43—Psalms. London, 1633.
There is often much speculation as to who can have worked the English embroidered books, and it is very rarely that any reliable information on this interesting point is available.
There is, however, a manuscript note in a copy of the Psalms, printed in 1633 and bound in embroidered white satin, that the work upon it was done by 'Elizabeth, wife of Matthew Wren, Bishop of Ely,' who was an uncle of the architect. The volume still belongs to a member of the family, Dr. W. T. Law of Portland Place, who has most kindly allowed me to give an illustration of this beautiful book. It measures 4 by 3 inches. The design is different in details on each board, the central design, however, being in each case contained within a strongly worked gold border in high relief, widening out at each extremity into a crownlike form, and richly augmented at intervals with clusters of seed pearls. On the upper board within the oval is a double rose with curving stem, leaves, and a bud; the petals are worked in needlepoint, with fine gold twist at the edges, and a cluster of pearls in the centre. In the upper corners are a butterfly, with needlepoint wings, and a bird, with needlepoint wing and tail. In the lower corners are a unicorn and an antlered stag, both recumbent, and in high relief.
On the lower board within the oval is a vine, with curving stem and two large grape clusters, tendrils, and leaves, growing from a small green mound. The edges of the petals are bound with a fine gold twist, as are also the edges and outlines of the leaves, and most of these parts are worked in coloured silks, mixed with fine metal threads, in needlepoint lace-stitch.
A few hazel-nuts are scattered about outside the gold oval, and in each corner is a further ornamentation: a reddish butterfly with wings of needlepoint lace in relief and edged with a gold cord, a green parrot with red wings and tail, are in the two top corners, and in the two lower are a rabbit and a dog, each on a small green ground. Innumerable gold spangles are all over the sides and back, each kept in place by a small pearl stitched through.
The back is divided into five panels, by rows of pearls, and a conventional flower is in each, except the centre one which has an insect. These are all worked in needlepoint and edged with gold twist, the stems of some of them strongly made by a kind of braid of gold cords.
This little book is certainly one of the most ornamental specimens of any of the smaller satin-bound books of the seventeenth century, and although here and there some of the pearls are gone, altogether it is in very good condition, and it is rarely that such a fine example can now be met with in private hands.
Bible. London, 1638.