At p. 30 will be found an account of the Early English glass at
Salisbury.
As one reads history, the kings and nobles are apt to stand out in such
sharp relief against the background of less illustrious folk that one
often neglects to inquire into the nature of that background, if,
indeed, it be not entirely ignored. Nevertheless, the foreign campaigns
of the English kings could never have been carried on without the
"sinews of war," which brings us abruptly to the unromantic necessity of
considering that very large portion of the community who stayed at home
and paid the taxes and did other unattractive but necessary background
work. Chief among these useful people were the great merchants of
England, and of these none were more important than those who dealt in
wool. Men of their significance in the financial world naturally lived
in fine houses, so we are not surprised to find such edifices as Crosby
Hall in London or the hall of John Halle at Salisbury. We read that this
Halle and one other "merchant of the staple" bought all the wool that
came from Salisbury Plain, which fact helps to explain how he came to
be four times chosen Mayor of Salisbury, and also sent to represent the
Burgesses when the king had occasion to summon Parliament in London. His
handsome hall is lighted by numerous windows, retaining to this day most
of their original glazing. Upon them appear sundry heraldic blazons, and
also the merchant's mark of John Halle, which is repeated again on the
stone transom of the great fireplace. If we are to venture a date for
the building, we may select the year 1471, and for the following
reasons: the records show that John Halle bought the land in 1467; the
window above the fireplace displays that honest worthy in brave attire
with motley hose supporting a banner whereon appear the arms of Edward
IV., but surcharged with the plain label of three points, indicating
that they belong to his son the Prince of Wales (murdered in the Tower);
on the other window appear the arms of Warwick, the "kingmaker." Now a
glance into history reveals that the Prince was born November 4, 1470,
during the time that his mother was obtaining sanctuary in Westminster
Abbey, his father having fled the country. Further, we know that his
father returned and defeated Warwick at the battle of Barnet, April 12,
1471, which defeat cost the great Earl his life. It is fair to
conjecture that the Warwick arms would not have been put upon these
windows after his death, nor those of the Prince of Wales before young
Edward was born, so there remains to us only the period between his
birth and Warwick's death (viz., November 4, 1470 to April 12, 1471) as
the probable time of the hall's erection. The embrasures were glazed in
uniform manner (except the one over the fireplace already described),
and they repay close examination. Within coloured borders are quarry
lights across which are drawn bands slanting downward from left to right
which bear the word "Drede" often repeated. Up and down the lancets are
placed gaily tinted shields of arms. These slanting bands, marked with
motto or single words, were not uncommon at that time; interesting
examples are to be seen at Ockwell's Manor (Berks), Gatton Chapel
(Surrey), and Benedict's Chapel (Peterborough), &c. It has been
suggested that the word "Drede" used here is a rebus composed of the
initials of the words "dominus rex Edwardus domina Elizabeth," referring
to Edward IV. and his Queen. The handsome pointed roof assists the
windows and the fireplace in completing a most pleasing interior, giving
one a high opinion of the style in which once lived John Halle, the
great wool merchant of Salisbury.