Fig. 16.—Collection of Miscellaneous Tracts in MS.
Henry Prince of Wales.
The styles of ornamentation used on large books for James I. were generally followed by his son, but often the outer borders are of a broader and more decorative kind. An instance of this is found on the dark morocco binding of Raderus’s Theological Biography, printed at Munich in 1628, a large book with a broad decorative border, corner-pieces, coat-of-arms, and semée of thistles, roses, and fleurs-de-lis. A small book with coat-of-arms in the centre, within the Garter, crowned, and bearing on each cover the legend “Tibi Soli O Rex Charissime,” is in the Manuscript Department of the British Museum, on a collection of treatises presented to the king. There is a handsome border round the book, the ground of which is covered with a semée of crosses, and the letters C. R. are on either side of the coat-of-arms. The book has two silver clasps, on one of which is engraved the Scottish crest, and on the other three crowns. The panels joining the clasps to the book are engraved with emblematic figures.
A copy of Hippocratis et Galeni opera, Paris, 1639, in several volumes, bears in the centre of each board the full royal coat-of-arms and supporters, enclosed in an octagonal border, within a rectangle, in the inner corners of which is a handsome stamp of floral sprays, and at the outer corners the crowned monogram of King Charles and his wife Henrietta Maria. They are large books, measuring 17 × 11 inches.
A very decorative little book is covered in red velvet, with silver mounts. It is a copy of the New Testament, printed in London, 1643. On each side, in the centre, are medallion portraits of the king and his queen, in pierced and repoussé silver, within ornamental borders. On the panels of the clasps are engraved figures emblematic of the elements, and on the corner clasps emblematic figures of Charity, Justice, Hope, Fortitude, Prudence, Patience, Faith, and Temperance.
Although embroidered books were largely produced during the reign of Charles I., not many of them were made for himself. One exists in the British Museum, on a manuscript of Montenay’s Emblemes Chrestiens, which is written by Esther Inglis, who was a calligraphist of great repute from the time of Queen Elizabeth to that of Prince Charles. She is said to have been nurse to Prince Henry; and it is probable that she worked the binding of the manuscript. It is covered in crimson satin, and embroidered in gold and silver cord with a few pearls. In the centre is the Prince of Wales’ feathers enclosed in a laurel wreath, and round it a very handsome border, with arabesques at the inner corners.
New Testament, etc. London, 1643. Charles I.
A copy of the Psalms, printed in London in 1643, is covered in white satin and embroidered. It may have belonged to King Charles, and was purchased by the British Museum in 1888. In the centre, in an oval medallion, is a minute portrait of the king, wearing a crown with miniver cape and red robe, with the jewel of the Garter flanked by the letters C. R. Enclosing this is an arrangement of arabesques and flowers, worked respectively in silver or gold guimp and coloured silks. There is no record with the book, but it is quite possible that it was worked for the king. It is one of the smallest embroidered books existing, measuring little more than 3 inches by 2.