THE NORTHERNMOST WEST WINDOW OF THE ANTECHAPEL.
Each of the eight lower lights of this window is occupied, as already mentioned, with a canopy containing a single figure; and I will state, since an attention to such minutiæ will tend materially to facilitate our investigation of the other windows, that each of the canopies in Nos. 1 and 3 has a flat hood, its spire background coloured blue, and the tapestry back of its niche, which extends upwards to the groining of the niche, red; and that the canopies in Nos. 2 and 4 have projecting hoods, red spire grounds, and blue tapestries. Whilst in the lower tier of lights, Nos. 5 and 7 have projecting hoods, blue spire grounds, and red tapestries; and Nos. 6 and 8, flat hoods, red spire grounds, and blue tapestries. By which means, as will be perceived, a perfect alternation of form and colour is maintained throughout the canopies. All the canopies have projecting pedestals; but those only of the lower tier of lights are crossed by the founder's legend, "Orate pro Willelmo de Wykeham episcopo Wynton fundatore istius collegii," which is written upon a continuous scroll, divided only by the mullions of the window.
Light Xo. 1. Jonas p'pheta is written across the pedestal of the canopy. The figure, which, like the other Old Testament worthies, has no nimbus, holds a scroll inscribed, Hebreus ego su' & dominu' d'm celi ego timeo.—(See Jonah i. 9.) The tapestry is powdered with letters I, crowned.[1]
- ↑ The crowned letters bring to mind Chaucer's prologue to the Canterbury Tales:—
"Of smale corall aboute hire arm she
bare
A pair of bedes gauded all with grene,
And thereon heng a broche of gold ful
shene.
On whiche was first yritten a crouned A,
And after, Amor vincit omnia."
