15.—The earliest instance I have noticed of those large unhacked square sheets or mantles called by Porney "drapery," which are drawn up through two rings or ribbons at the upper corners and fall in folds, while in the middle stands the shield of arms, occurs in a monument at Holme Pierpoint to the Countess of Kingston, which bears date 1649 (Thoroton's Notts, p. 90). Such are also engraved in the Sphere of Gentry, 1661; and in the English Baronetage, 1741. These are occasionally to be met with down to 1840. In French heraldry they are commonly found.
In Archæologia Cantiana, vol. x, p. 329, is engraved a curious tent-shaped "drapery," drawn over the helm and held there by a ducal coronet, from which starts the crest, while beneath, and in the middle of the sheet, stand the shield of arms and supporters. This is from "The Confirmation of Supporters, Crest and Arms to Sir Edward Dering, Knt. and Bart., by Sir Wm. Segar, Garter." The first baronet was created 1st Feb., 1626, and Sir Wm. Segar died in 1633; so the date of this drawing is within those seven years.
It must be evident that each artist gave a certain character and style of his own to his work; at the same time the various fashions noted above are found strongly prevailing at the dates given. They were what was approved by the public taste, and any variations only extend to more or less skilful working out. It will be noticed that public taste has several times alternated between sparse and voluminous mantlings. There are indications at the present time which seem to point to a return, within a few years, of the massive convolutions seen during the last quarter of the seventeenth century.
In ledger stones and monuments from 1650 the characteristics given above are followed until about 1780, when other kinds of decoration—palm branches, festoons, and scrolls—very largely superseded mantlings.
IMPORTANT NOTE ON TINCTURE-LINES IN SEALS.
My readers would notice at page 52 and again at page 79 that I could not accept the statements that seals so early as 1648-9 could possibly show tincture-lines. I therefore gave my authorities, and showed pretty evidently that I could not, in the face of other facts, accept them. Since the writing of those pages, Mr. W. H. St. John Hope has very kindly examined for me the original document preserved among the muniments at the House of Lords, and reports that in none of the seals attached to the death-warrant of Charles I. are the tinctures indicated by lines. It is not for me to explain how so accurate an observer as the late Mr. Planché made such a mistake. I think it is probable that the late Mr. Bouttell followed him and enlarged somewhat. The fact, however, is now definitively settled.