ELIZABETH AND JAMES I. 1558-1625
During this last period there was a considerable revival both in the
number and quality of brasses. About 800 were laid down in these two
reigns and at first there is a marked improvement in the engraving. It
is usual to speak as if the deterioration continued steadily from the
time of Henry VIII through the Edwardian and Elizabethan brasses to the
final disappearance of the art in the eighteenth century. This is not
quite the case. The Elizabethan brasses (with which are included those
of James I) are decidedly better in many instances than those of the
Transitional period. Even some of the Caroline examples are better than
those laid down between 1547 and 1558.
Early in the reign of Elizabeth, the plate of brass itself began to
be manufactured in England. It was usually thin, however, and the
engraving as in the Transitional brasses was shallow and too much
detail and shading were attempted. The thinness of metal led to their
becoming battered and worn and they are often in far worse condition
than those laid down a couple of centuries earlier.
Many brasses were, however, fixed to the walls and these are in a
much better state of preservation. These sometimes take the form of
rectangular plates: at times the figures are fixed against the wall in
a recess over a tomb. They are then usually depicted kneeling at desks.
The new style of armour which took the place of that worn in the
Transitional period became finally established by 1575. Its main
characteristics are these: The use of the long-waisted doublet and the
short hose rendered the old style of armour unwearable. The cuirass
becomes long and is brought forward to a peak with a projecting rim. It
is known as a “peascod.” The pauldrons are large and have no ridges,
they are lined with leather the escalloped edge of which is allowed to
extend beyond the plates. The neck is encircled by a ruff, as are the
wrists. The helmet is seldom worn, but is often placed behind the head,
though the figure is depicted standing.
Kneeling figures in many cases have the helmet on the ground, together
with the gauntlets.
The front of the thighs are protected by laminated cuissarts under the
trunk hose, and the legs by knee-caps and greaves. The sollerets are
of a more graceful shape and fit the feet closely. Two long tassets
are buckled to the edge of the cuirass, and hang down over the trunk
hose. They are all formed of several hinged plates and take the place
of tuilles. They are not infrequently rounded at the lower edge and
are fastened by straps to the breeches. The sword hangs at the left
side from a leather belt and the dagger at the right side from a sash.
Swords usually possess guarded hilts.
[Illustration: Fig. 21. John Wingfield, 1584, Easton, Suffolk]
The illustration of Wingfield, Easton, Suffolk, shows these
characteristics, and there are but few variations. The most noticeable
is where, the puffed breeches not being worn, continuous plates from
knee to cuirass protect the legs. This type is shown in the brasses of
Thos. Hawkins, Boughton-under-Blean, Kent, 1587, and Thos. Nevynson and
wife, Eastry, Kent, 1590.
It is remarkable how, in spite of gunpowder being in general use, the
men of the age of Elizabeth were still encased in a panoply of plate.
The ladies fall naturally into two divisions. The Transitional form,
or Queen Mary dress, changed about 1560. The gown is fastened only at
the waist by a sash, and thus shows below an embroidered or quilted
petticoat. Between the bodice and the throat, the bust is covered by a
gathered partlet with a frill and the Paris bonnet continues in use.
From about 1575 a new style comes into vogue and is well shown in
the illustration of the wife of Wm. Wade, Bildeston, Suffolk, 1599.
Her skirt is distended at the hips by the farthingale and shows the
embroidered petticoat beneath. The sleeves are slashed and a large ruff
is round the neck. Usually frills are also worn at the wrists, but here
Alice Wade is an exception. A broad-brimmed hat is worn.
[Illustration: Fig. 22. Alice, wife of William Wade, 1599, Bildeston,
Suffolk]
There are several variations. The lappet of the bonnet is sometimes
turned up over the head, and when it comes far enough forward to shade
the face, it is called a “Shadow.” At the end of the period, a large
veil was substituted. Sometimes the hair is brushed up to a lace crown,
supported by a wire frame. This fashion is shown in the brass of Margt.
Chute, Marden, Hereford, 1614. She wears besides the wheel farthingale,
a peaked stomacher, and a starched collar ornamented with point lace.
The bedstead brasses have already been mentioned in reference to the
chrysom children, but are really a peculiarity of this period.
The civilian costume is not over-interesting, because doublet and
hose are usually covered by a long gown, such as is seen in the
memorial to Wm. Dunche and wife, quadrilateral plate, Little Wittenham,
Berks., engraved c. 1585. Here husband and wife kneel at desks under
two classical arches. Two sons kneel behind their father. They wear
short cloaks, doublet and hose. This is also the costume of the sons of
Alice Wade, who wear pointed beards.
The brasses of children, especially boys, become fairly numerous and
are not without interest, as they exhibit the doublet and hose under
a short cloak. The brass of W. Browne, Holton, Oxon., 1599, is a good
example, showing the long hose fastened above the knee by garters of
ribbon.
The clergy for the most part wear the ordinary civilian dress of the
day without cassock or surplice, and a long gown with long sleeves,
known as the Geneva gown. Some also wear a hood to denote they hold a
degree, as does Dr Wm. Bill, Dean of Westminster, Westminster Abbey,
1561.
Of clergy in surplice and cassock only two brasses now survive.
Formerly at Denham, Bucks., there was one portraying Leonard Hurst,
1561, in cassock and surplice opening in front like a college surplice
and a long scarf. It is now lost, but is illustrated in Haine’s
_Manual_. The two that still survive are Wm. Dye (priest), Westerham,
Kent, 1567, who wears cassock, a closed and gathered surplice and a
scarf, and Nich. Asheton, Winchford, Warwick, 1582, very similar to
the lost brass at Denham, Bucks.
The remaining clergy are in civilian costume, but one or two wear a
scarf over the Geneva gown, as at Stonham Aspal, 1606.
In many cases the title of the ecclesiastic is given, and these are of
some interest. (See Appendix.)
Tyndall’s figure is 5 ft. 4 in. long and there is a border fillet and
several shields.
There are three bishops, but Robt. Pursglove, 1579, is in full mass
vestments, and has been mentioned before.
Edmund Geste, Bishop of Salisbury, in his Cathedral, 1578, wears rochet
and chimere, a scarf and lawn sleeves. Instead of a crozier, he holds
a walking stick in his right and a book in his left hand. It should be
remembered that this was the outdoor garb, hence probably the walking
stick.
H. Robinson, Bishop of Carlisle, 1616, has two brasses, that at Queen’s
College, Oxford, being copied and put over his grave in Carlisle
Cathedral. His brass, like Airay’s, who succeeded him as Provost
of Queen’s, differs from the usual type. They resemble the copper
plates used in books and are very finely engraved and filled with
many additional emblems. A good rubbing cannot be taken owing to the
thinness of the engraving, which nevertheless is well done.
On a quadrilateral plate, Robinson kneels in front of Queen’s College
and Carlisle Cathedral. There are three sheep folds to signify he
was a shepherd to his flock. Several peasants with their tools and
in the dress of the period stand in one corner and dons are entering
Queen’s College in the other. He wears a skull cap and ruff, rochet and
chimere. In his left hand he holds his crozier, which has a human eye
in the centre, and a stork on the outer curve of the volute. The infula
is a napkin and bears the word “Velando.”
From the Elizabethan period some attempt at portraiture is made: in
the case of Robinson and Airay with considerable success. The brass to
Erasmus Williams, Rector at Tingewick, Bucks., 1608, is probably by the
same hand as these two and is signed R. Haydock. It is very similar in
general treatment to them, and on Airay’s brass are the same initials
R. H.