THE PLATE OF WINCHESTER COLLEGE
❧ WRITTEN BY PERCY MACQUOID, R.I. ❧
THERE is an undefinable feeling of romance and sentiment that forcibly strikes even the most callous who visit Winchester College. Founded by William of Wykeham in 1393 for the purpose of providing free education for the sons of those who could not otherwise have afforded it, as well as a means of supplying the country with an enlightened priesthood, it remains to-day the oldest and one of the greatest of England’s public schools. The royal licence to found the college, granted by Richard II, empowers Wykeham to ‘acquire the site and build a hall or college to the honour and glory of God and our Lady, and to settle in it a warden and seventy scholars who should study grammar within its halls and to grant them a charter.’ This first building took six years to complete, and the sum of £1.014 8s. 3d. was spent upon its construction, a sum that would represent about £20,000 according to the present value of money. ¶ As Winchester was at one time the capital of England, many kings made it their chief seat of residence, and many important parliaments were held there, and it was no doubt from this traditional importance that reigning sovereigns, and the highest dignitaries of Church and State, continually paid visits to the college. It would be otherwise difficult to account for the very large amount of ecclesiastical plate and precious vestments, in addition to the great quantity of secular plate, that was at different times in the possession of the college. The number of rose-water basins with ewers and spoons enumerated in one inventory alone proves that the entertainments must have been of a highly important nature. ¶ The earliest record of a royal gift in plate is of 1449, when Henry VI gave a tabernacle of gold, Margaret of Anjou about the same time presenting a pair of silver-gilt basins, weighing 114 oz., with the enamelled arms of England on one and those of France on the other. Before this date King Henry had paid many visits to the college, being desirous of gaining information on the subject of its working rules and statutes, in order to apply the same to the two similar institutions he was about to found. Another visit was on the occasion of his marriage, when it is stated in one of the records that the wine and beer for the entertainment of the royal suite cost two shillings and fourpence, a sum that does not appear excessive for court refreshments. Doubtless it was in return for the information and hospitality received that he produced the tabernacle and basins. The only recorded visit of Henry’s successor, Edward IV, was in 1469, when he was sufficiently impressed by the school to lend a live lion for the edification of the boys, but he does not appear to have made any presentation of plate; nor is there record of any particular interest taken in the college by either Richard III or Henry VII. During the next reign—which might with justice be called the reign of terror so far as gothic plate was concerned—Thomas Cromwell, representing the king as vicegerent and vicar-general, paid a formal visit to the college. Perhaps the authorities, scenting the coming storm, thought that the presentation to him of a standing salt from the college plate chest might prove a politic precaution; for in the records this entry occurs: ‘Sol. pro reparacione unius salsarii dat. Mro Cromwell secretario Dn̄i Regis pro favore suo habendo in causis Collegii vs. xd.’ A few weeks later, when the king was at Wolvesey Castle, two oxen, ten sheep, and twelve capons were sent to him and graciously accepted. Whether on account of the gift of the salt to Cromwell, or of the offering of sheep and chickens, Henry VIII spared the college plate; his indulgence in this respect is proved when it is seen, from the following inventory taken in 1525 of the secular college plate, how great the temptation must have been:—
| OZ. | |
| Six silver goblets, one silver-gilt cover, the gift of Dr. Young | 82½ |
| Three silver-gilt cups, with one silver-gilt cover, the gift of Mr. Ashborne | 84½ |
| A silver standing cup with gilt lid, the gift of Roger Mapull | 29½ |
| Do., the gift of Dr. Lavender | 26½ |
| Do., the gift of Dr. Mayhew | 21½ |
| Do., the gift of Clyff, Fromond’s chaplain | 18¼ |
| Two silver-gilt cups and covers, called the Rose pieces | 36¼ |
| A great silver cup with gilt cover, the gift of Andrew Hulse | 66½ |
| Two silver standing cups, with gilt covers, the gift of Mr. Ashborne | 46½ |
| A silver standing cup with cover, three hounds at its foot | 21½ |
| A silver standing cup with cover and an eagle on it | 26½ |
| A silver-gilt cup called ‘le spice dyssh,’ enamelled | 12½ |
| Three silver cups with one cover, the gift of Warden Cleve | 118½ |
| A silver cup and cover | 16½ |
| Three silver cups and one cover, marked ‘T’ and ‘A’ on the bottom | 23½ |
| A silver basin with the founder’s arms | 52½ |
| A silver ewer with a hare on its top | 16½ |
