BOOKS BOUND IN CANVAS
English books bound in embroidered canvas range over a period of about
two hundred and fifty years, the earliest known specimen dating from the
fourteenth century, and instances of the work occurring with some
frequency from this time until the middle of the seventeenth century.
The majority of these bindings are worked in tapestry-stitch, or
tent-stitch, in designs illustrating Scriptural subjects in differently
coloured threads.
Very often the outlines of these designs are marked by gold threads and
cords, of various kinds, and parts of the work are also frequently
enriched with further work upon them in metal threads. Spangles are very
rarely found on canvas-bound books. The backgrounds of several of the
later specimens are worked in silver threads, sometimes in chain-stitch
and sometimes in tapestry-stitch; others again have the groundwork of
silver threads laid along the surface of the canvas and caught down at
regular intervals by small stitches--this kind of work is called 'laid'
or 'couched' work. Books bound with this metal ground have always strong
work superimposed, usually executed in metal strips, cords, and thread.
The silver is now generally oxidised and much darkened, but when new
these bindings must have been very brilliant.
[Illustration: 3--The Felbrigge Psalter. 13th-century MS.]
_The Felbrigge Psalter._ 13th-century MS. Probably bound in the
14th century.
The earliest example of an embroidered book in existence is, I believe,
the manuscript English Psalter written in the thirteenth century, which
afterwards belonged to Anne, daughter of Sir Simon de Felbrigge, K. G.,
standard-bearer to Richard II. Anne de Felbrigge was a nun in
the convent of Minoresses at Bruisyard in Suffolk, during the latter
half of the fourteenth century, and it is quite likely that she herself
worked the cover--such work having probably been largely done in
monasteries and convents during the middle ages.
On the upper side is a very charming design of the Annunciation, and, on
the under, another of the Crucifixion, each measuring 7-3/4 by 5-3/4
inches. In both cases the ground is worked with fine gold threads
'couched' in a zigzag pattern, the rest of the work being very finely
executed in split-stitch by the use of which apparently continuous lines
can be made, each successive stitch beginning a little _within_ that
immediately preceding it--the effect in some places being that of a very
fine chain-stitch. The lines of this work do not in any way follow the
meshes of the linen or canvas, as is mostly the case with book-work upon
such material, but they curve freely according to the lines and folds
of the design. It will be recognised I think by art workwomen skilled in
this kind of small embroidery, that the methods used for ornamenting the
canvas binding of this book are the most artistic of any of the various
means employed for a similar purpose, and I know of no other instance
which for appropriateness of workmanship, or charm of design, can
compare with this, the earliest of all.
The figure of the Virgin Mary, on the upper side, is dressed in a pale
red robe, with an upper garment or cloak of blue with a gold border. On
her head is a white head-dress, and round it a yellow halo; just above
is a white dove flying downwards, its head having a small red nimbus or
cloud round it. The Virgin holds a red book in her hand. The figure of
the angel is winged, and wears an under robe of blue with an upper
garment of yellow; round his head he has a green and yellow nimbus, his
wings are crimson and white.
Between these two figures is a large yellow vase, banded with blue and
red; out of it grows a tall lily, with a crown of three red blossoms.
The drawing of both of the figures is good, the attitudes and the
management of the folds of the drapery being excellently rendered, and
the execution of the technical part is in no way inferior to the design.
On the lower side, on a groundwork of gold similar to that on the upper
cover, is a design of the Crucifixion. Our Saviour wears a red garment
round the loins, and round his head is a red and yellow nimbus, his feet
being crossed in a manner often seen in illuminations in ancient
manuscripts.
The cross is yellow with a green edge, the foot widening out into a
triple arch, within which is a small angel kneeling in the attitude of
prayer. On the right of the cross is a figure of the Virgin Mary, in
robes of pale blue and yellow, with a white head-dress and green and
yellow nimbus. On the left is another figure, probably representing St.
John, dressed in robes of red and blue, and having a nimbus round his
head of concentric rings of red and yellow. This figure is unfortunately
in very bad condition. The edges of the leaves of the book are painted
with heraldic bearings in diamond-shaped spaces, that of the Felbrigge
family 'Gules, a lion rampant, or' alternately with another 'azure, a
fleur-de-lys, or.' The embroidered sides have been badly damaged by time
and probably more so by repair. The book has been rebound in leather,
the old embroidered back quite done away with, and the worked sides
pulled away from their original boards and ruinously flattened out on
the new ones. After the Felbrigge Psalter no other embroidered binding
has been preserved till we come to one dating about 1536, which is in
satin, and will be described under that head.
_The Miroir or Glasse of the Synneful Soul._ MS. by the
Princess Elizabeth. 1544.
