poem descriptive of the siege of Carlaverock, which records that the banners and caparisons of the knights and soldiers who accompanied Edward to that memorable scene were embroidered on silk and satin with the arms of their owner.
Là out meinte riche garnement
Brodé sur cendeaus et samis.
Sometimes, however, the banners and jupons of the knight were painted, as is the case in the fragment floating in the church of Elstow, Bedfordshire. Without filling these pages with too many elucidations of the subject, attention shall be directed to an entry on an Issue Roll of 9 Edward III. (1335.) illustrative of the application of embroidery to domestic purposes. On the 28th of June we find payment made to John de Colonia towards the cost of two vests of green velvet, embroidered with gold, one of which is described as being decorated with sea sirens, bearing a shield with the arms of England and Hainault; and for making a white robe worked with pearls, and a robe of velvet cloth, embroidered with gold of divers workmanship, made by him against the confinement of the Lady Philippa, Queen of England[1]. Edward of Westminster is commanded to order (35th Hen. III., 1252.) a banner to be made of white silk, and in the centre of it there is to be a representation of the Crucifixion, with the effigies of the Blessed Mary and St. John, embroidered in Orfrais, and on the top a star and a new crescent moon[2]. Such modes of ornamenting chambers are frequently alluded to in the early wills. Amongst the effects of Henry V. was a bed called "the bed of embroidered figs." In short, the art of Embroidery appears to have been displayed on every material where elegance of design and richness of effect was capable of being produced by such means.
The Monarch himself wore garments embroidered after the same fashion as the Churchmen. In fact, one of them, the dalmatic, was common to both orders, and there is an entry on the Issue Roll of the 40th Edward III. (1366.) recording a payment made to William Courtenay for one of these royal habits, describing it as being embroidered with pelicans, images, and tabernacles of gold[3].
The dalmatic on the effigy of Henry II. was painted to