| A silver basin and ewer with the founder’s arms, the gift of Warden Cleve | 115½ |
| A silver basin and ewer with the founder’s arms, the gift of Warden Cleve | 113½ |
| A silver basin, the gift of Hugh Sugar | 43½ |
| A silver basin and ewer | 53½ |
| Two silver pots | 44½ |
| Two silver salts and one silver cover | 36½ |
| Four silver salts and one silver cover | 64½ |
| Three silver-gilt spoons | 5¼ |
| Twelve silver spoons with ‘pinnacles’ | 14½ |
| Twelve silver spoons, six marked ‘Margarett,’ six marked ‘Batt’ | 16½ |
| Twelve silver spoons with a mayden’s hedde | 15½ |
| Eleven silver spoons marked with a lion | 11½ |
| Fourteen silver spoons with a diamond | 8½ |
| Twenty-four silver spoons, eighteen with an acorn and six with pinnacles | 25½ |
| Twelve silver spoons with a diamond | 2½ |
| Three silver spoons with round | 18¼ |
| Twelve silver spoons with a diamond | 9½ |
| Fifteen silver spoons | 13½ |
| A nutt with a blue knoppe and cover. | |
| A nutt and cover with three stags at its foot. | |
| A nutt and cover with silver knoppe. | |
| A nutt with a cover and a round knoppe. | |
| A nutt and cover marked ‘B.’ | |
| Six nutts and five covers. |
¶ There is also an inventory of what was given to the college chapel by Wykeham and other benefactors, consisting of silver plate and gilt 3,892 oz., gold plate and articles in gold 91⅞ oz., which Henry VIII must have found even more difficult to resist. Out of the amount of gothic plate mentioned in these two inventories but one piece remains; this is the so-called ‘Election Cup’ illustrated on [Plate I]. ¶ The death of Henry VIII in 1547 relieved the college from the threatened danger of dissolution, but not from the sequestration of its plate; the blow fell in the sixth and seventh year of Edward VI, when the plate was seized, together with all the plate and other ornaments belonging to the ‘cathedrall churche and other parishes and chapells within the said cytie of Winchester.’ The different ‘parcells’ are minutely described in the indenture that forms a receipt, and beautiful ‘parcells’ they must have been. ¶ The college was honoured by a visit from Queen Mary on the occasion of her marriage with Philip, which took place in Winchester cathedral in 1554, and it received small gifts of alms from the royal couple; but neither Mary nor Elizabeth attempted to make good the confiscation of plate that had taken place during their brother’s reign. However, in 1565 the college began once more to accumulate plate, and amongst other things bought a ‘pousshe-pot for wine.’ Some few of these purchases and presentations are still in existence, and are given in the illustrations, but the greater part disappeared in various ways during the seventeenth century. As an instalment towards replacing this, Dr. Nicolas, a warden, presented in 1861 a large silver-gilt bowl and two silver-gilt salvers, and that others were prompted to follow his example is proved by the fine specimens of Charles II silver still in possession of the college. At the beginning of the next century Dr. Burton became head-master, and consolidated the branch of the school known as commoners. As many of these pupils were of noble birth, a special and well-appointed table was kept for their use, and much of the older plate was in 1740 condemned to the melting-pot in order to provide the necessary silver forks, spoons, etc., for the use of these fashionable young gentlemen. It was Dr. Burton’s practice to accept gifts of portraits and plate from his pupils in place of what was termed ‘leaving money’; on his death he bequeathed the portraits to the college, but not the presentation plate, some of which still exists as the property of his descendants, and was exhibited at the Fine Arts Society last winter.
PLATE II
PARCEL GILT ROSE-WATER DISH AND EWER, WITH TOP OF THE COVER OF THE EWER, BELONGING TO WINCHESTER COLLEGE
⇒
LARGER IMAGE
PLATE III
SWEETMEAT DISH AND GILT STANDING-SALT BELONGING TO WINCHESTER COLLEGE
GILT CUP WITH COVER BELONGING TO WINCHESTER COLLEGE
From the slight records from which it is possible to gain information, and for which I am much indebted to Mr. T. F. Kirby (the bursar) and Mr. M. J. Rendall, it is very evident that at one time Winchester College was unusually rich in plate, and it is most interesting to have brought to light the few beautiful specimens that still remain, for not only were silver lovers unaware of its existence, but the college authorities had little notion of the rarity and value of their pieces. They are all in an extraordinarily fine state of preservation, and have not suffered in any way from repairing or regilding. It is a source of comfort that, belonging to such an institution as Winchester College, they are beyond the reach of the American millionaire, and will receive all proper care from the authorities. As the plate is so little known, I have thought it best to describe each important piece in catalogue form.
