wings displayed, would lead to the belief that it had been wrought to
the order of some emperor of Germany, or for some Sicilian nobleman
who cherished a love for the house of Hohenstaufen.
1270.
Part of a Maniple; ground, cloth of gold; design, in needlework, St. Blase and St. Stephen. English or French, 13th century. 12 inches by 6-1/2 inches.
Both with regard to its golden cloth, and the figures upon it, this
piece is very valuable. The stuff is of that kind which our country-*man,
John Garland, tells us was wrought by young women at his time,
and shows, in its grounding, a pretty zig-zag pattern. The two kneeling
figures, though done in mere outline of the scantiest sort, display an ease
and gracefulness peculiar to the sculpture and illuminations in England
and France of that period. St. Blase is shown us vested in his chasuble
and mitre—low in form—with a very long grey beard, and holding a
comb in one hand—the instrument of his martyrdom; St. Stephen is
robed as a deacon, and kneeling amid a shower of large round stones,
pelted at him on all sides.
1271.
Silk and Gold Damask; ground, light green silk; design, griffins passant and fleur-de-lis in one row, fleur-de-lis and slipped vine-leaves arising from two tendrils formed like the letter C, and put back to back, all in gold. Sicilian, 14th century. 12 inches by 7-1/2 inches.
The whole of this pattern is thrown off with great freedom, and an
heraldic eye will see the boldness of the griffins. The vine-leaves are
as crispy as any ever seen upon such stuffs, and the whole does credit to
the royal looms of Palermo, where it was probably wrought at the
command of the prince, for himself, or as a gift to some French royalty.
An exactly similar stuff to this may be found at No. 7061; and it is said
that the robes now shown at Neuburg, near Vienna, are traditionally
believed to have been worn, at his marriage, by Leopold the Holy.
