Quite an array of such vane-holders was set up early in the sixteenth century upon the pinnacles of the nave clerestory of St. George's chapel in Windsor castle, and the contract made in 1506 for completing the quire in like fashion provides for 'as well the vautte within furth as archebotens, crestys, corses, and the King's bestes stondyng on theym to bere the fanes on the outside of the said quere, and the creasts, corses (and) beasts above on the outsides of Maister John Shornes Chappell.' The contract made in 1511 for finishing the adjacent Lady chapel also includes 'making up crests, corses, and the King's bestes stondyng on theym to bere furth squychons with armes.' These beasts holding their glittering vanes seem to have been completed only so far as the great chapel was concerned, and are plainly shown in Hollar's engraving of the building; but they were all taken down in 1682 by the advice of Sir Christopher Wren, who suggested that pineapples be set up in their stead!
Another mention of figures with vanes occurs in the contract made in 1546 for the building of the Coventry cross:
And further to set on every principall pinnacle in the lowest story of the same new Crosse, the Ymage or a Beast or a foule, holding up a fane, and on everie principall pinnacle in the second story the image of a naked boy with a Targett, and holding a Fane.[16]
These beasts, fowls, and boys obviously performed a double duty, like the creatures on Mapperton manor-house.
The exact nature of the 'King's bestes' at Windsor and elsewhere is illustrated by the accounts for the building of the great hall of Hampton Court in 1533-4. These include payments 'for the workyng and makyng of a lyon and a dragon in stone, standyng at the Gabull ends of the said hall'; 'for two pynnys of irne for stayes for the two bests of freston, standyng at the gabyll endes of the haull'; and 'for gylding and payntyng of two vanys, servyng the bests of freston stondyng at the endes uppon the haull, oon of the Kynges armys, the other of the Quenys, wrowghte wyth fyne golde and in owyle.' Further payments are 'for makyng of 29 of the Kynges bestes to stand upon the new batilments of the Kynges New Hall, and uppon the femerell of the said Hall' and 'for 16 vanys for the bestes standyng upon the battylment of the hall.' Also 'for the payntyng of 6 great lyons, standyng abowght the bartyllment, of tymber worke, uppon the Kynges New Hall, theyre vaynys gylte with fyne golde and in oyle,' and for the painting 'of 4 great dragons & of 6 grewhounds servyng the same barttylment.'
There are also payments to a 'Karver, for karvyng and coutting of 2 grewhondes, oon lybert, servyng to stande uppon the typpis of the vycys abowght the Kynges new haull,' and to a 'paynter, for gyldyng and payntyng of 2 grewhondes, oon lybert, syttyng upon basys baryng vanys, uppon the typys at the haull endes'; likewise 'for gyldyng and payntyng of 24 vanys with the Kynges armes and the Quenes badges.'[17]
The free use of external colouring should be noted.
The use of the King's beasts as heraldic adjuncts was not confined at Hampton Court to the building only, but they were made to do duty, in an equally delightful manner, as garden decorations. Thus the payments already quoted include charges
for makyng and entaylling of 38 of the Kynges and the quenys Beestes, in freeston, barying shyldes wythe the Kynges armes and the Quenys; that ys to say, fowre dragownes, seyx lyones, fyve grewhoundes, fyve harttes, foure Innycornes, servyng to stand abowght the ponddes in the pond yerd;