantlings are frequently found of excessive volume, and in a mass, which would be solid were it not skilfully broken by lighter hackings appearing in the central portions; the folds come down in heavy masses, sometimes like great sausages or cucumbers, to the bottom of the shield. Examples of such may be seen in Sandford's Genealogical History, 1677, and in book-plates engraved in Miscell. Genealogica et Heraldica, December, 1886, p. 184, and elsewhere. The skill of the artist affects wonderfully the quality of these designs; it is not only the chiaro-oscuro, but the turning of a line may often sparkle with genius. Sometimes they are extremely flat and heavy, for instance, in the map attached to Thoroton's Notts, 1677, may be seen a specimen, which is a great contrast to Hollar's designs in Sandford's Genealogical History, published in the same year. Again, the frontispiece to Carter's Honor Redivivus, published in 1673, shows flat waves, and behind the shield, coming out two-thirds down its length, the edges rippling into leaves and hackings, while the folds extend down to a boldly hacked and curled cartouche for the motto, out of which spring two branches of olive.
Instances of this style continue to occur down to 1750. We find them so engraved in Guillim's Display, 1724, also in the English Baronetage, 1741, and in some of the engravings in Atkyn's Gloucestershire, 1768.
7.—About the year 1700 appeared for a few years, perhaps we may say till about 1720, book-plates and dedicatory arms with great hacked foldings twisted round and looking something like Catherine-wheel fireworks. Two or four of these occur in book-plates, and sometimes as many as six, three on each side. We notice that these are conventional exaggerations of the less pronounced circular foldings and turnings seen so early as 1677 in some of Hollar's engravings in Sandford's Genealogical History. An engraving at p. 185 in Chauncey's History of Hertford, published in 1700, is especially interesting; it shows a monument, dated 1662, to Hewytt, in Sawbridgeworth Church, where the carver has struggled to avoid the long ugly folds ("cucumbers"), and has introduced very vigorously twisted leaves and hacks which almost approach those conventional Catherine-wheel fireworks as found in book-plates of a later date, say from 1700 to 1720. I would point out that all the armorial engravings in Chauncey's Herts are well worth studying: the mantlings are hacked all over, and extend about four-fifths down the shields in endless small and vigorous twists, the shields themselves being variations of No. 16. Some of the engravings in Plot's Natural History of Oxfordshire, published in 1705, show the same character, also some of those in Atkyn's History of Gloucestershire, published in 1768.
8.—The rebound from this taste led to small mantlings, kept a good deal at the top of the shield, even although there were no supporters, as in a peer's coat of arms, to prevent their downward flow. These occur also when the bases of the shields in Jacobean book-plates are finished off with scroll work, trellis, scales, &c., &c.; the upper part of the shield being ornamented with such smallish mantlings. In Blomefield's Norfolk, 1739, ribbon scrolls extend all round some of the shields in the place of a mantling; while in what is, I suppose, a book-plate, Holland impaling Upton, printed in the pedigrees at the beginning of vol. i, acanthus leaves occur in the base, and break out occasionally, where convenient, from such scrolls, which are arranged round the upper part of the shield. Scrolls are strictly architectural ornaments, and not vegetables. These correspond to the French style called "Bombé," in which curves and undulations of surface in ribbons, &c., were rolled and tossed about for artistic effect. But with our English examples of monuments of the sixteenth century in the same taste (see p. 80), we need not consider that our Jacobean style was borrowed from the French, although that nation, for a full century, ending in 1790, guided the artistic tastes of Europe.
9.—During the Chippendale fashion all martial elements disappear, helmets and mantlings are swept away, and we see the style of Louis XV. borrowed from the prevailing French taste, broken shell-shaped woodwork, rocks, and shell curves (rocaille coquille), hence called "Rococo." It was well enough in the frames of mirrors and furniture, but seems strangely out of place around a cardioid shield of arms, with festoons of flowers and spikes of reeds or grass, while perhaps Cupids or Greek vases on brackets are introduced. Nevertheless, the genius of Chippendale sublimated this into specimens of great beauty. Chippendale's Books of Designs were published in 1759, i vol., folio, and in 1762, i vol., folio.
