_Legend of St. Molaisse_ (Vol. ii., p. 79.; Vol. iii., p. 478.).--This
manuscript was purchased for the British Museum, and is MS. Add. 18,205.
Instead of being of the _eleventh_, it is probably of the fourteenth or
fifteenth century.
μ.
_Collars of SS._ (Vol. iv., pp. 147. 236.).--In compliance with the wish
of MR. E. FOSS, that all information bearing on this subject might be
sent to you, I beg to state that I have carefully examined two monuments
in this neighbourhood on which this ornament appears.
The first is in Macclesfield church. In the north aisle is an
altar-tomb, with the effigies of a knight in plate armour, with a collar
of SS. At his feet is a ball; and under his head, which is uncovered, a
helmet with crest and lambrequin. The crest is too much defaced to be
made out, but in a sketch made in 1584 is figured as a stag's head.
Tradition assigns this tomb to one of the family of Downes; but it is
surrounded by the monumental effigies of the Savages (one being that of
the hero of Bosworth), and bears the arms of Archbishop Savage, who is
said to have repaired it.
The other, which is an exceedingly beautiful monument, and in excellent
preservation, is in the chancel of Barthomley church. It is an embattled
altar-tomb: on the sides are figures, somewhat mutilated, of knights and
ladies, sculptured in bas-relief, under richly crocketted gothic
canopies. The knight is in plate armour, with a coif de mailles and
pointed helmet (_exactly_ of the same character as the effigy of Edward
the Black Prince in Canterbury Cathedral), and wears a collar of SS.
most elaborately carved. It is known as the tomb of Sir Robert
Fulleshurst, one of the four esquires of the gallant James Lord Audley
at the battle of Poictiers, who died in 13 Rich. II. (In Bunbury church,
there is an alabaster altar-tomb to Sir Hugh Calveley, the famous
Captain of "Companions" at the battle of Najara, who died 1394. It is so
exactly similar in every respect, with the exception of the collar of
SS., to that of Sir Robert Fulleshurst, that of the sketches I have made
of both you could not distinguish one from the other.)
There are also said to be effigies bearing the collar of SS. in the
churches of Cheadle, Mottram, Over Peover, and Malpas, of which I will
send you some notice as soon as I have seen them.