well as the third joint of the fingers; a fashion possibly introduced by her, and shown in the curious portrait of this queen on the tapestry at Coventry, given by Mr. Shaw, in his beautiful "Dresses and Decorations," from an excellent drawing executed by the late Mr. Bradley.
The arms of Margaret appear in the windows at Ockwells House, supported by an antelope and a golden eagle, the latter being taken from the achievement of her father, René, Duke of Anjou, who used as supporters two golden eagles; and the arms upon her great seal, described in Harl. MS., 1178, f. 29, as cited in Willement's Regal Heraldry, had the antelope and eagle as supporters. In the great hall at Croydon Palace there was a royal achievement attributed to the times of Henry VI., having two angels as supporters;[1] and they occur likewise on the lower part of the gateway at Eton College.
Menestrier, in his Treatise entitled "Usage des Armoiries," (Paris, 1673, p. 216,) remarks, that it had been erroneously supposed that it was the privilege of the kings of France and personages of the blood royal only, unless by their special concession to certain favoured persons, to introduce angels as the supporters of their arms. He observes, that a great number of examples may be cited of the general use of such supporters—"particulièrement dans les eglises, où la pieté des fideles, laissant des monumens de ses bienfaits accompagnez de ses armoiries, pour en conserver le souvenir, a fait scrupule assez long-temps d'y mettre des animaux, des sauvages, ct des figures fabuleuses ou monstrueuses. Ainsi on verra souveut qu'une mesme maison qui a des lions, des aigles, des dragons ou des sauvages pour supports, a des anges dans les eglises." These remarks may serve to illustrate the substitution of angels for the usual supporters which appear with the arms of Margaret; it may be attributed to their being here found in connexion with an object of a sacred character.
Mr. Ashurst Majendie laid before the Society the project of restoration of the Round Church at Little Maplestead, Essex, observing that the late Marquis of Northampton had taken great interest in the undertaking, and that to his valuable suggestions the Committee of Management had been much indebted in preparing a modified plan of restoration on a more moderate scale than had been originally contemplated. He hoped that the proposed efforts for the preservation of this interesting fabric would be regarded with approbation by all those who take interest in Architectural monuments.
Antiquities and Works of Art Exhibited.
By Mr. Brackstone.—Three bronze celts in perfect preservation, found in June, 1849, between Towton and Ulleskelf, in Yorkshire, at a depth of about 5 ft. One of them is a good example of the type with a stop-ridge and lateral loop. (Compare fig. H. in Mr. Du Noyer's Classification, Archaeol. Journ., vol. iv., p. 5.) Another is a socketed celt with the loop. (Ibid, page 6.)
By M. Pulski.—A selection of exquisite drawings representing antiquities of various classes, especially rings and antique various ornaments of gold, and oriental bronzes. Amongst the objects designated as fibulte he produced a remarkable type, formed of a long bronze wire closely coiled up in a flat spiral form, and resembling, seemingly, a bronze
- ↑ See Ducarel's Croydon, pl. v., p. 66: Willement's Regall Heraldry, p. 35.
