8293.
Piece of Linen embroidered in red silk, with an open diaper of crosslets leaving circular and lozenge spaces, the former now empty, the latter ornamented with cross-crosslets in yellow, purple, and green silk. Late 14th century. 15 inches by 12-1/2 inches.
In all likelihood the round spaces were filled in with heraldic
animals, and the piece served as the apparel to an alb, resembling the
one shown on the fine Wensley brass, figured by the brothers Waller,
and also given in the "Church of our Fathers," t. i. p. 325.
8294.
Piece of Silk and Gold Tissue, the ground red with a pattern in green and white, forming a large lozenge, enclosing, in one instance, a bunch of foliage and two eagles, in the other, a bough and two dogs. South Italian, late 14th century. 21-1/2 inches by 11-1/2 inches.
In this rich pattern there are certain portions that, at first sight,
might be taken for attempts to represent Oriental letters; they are,
however, no forms of any alphabet, and, least of all, bear any likeness to
the Cufic.
8295.
Piece of Silk and Cotton Tissue; ground, deep red mixed with green, blue, white, and gold; the pattern consists of loosely branched stems with large flower-*heads, and monsters alternately blue and gold, bearing in their hands a white flower. Italian, late 14th century. 27-1/2 inches by 9-1/2 inches.
The so-called sphinxes in this piece are those monster figures often
found in art-work during the middle ages, and are formed of a female