10.—Mantlings, of course, continued to be shown in grants of arms. We find about 1775 they appear to be smaller again, and confined to the top of the shield, often being carried rather high up on each side of the crest, and frequently ending at the base in two tassels [see a grant 1779, Miscell. Genealogica et Heraldica, second series, vol. iii, p. 41].
11.—This style continued to the beginning of the nineteenth century, when I have observed very light and graceful mantlings thrown about in airy and much hacked foldings, and generally ending in tassels (see a grant 1803, Miscell. Genealogica et Heraldica, original series, vol. ii, p. 20). This character is also seen in many book-plates of this date.
12.—I must now say a few words on the style introduced and skilfully enforced by Robert and James Adam. They, too, adopted from the French, and by their skill and artistic taste developed to great perfection the style of Louis XVI. (1774-90). The rage for this fashion arose in Europe upon the discovery at Pompeii of Roman frescoes preserved in their original colours. The brothers Adam caught the exact spirit of these, and produced heraldic designs, consisting of shell-fluted scrolls, with light and airy festoons of flowers and ribbons, surrounding shields almost invariably Georgian No. 25. The festoons were frequently extended in graceful curves, from pegs, just as we see them in the recovered Roman arabesques, or on the walls of the Petit Trianon. Robert and James Adam published their book in three vols., imp. folio, 1773-1822. For examples of this style see Dugdale's Warwickshire, 1765; Hutchin's Dorset, 1774; Hasted's Kent, 1778; Rudder's Gloucestershire, 1779 (one specimen only); Nichol's Leicestershire, 1795; Shaw's Staffordshire, 1798; Manning and Bray's Surrey, 1804. This long list will show how extremely popular the Adam style continued to be for about thirty years.
13.—As early as 1500, a fan-shaped mantling with rounded base appears; it was formed of an unhacked cloth with many closely folded rays, and occasionally two tassels are attached to the upper corners and hang down as supports on each side of the shield, which stands in the middle—see examples engraved in Herald and Genealogist, vol. viii, p. 247; Archæologia Cantiana, vol. v, p. 248; Miscell. Genealogica et Heraldica, first series, vol. ii, p. 100; &c., &c. This design is continued until after 1700, but seems less closely folded at the later dates, when they are often found in ornamental achievements in pedigrees.
14.—A curious example of a mantling is engraved Herald and Genealogist, vol. viii, p. 254, in which a square sheet or cloth, having no hacking, and attached to the helmet, is folded-in round the edges; through these a cord is passed, ending in two tassels which extend a little below the bottom of the mantle. This portion of the cloth, as well as the back, hangs down straight without any folds. The result is that the shield stands out against the deeply shaded back ground within these folded-in edges, they being in high light. The MS. from which this is taken is dated 1645, and the shield displays the arms of Helsby.
15.—The earliest instance I have noticed of those large unhacked square sheets or mantles called by Porney "drapery," which are drawn up through two rings or ribbons at the upper corners and fall in folds, while in the middle stands the shield of arms, occurs in a monument at Holme Pierpoint to the Countess of Kingston, which bears date 1649 (Thoroton's Notts, p. 90). Such are also engraved in the Sphere of Gentry, 1661; and in the English Baronetage, 1741. These are occasionally to be met with down to 1840. In French heraldry they are commonly found.
In Archæologia Cantiana, vol. x, p. 329, is engraved a curious tent-shaped "drapery," drawn over the helm and held there by a ducal coronet, from which starts the crest, while beneath, and in the middle of the sheet, stand the shield of arms and supporters. This is from "The Confirmation of Supporters, Crest and Arms to Sir Edward Dering, Knt. and Bart., by Sir Wm. Segar, Garter." The first baronet was created 1st Feb., 1626, and Sir Wm. Segar died in 1633; so the date of this drawing is within those seven years.
It must be evident that each artist gave a certain character and style of his own to his work; at the same time the various fashions noted above are found strongly prevailing at the dates given. They were what was approved by the public taste, and any variations only extend to more or less skilful working out. It will be noticed that public taste has several times alternated between sparse and voluminous mantlings. There are indications at the present time which seem to point to a return, within a few years, of the massive convolutions seen during the last quarter of the seventeenth century.
In ledger stones and monuments from 1650 the characteristics given above are followed until about 1780, when other kinds of decoration—palm branches, festoons, and scrolls—very largely superseded mantlings.