[Plate I.]—Silver-gilt cup with cover, called ‘The Election Cup’; height, 17½ ins.; diameter, 6½ ins.; weight, 69 oz. 9 dwt. The bowl, which resembles in shape the Anathema and Leigh cups, is moveable, and attaches to the stem by a double socket and flange; it is embossed with decorated and graduated escallops on a matted ground. The stem is of channelled and truncated form, finishing in palm-like points where it meets the bowl and foot, which is similar in decoration to the rest of the cup. The base is edged by an open scrolled moulding formed of leaves surmounted by a ladder moulding, finishing in a very bold and unusually tall cresting. The cover to this remarkable cup is of cupola shape, rising to a slender shaft fashioned like the stem and necked by a cinque-foil; this supports a Tudor crown, the cap showing a surface once filled in with enamel; the finials and bands belonging to the crown are missing. The cover is embossed in the same manner as the bowl, and bordered with the same moulding and tall cresting as the base, pierced in both cases to hold precious stones, which are now replaced by coloured glass. The cup is in remarkable preservation, and has its original gilding. It has no hall-marks, but is, without doubt, English, circa 1520; the boldness of the cresting and workmanship, together with the shape of the bowl, exactly coincides with the few contemporary English pieces in existence. It was presented by Warden More in 1523, and is the sole remaining piece from the wonderful store of gothic plate once possessed by the college.
[Plate II.]—A rose-water dish, parcel gilt, 16 ins. in diameter; weight, 48 oz. II dwt.; hall-mark, London 1562; maker’s mark, a unicorn’s head in a shield. The border of the dish, which is gilt, and 2 ins. in width, is engraved with panels of strapwork and arabesques, enclosing the words, in Lombardic lettering, RADOLPHUS HENSLOWE Ao DNI 1563 CUI DEUS RETRIBUAT IN ILL DIE HANC PELVIM CUM SUO GUTTURNIO DE NOVO FECIT. The centre is composed of one boss raised on another enclosing a print bearing the Wykeham arms enamelled in their tinctures; argent two chevronels sable, between three roses gules, barbed and seeded proper within a garb. Round the lower base runs the legend, also in Lombardic lettering, MANERS MAKET MAN QUOTHE WYLLYAM WYKEHAM. The face of this boss is decorated with baskets of fruit and trophies of arms in repoussé, gilt on a matted ground; the bason of the dish is of plain silver. ¶ The companion ewer, with cover (height, 8½ ins.; weight, 47 oz. 11 dwt., and with marks the same as dish), is of unusually beautiful proportions. The cover, of depressed form, is surmounted by a rosace finial containing the Wykeham arms in enamel; the rest of the cover is embossed with baskets of fruit and trophies of arms. The body of the ewer is cylindrical, and this, as well as the narrow spout, is decorated at the top and centre with gilt bands of scrolled arabesques, enclosing engraved medallions of heads in the foreign taste. The stem is fluted, and the foot covered with a repoussé of a lion’s mask and human heads in cartouches between bunches of fruit, and is edged with reeded and ovolo mouldings. The billet is formed of two masks in profile enclosing a bunch of leaves, and the graceful bow handle is engraved down the back with panels of arabesques. This beautiful dish and ewer much resemble those belonging to Lord Newton, of Lyme, exhibited in 1902 at the Burlington Fine Arts Club, and possess all the characteristics of the finest Elizabethan work. Both dish and ewer are in perfect preservation, and have the original parcel gilding.
[Plate IIIa.]—Sweetmeat dish of tazza shape; diameter, 7 ins.; height, 5 ins.; weight, 15 oz. 9 dwt.; hall-mark, London 1594. The bowl is engraved on the inside, with two bands of strapwork enclosing panels of arabesque design; the centre is of similar decoration surrounded by a double strap. The stem is plain save for an embossed ring indented with dotted lines, the same decoration being repeated on the foot between a double strap, and connected to the stem by a ladder moulding. The piece is singularly simple in its ornamentation, and it should be observed how much of its beauty is dependent on the perfection of the plain line engraving. These dishes were used for sweetmeats and handed to the guests; the tazza form was taken from the Italian and French dishes that were so much in vogue in those countries during the sixteenth century.