The Princess Elizabeth, afterwards Queen, in her eleventh year, copied
out in her own handwriting the _Miroir or Glasse of the Synneful Soul._
She says it is translated 'out of frenche ryme into english prose,
joyning the sentences together as well as the capacitie of my symple
witte and small lerning coulde extende themselves.' It is also most
prettily dedicated: 'From Assherige, the last daye of the yeare of our
Lord God 1544 ... To our most noble and vertuous Quene Katherin,
Elizabeth her humble daughter wisheth perpetuall felicitie and
everlasting joye.'
The book is now one of the great treasures of the Bodleian Library; it
is bound in canvas, measures about 7 by 5 inches, and was embroidered in
all probability by the hands of the Princess herself. The Countess of
Wilton in her book on the art of needlework says that 'Elizabeth was an
accomplished needlewoman,' and that 'in her time embroidery was much
thought of.' The Rev. W. Dunn Macray in his _Annals of the Bodleian
Library_ considers this binding to be one of 'Elizabeth's bibliopegic
achievements.'
[Illustration: 4--The Miroir or Glasse of the Synneful Soul. MS. by the
Princess Elizabeth. 1544.]
[Illustration: 5--Prayers of Queen Katherine Parr. MS. by the Princess
Elizabeth. 1545.]
The design is the same upon both sides. The ground is all worked over in
a large kind of tapestry-stitch in thick pale blue silk, very evenly and
well done, so well that it has been considered more than once to be a
piece of woven material. On this is a cleverly designed interlacing
scroll-work of gold and silver braid, in the centre of which are the
joined initials K. P.
In each corner is a heartsease worked in thick coloured silks, purple
and yellow, interwoven with fine gold threads, and a small green leaflet
between each of the petals. The back is very much worn, but it probably
had small flowers embroidered upon it.
_Prayers of Queen Katherine Parr._ MS. by the Princess
Elizabeth. 1545.
Another manuscript beautifully written by the Princess Elizabeth about a
year later is now at the British Museum. It is on vellum, and contains
prayers or meditations, composed originally by Queen Katherine Parr in
English, and translated by the Princess into Latin, French, and Italian.
The title as given in the book reads, 'Precationes ... ex piis
scriptoribus per nobiliss. et pientiss. D. Catharinam Anglie, Francie,
Hibernieq. reginam collecte, et per D. Elizabetam ex anglico converse.'
It is, moreover, dedicated to Henry VIII., the wording being,
'Illustrissimo Henrico octavo, Anglie, Francie, Hibernieq. regi,' etc.,
and dated Hertford, 20th December 1545.
It is bound in canvas, and measures 5-3/4 by 4 inches, the groundwork
being broadly worked in tapestry-stitch, or some stitch analogous to it,
in red silk, resembling in method the work on the ground of _The Miroir
of the Synneful Soul_ already described. On this, in the centre of each
side, is a large monogram worked in blue silk, interwoven with silver
thread, containing the letters K, probably standing for Katherine, A, F,
H, and R, possibly meaning 'Anglie, Francie, Hibernieque, Reginæ,' but
like most monograms this one can doubtless be otherwise interpreted.
Above and below the monogram are smaller H's, worked in red silk,
interwoven with gold thread. In each corner is a heartsease of yellow
and purple silk, interwoven with gold thread, and having small green
leaves between each of the petals. The work which was once on the back
is now so worn that it cannot be traced sufficiently to tell what it
originally was. The designs of these two volumes, credited to the
Princess Elizabeth, resemble each other to some extent; they both have a
monogram in the centre, they both have heartsease in the corners and
groundwork of a like character. They are, as far as workmanship goes,
still more alike, similar thick silk is used for the ground, and threads
and braids of a thick nature, with metal interwoven, are used on both
for the ornamental work. Speaking of this British Museum book, the
Countess of Wilton says, 'there is little doubt that Elizabeth's own
needle wrought the ornaments thereon.'
_Books embroidered by the Princess Elizabeth._
It cannot be said that there is any actual authority for saying that the
two covers just described are really the work of Elizabeth's own hand,
although she is known to have been fond of embroidery, it being recorded
that she made and embroidered a shirt for her brother Edward when she
was six. There is little doubt, however, that the same designer and the
same workwoman worked both these covers, and the technique, as well as
the design, are peculiar for the time in which they were done. Canvas
bindings were rare--most of the embroidered work on books of that period
were splendid works on velvet--so that if these two manuscripts had been
'given out' to be bound in embroidered covers we should have expected to
find them in rich velvet, like Brion's _Holy Land_, or Christopherson's
_Historia Ecclesiastica_, instead of a very elementary braid work.
Without attaching too much importance to the various statements
concerning their royal origin, I am inclined to think that there is no
impossibility, or even improbability, in the supposition that the
Princess designed and worked them herself, thereby adding to her
exquisite manuscript the further charm of her clever needle. The idea of
both writing and embroidering such valued presents as these two books
must have been is likely to have strongly appealed to an affectionate
and humble daughter, and there is an artistic completeness in the idea
which, I think, tells strongly in its favour.
