Fig. 298.—Salisbury Museum.
Fig. 299.—Scarborough Museum.
Jugs, or vessels for liquor, were occasionally, from a very early period, made in form of mounted knights. Indeed, from the occurrence of grotesque heads and portions of figures on the Norman vessels which I had the good fortune to exhume a few years back,[32] it is probable these grotesque vessels may, in some instances, trace from that date. A very interesting example (Fig. [297]) was found at Lewes in 1846. It is in the form of a mounted knight. The workmanship is very rude, but there are certain details, such as the long pointed toes and pryck spurs, from which its probable date is assigned to the time of Henry II. Its length is ten and half inches, and its full height, when perfect, would be thirteen or fourteen inches. The material is coarse clay, the upper parts green glazed. There can be no doubt it was intended to contain liquor, and the handle, which passes from the back of the knight to the tail of the horse, was evidently intended for pouring out the contents; whilst a circular aperture at the lower end of the handle afforded the means of filling the vessel.[33] There is no evidence to show where this was made.
Another curious example (Fig. [298]) preserved in the Salisbury Museum, was found at Mere, in Wiltshire, and is believed to belong to the latter half of the twelfth century. The costume and accoutrements of this figure (which is a knight on horseback, armed with shield, &c.) correspond almost precisely to that of the effigy of King Richard I. on his great seal.[34] The impressed circles are probably intended to represent chain mail.
Fig. 300.
Fig. 301.