[Plate IIIb.]—Small standing salt, gilt; height, 4½ ins.; weight, 15 oz. 9 dwt.; hallmark, London 1596. It is in the form of a hexagonal plinth; the panels forming the sides are filled with an upright design of foliated arabesques in low relief on a matted ground, divided at the angles by a plain ribbed moulding, connected at the top and base by a fine ladder moulding between two fillets; the top and base coincide in design, and are composed of a slight ogee embossed with a lea moulding of Persian origin. The simple repetition of design throughout this little standing salt constitutes its charm, each space being most admirably filled. The cover to this salt is, unfortunately, missing; it would probably have been of cupola shape, bearing a vase finial surmounted by a little figure.
[Plate IIIc.]—Cup with cover, gilt; height, 11¼ ins.; diameter of bowl, 9½ ins.; both hall-marked London 1682; maker’s mark, ‘R. L.’ in a shield over a fleur-de-luce; weight, 118 oz. 15 dwt. The cup, which stands on a base ¾ in. in height, is of porringer shape, decorated with a surbase of upright and repoussé acanthus, alternating with plain leaves in lower relief; above this in fine line engraving are the Poulett arms within a mantling of acanthus, and the inscription, ‘Ex dono prænobilis Caroli Dm̄i Marchionis Winton,’ etc. The scroll handles are cast solid, and terminate in animals’ heads.
PLATE IV
ROSE WATER DISH AND EWER, AND SMALL GILT STANDING CUP AND COVER BELONGING TO WINCHESTER COLLEGE
⇒
LARGER IMAGE
PLATE V
TWO TANKARDS AND STANDING SALT BELONGING TO WINCHESTER COLLEGE
⇒
LARGER IMAGE
The cover is of flattened form and plain except for a central enrichment of acanthus in a spiral design, and finishes in an open-worked knop of the same leaves. The condition of this unusually large porringer cup is surprising. It has the original gilding, and the sharp yet round modelling of the ornament shows to what perfection this form of decoration was carried. The rapid deterioration of this acanthus design in William III’s reign goes far towards explaining the reason for its lasting such a short period. The acanthus scrolled handles are a little small for the otherwise perfect proportions of this very remarkable cup.
[Plate IVa.]—Rose-water dish; diameter, 17¼ ins.; weight, 63 oz.; no hall mark; maker’s mark, monogram C. R. in a shield; date, circa 1613. The dish is quite plain, with an engraved line on the edge. The arms per pale of Winchester College and the donor are engraved on the centre boss, round which runs the inscription, ‘Ex dono Georgii Rives Sacræ Theologiæ Doct. huius Collegii socii deinde Novi Coll. custodis in usum quotidianum Vicecustodis istius Coll. prope Winton Anno Domini 1613.’ The companion ewer of same date, with same maker’s mark; height, 7⅛ ins.; diameter, 4½ ins.; weight, 23 oz. 10 dwt. This is also perfectly plain, with wide bow handle and long curved spout; the foot is of trumpet shape spreading to a plain stepped base. Both dish and ewer are good examples of the plain plate that was slowly coming into fashion in this country during the early part of the seventeenth century.
[Plate IVb.]—Small standing cup and cover, gilt; height, 14. ins.; hall-mark, London 1632; maker’s mark, P. C. over a rose in a shield. The bowl of the cup is matted with a broad plain border at the lip, round which runs the inscription, ‘Ex dono Hugonis Barker legū Doctoris olim huius Collegii Scholaris ac Consanguinei fundatoris eiusdem Collegii ac eo nomine in numerū Scholariū eiusdem admissi.’ Below this in a circle are engraved the arms of the donor. The stem is of baluster shape usual to the cups of this period, and plain save for a matting on the knop, and where it joins the foot there is a repoussé ornament of small leaves; the base is composed of simple mouldings. The cover is of cupola shape with a wide brim; the surface is decorated with a matted ground, and the whole is surmounted by a plain finial of vase-shaped form. This plain plate with a granulated or matted surface was much made in the north of Germany, Denmark, and Sweden, and was probably introduced into this country through the influence of Anne of Denmark, the queen of James I.
[Plate Va.]—Tankard and cover; height, 7 ins.; weight, 34 oz. 11 dwt.; marks, London 1614; maker’s mark, O. S., with pellets in a shield. This early Jacobean tankard is plain throughout and of globular or tankard form. Round the neck runs a band on which is engraved ‘Facile contemnit omnia qui semper cogitat se esse moriturum.’ As an additional emphasis of this sad but true remark, the billet of the cover is formed of a human skull holding a scroll between its teeth, and on the body of the tankard is engraved the arms of the donor with the inscription, ‘Ex dono Johanis Bolney quondā de sanguine fundatoris Jstius Collegii St. Marie Winton Aō dm̄ni 1614.’ The handle is depressed in the bow and finishes in a square whistle end. Tankards or flagons of this shape are extremely rare, and owe the origin of their form to the stoneware jug of Tudor days.
