On the orphrey,—made in the shape of a cross and worn on the back of the chasuble, [No. 1195],—the first angel plays the pan-pipes; the second, a gittern, or the modern guitar; the next two show one angel, as a deacon in dalmatic, jingling an instrument which he holds by two straps, hung all round with little round ball-like bells; and his companion, robed in alb and stole crossed at the breast like a priest, ringing two large hand-bells; lower down, of the two angels both vested as deacons, one blowing a large, long curved-horn, like that of the aurochs, the other, the shalmes or double-reeded pipe. Below these, one in alb and stole, belt-wise as a deacon, blows a cornamuse or bag-pipe; the other, as deacon, the aurochs’ horn. Then a deacon angel has a trumpet; his fellow, a priest in alb and crossed stole, is playing a triangle; last of all, one plays a tabour, the other the monochord. So noteworthy are these admirable embroideries, that they merit particular attention.
1233.
A stole; ground, very pale yellow silk; design, an interlacing strap-work in the greater part; for the expanding ends, a diamond in gold thread, with a fringe of silk knots alternately crimson and green; the lining, thin crimson silk. English or French, 13th century. 9 feet 9 inches by 1¾ inches in the narrow parts, and 2½ inches in the expanded ends.
Another of those specimens of weaving in small looms worked by young women in London and Paris, during the 13th century, which we have met in this collection. As the expanded ends are formed of small pieces of gold web they were wrought apart, and afterwards sewed on to the crimson silk ground. The design of the narrow part has all along its length, at its two edges, a pair of very small lines, now brown, enclosing a dented ornament. As a liturgical appliance, this stole, for its perfect state of preservation, is valuable; Dr. Bock says that a stole called St. Bernhard’s, now in the church of our Lady at Treves, as well as another curious one in the former cathedral at Aschaffenburg, are in length and breadth, just like this.
1234.
Tissue of Silk and Cotton; the warp, cotton; the woof, silk; ground, green; design, so imperfect that it can hardly be made out, but apparently a monster bird in yellow, lined and dotted in crimson; standing on a border of a yellow ground marked with crosses and mullets of four points. Syrian, late 12th century. 6¾ inches by 4½ inches.
When perfect this stuff must have been somewhat garish, from its colours being so bright and not well contrasted.