Chasuble, Cloth of, now tawny, once crimson, silk; pattern, animals amid floriations. Sicilian, 14th century. 4 feet 5 inches by 3 feet 6 inches.
Made of precisely the same rich and beautiful stuff employed in the apparels of the alb just noticed, [No. 8710], the elaborate design of which is here seen in all its perfectness. The chasuble itself has been much cut away from its first large shape.
8712.
Part of a large Piece of Needlework, done upon linen in coloured worsteds, figured with a king and queen seated together on a Gothic throne, and a young princess sitting at the queen’s feet. All about are inscriptions. German (?), 15th century. 5 feet 6½ inches by 3 feet 10 inches.
Wofully cut as this large work has been, enough remains to make it very interesting. The king,—whose broad-toed shoes, as well as the very little dog at his feet, will not escape notice,—holds a royal sceptre in his left hand, and around his head runs a scroll bearing this inscription, “Inclitus Rex Alfridus ex ytalia Pacis amator.” About the head of the queen, which is wimpled, the scroll is written with, “Pia Hildeswit Fundatrix Peniten (?), Ao. Mo. XIIo.” Below the princess, whose hair, as that of a maiden, falls all about her shoulders, and whose diadem is not a royal one, nor jewelled like those worn by the king and queen, runs a scroll bearing these words, “Albergissa Abbatissa.” Just under the king, on a broad band, comes—“o. dāpnacionis (damnationis) in &.” At top, on a broad bright crimson ground, in large yellow letters, we read—“v (ex voto?) hoc opus completum ē (est).” From droppings of wax still upon it, this curious piece of needlework must have been used somewhere about an altar—very likely as a sort of reredos; and from the inscription, it would seem to have been wrought as an ex voto offering.
8713.
Piece of Needlework, in silk, upon linen, figured with St. Bartholomew and St. Paul, each standing beneath a round arch. German, early 12th century. 2 feet 8 inches by 1 foot 6 inches.
The linen upon which this venerable specimen of embroidery is done shows a very fine texture; but the silk in which the whole is wrought is of such an inferior quality that, at first sight, though soft to the touch, it looks like the better sort of untwisted cotton thread. Such parts of the design as were meant to be white are left uncovered upon the linen, and the shading is indicated by brown lines. As such early examples are scarce, this is a great curiosity. Dr. Bock has figured it in his “Geschichte der Liturgischen Gewänder des Mittelalters,” 2 Lieferung, pl. viii.