[Plate Vb.]—Standing salt; height, 6½ ins.; diameter, 9 ins. at top, q¼ ins. at base; weight, 47 oz. 5 dwt.; marks, London 1664; maker’s mark undecipherable. The salt is plain, cylindrical, and of X form; the three short curved arms that spring from the slightly convex top were intended to hold a napkin to protect the salt, or, as is to be seen in pictures of the time, for the support of a small dish for olives or caviare. On the fine trumpet sweep of the base are engraved the arms of Wykeham and of the donor within feather mantling, and the inscription, ‘Legatum Mr̄i Michaelis Bold M. Art Collegij Btae Mariae Winton.’ The edge is finished in a simple half-round and step moulding.
[Plate Vc.]—Tankard with lid, parcel gilt; height, 6 ins.; weight, 25 oz. 9 dwt.; marks, London 1649. The tankard is cylindrical and straight-sided, hooped and staved in imitation of a barrel; the lid is quite flat, and engraved with the arms of the see within a garter; the billet is of half skull type, and the curious short handle is of rectangular and irregular form. The barrel decoration at this date (the first year of the Commonwealth) is unusual to find, although the fashion was much adopted towards the end of the same century. The parcel gilding is original.
[Plate VIa.]—Steeple cup and cover, gilt; total height, 19 ins.; height of cup, 12 ins.; weight, 38 oz. 5 dwt.; marks, London 1615; maker’s mark, T. F. in monogram in a shield. The cover is surmounted by a perforated spire of graceful proportions, supported on three brackets of female form. The cover and cup are decorated with scrolled acanthus and fruit in low relief and fine line engraving; the stem is of the composite character usual to these cups, and bears the last traces of Renaissance influence. The cup, although in excellent preservation, has been regilt. There are many steeple cups of this type in existence, but few are so happy in their proportions as this specimen.
[Plate VIb.]—Tall standing cup or hanap with cover. Total height, 24 ins.; cup without cover, 17¼ ins.; diameter, 8⅛ ins.; weight, 124 oz. 17 dwt.; marks, London 1680; maker’s mark, T. C. with a fish and a fleur de luce in a shield. The bowl of this very tall standing cup is plain in shape, ornamented with a surbase of upright acanthus, above which runs an embossed laurelled band; above and below this band are the following inscriptions in Greek and Latin:—
κρᾶσις ἀγαθοῦ δαίμονος
Sivè
Poculum Charitatis
In Usum
Collegij Btae Mariae Winton
propè Winton
The stem is of ordinary baluster shape, engraved and chased with laurelling and acanthus. The base and cover resemble each other in their decoration, and the latter ends in a mushroom-shaped finial, from which spring two arms supporting a heart. This form of standing cup was universal from 1640 to 1690, and, though deficient in artistic construction, possesses interest as being the last recognized design of loving cup mounted on to a tall stem.
[Plate VII.]—Ecclesiastical plate belonging to the college chapel. Two chalices with covers, gilt; marks, London 1611; maker’s mark, R. P. in a shield over a fleur de luce. These are perfectly plain and of the type that was usual during the first years of the seventeenth century. The two tall flagons are of tankard shape, gilt; marks, London 1627; maker’s mark, R. S. over a heart. These tankards are of a shape that was common to both ecclesiastical and secular use, the entasis of the drum, on which are engraved the arms of the donor per pale with those of the college, gives great elegance to its tall and plain columnar form, and the mouldings to the petticoat base are unusually sharp and well proportioned. The large alms dish is gilt; width, 17¼ ins.; marks, London 1681; maker’s mark illegible. The dish is plain, but edged with a reeded moulding; on the border is engraved an inscription set in feather mantling between the arms of Wykeham and those of the donor. There are many other pieces of ecclesiastical and secular plate belonging to the college for which there is not space here. These consist of chalices, patens, salvers, porringers and tankards, which, although of great merit, are not of corresponding interest to the pieces represented in the illustrations.
PLATE VI
STEEPLE-CUP AND HANAP BELONGING TO WINCHESTER COLLEGE
⇒
LARGER IMAGE
PLATE VII
ECCLESIASTICAL PLATE BELONGING TO WINCHESTER COLLEGE
⇒
LARGER IMAGE