Fig. 4.—Le Chappellet de Ihesus, MS., sixteenth century.
Margaret Tudor.
There is, however, one exquisite golden binding in existence which may be something like the books mentioned, only this one is recorded as having been given to the queen by one of the ladies of the Wyatt family. It is at present the property of Lord Romney, who is himself a descendant of that family, in whose possession it has always been since the sixteenth century. It is a Book of Prayers, and measures 2¼ inches in length, 1⅜ inch in breadth, and three-quarters of an inch in thickness. The designs upon it are most delicate and beautiful arabesques, very nearly resembling designs made by Hans Holbein for jewellery. These designs are left in low relief, the groundwork being cut away to a slight degree and filled with black enamel, so that the arabesques show in gold on a black ground. The back is panelled and decorated in the same way, as also are the clasps, of which there are two. There are rings at the two lower edges, for the suspension of the book at the girdle. It resembles much the little gold book described already as having belonged to Henry VIII., especially the back. It is figured and fully described in vol. xliv. of Archæologia at p. 260.
Another book which belonged to Anne Boleyn, and is said to have been with her on the scaffold, is in the British Museum. It is a copy of the New Testament in vellum, in English, printed at Antwerp in 1534 by Martin Emperowre. It has, unfortunately, been rebound for Mr. Cracherode, but still bears on its gilt and gauffred edges the words “Anna Regina Angliæ” written in red.
Henry VIII. made a most unjust will, confirmed nevertheless by Parliament and also acted up to by Edward VI., by virtue of which the succession to the throne of England was settled upon the descendants of his younger sister Mary, instead of those of his elder sister Margaret. The three grand-daughters of the Princess Mary were the Ladies Jane, Katherine, and Mary Grey. Lady Jane Grey, indeed, did come to the throne, as she was crowned Queen of England on the death of Edward VI., but she enjoyed the dignity but a short time, as nine days afterwards she was imprisoned in the Tower, and on February 12, 1554, was beheaded, aged only seventeen years. Her sisters both died prisoners. Edward VI., wishing to secure the Protestant succession, had named Lady Jane Grey as his successor, but the Roman Catholic influence was at the time strong enough to neutralise the king’s wishes, and the party of the Princess Mary prevailed for the present, the succession eventually reverting to its proper channel, the line of the Princess Margaret, who married James IV., King of Scotland.
One volume alone remains that bears upon its binding evidence of having belonged to Margaret Tudor, and this is one of great beauty. It was presented to the British Museum in 1864 by the Earl of Home, and is a manuscript of prayers with miniatures of French work called Le Chappellet de Ihesus et de la Vierge Marie ([Fig. 4]). It belonged first to Anna, wife of Ferdinand, King of the Romans in the sixteenth century. It is bound in green velvet and has silver clasps and bosses, partly gilt. The clasps have the letters “I.H.S.” upon them, gilded, and the attachments of the clasps to the volume have the letters ANNA on them, one letter on each, gilded. These were evidently made for the first owner of the book. Then when it became the property of Queen Margaret, she added her name, Margverite, on the sides in a very pretty manner, each letter, in silver, forming the centre of a double or Tudor rose, gilded. The inner rose has its petals smooth, and the outer one has its petals roughened, as are also the little leaves between each petal.
Fig. 5.—Il Petrarcha. Venetia, 1544. Queen Katharine Parr.