8593.
Portion of some Liturgic Ornament (?); ground, deep blue; pattern, fleurs-de-lis embroidered in gold. French, 14th century. 7 inches by 3-1/2 inches.
Whether this fragment once formed a part of maniple, stole, or
orphrey for chasuble, cope, dalmatic, or tunicle, it is impossible to say;
heraldically it is quite correct in its tincture, and that is its only merit.
8594.
Piece of Silk Damask; ground, fawn-colour; pattern, birds and beasts amid foliage, all in green. Sicilian, early 14th century. 10-1/4 inches by 4 inches.
Though every part of the design in the pattern of this charming
stuff is rather small, the whole is admirably clear and well rendered, and
we see a pair of hawks perched, a pair of lions passant, a pair of flags
tripping, a pair of birds (heads reversed), a pair of monster-birds (perhaps
wyverns), and a pair of eagles (much defaced) with wings displayed.
The lions are particularly well drawn.
8595.
Fragment of Silk Tissue; ground, crimson and gold, with three white and green narrow stripes running down the middle, and an inscription on each side the stripes. Spanish, 14th century. 7 inches by 6 inches.
The warp is of thick cotton thread, the woof of silk and gold.
Though very much broken, the inscription is Latin, and gives but a
very few entire words, such as "et tui amoris in eis," with these fragments,
"—tus. Re— —le tuoru—." From this, however, we are
warranted in thinking this textile to have been wrought, not for any
vestment—for it is too thick, except for an orphrey—but rather for
hangings about the chancel at Whitsuntide. See Introduction, § 5.