Probably enough no proof of their having been worked by Elizabeth will
now ever be forthcoming, but it is equally unlikely that any positive
disproof will be found.
The two 'Elizabeth' books stand alone--there are no others resembling
them; but the next kind of embroidered work I shall describe is one
which includes a large number of books, generally small in size, and
usually copies of the Bible or the Psalms. The canvas in these cases is
embroidered all over in small tapestry-stitch, the design being shown by
means of the different colours of the silks used. The work being all
flat it is very strong, and often books bound in this way are in a
marvellous state of preservation. The most interesting designs are those
which represent Scriptural scenes. Some of these are very curious and
almost grotesque, but there is much excuse for this. To work a face any
way in embroidery is troublesome enough, but to work it on a small scale
in tent-stitch is especially difficult, the result being somewhat
similar in effect to that of a glass or marble mosaic, each little
stitch being nearly square and of an uniform colour. The designers of
these embroideries do not appear to have had a very fertile imagination,
as again and again the same subject is represented. Perhaps the most
favourite of all is Jacob wrestling with the angel; of figure subjects
'Faith and Hope' are the most frequently met with, but 'Peace and
Plenty' are also common enough.
[Illustration: 6--Christian Prayers. London, 1581.]
_Christian Prayers._ London, 1581.
A _Book of Christian Prayers_ with illustrated borders, printed in
London in 1581, is bound in coarse canvas worked in tapestry-stitch in
colours, and measures 7 by 5 inches. The same design is on each side--a
kind of flower-basket in two stories, out of the lower part of which,
rectangular in shape, grow two branches, one with lilies and another
with white flowers, and out of the upper, oval in shape, rise two sprays
of roses, one white the other red.
In the lower corners are a large lily, a blue flower, and a large
double-rose spray. All the design is outlined with silver cord or
thread, and the veinings of the leaves are indicated in the same way.
There are remains of two green velvet ties on the front edges of each of
the boards. The back is not divided into panels, but has a design upon
it of the letters E and S repeated five times. The edges are gilt and
gauffred.
_Psalms and Common Praier._ London, 1606-7.
During the seventeenth century little 'double' books were rather
favourite forms for Common Prayer and Psalms especially. These curious
bindings open opposite ways and have two backs, two ornamental boards,
and one unornamented board enclosed between the two books, which are
always of the same size.
There are several instances where embroidered books have been bound in
this way, the earliest I know being a copy of the Psalms and Common
Prayer, printed in 1606-7.
This is bound in canvas, and measures 3-1/4 by 2 inches, each side
having the same design embroidered on each of the ornamented sides and
backs. The flowers and leaves are worked in long straight stitches in
coloured silks, outlined with silver twist. A large pansy plant occupies
the place of honour, growing out of a small green mound, from which also
spring two short plants with five-petalled yellow flowers. The main
stems and ribs of the leaves are made with strong silver twist. Round
about the central spray are several coloured buds. On the backs are four
panels, each containing a small four-petalled flower. The ground is
worked all over with silver thread irregularly stitched, and the edges
are bound with a broad silver thread. There was originally one ribbon to
twist round both books and keep them together, but it is now quite
gone. The edges are gilt, gauffred, and slightly coloured.
[Illustration: 7--Psalms and Common Praier. London, 1606.]
[Illustration: 8--Bible, etc. London, 1612.]
_Bible, etc._ London, 1612.
A copy of the Bible, with the Psalms, printed in London in 1612, and
measuring 6-3/4 by 4-1/4 inches, is bound in fine canvas, and bears upon
it designs embroidered in coloured silks in tapestry-stitch.
On the upper side is King Solomon seated in an elaborate throne on a
dais, all outlined with gold cord. He wears a golden crown and a dress
which more nearly approaches the style worn at the date of the
production of the book than that which was probably worn by Solomon
himself. Before the King kneels a figure, no doubt intended for the
Queen of Sheba, in a red and orange robe of a curious fashion. She holds
out two white and red roses to the King, who bends to take them. The
ground is patterned in green and blue diamonds. The distant landscape
shows a castle with turrets, trees, a tower, a house, and a sun with
rays. The groundwork on both sides and the back is worked in silver
thread.
The lower side has in the centre Jacob wrestling with the angel. Jacob
has a beard and a blue cloak; his staff lies on the ground. The angel
wears a red flowing robe, and his wings are many-coloured, and enriched
with various threads and spirals of gold. The landscape is elaborate. In
the foreground is a river with a bridge of planks, a gabled cottage,
hospitably smoking from its chimneys, a red lily, and a tree. In the
middle distance is a castle with tower and flag, and on the horizon are
a windmill, a castle with two towers, and some trees, above all a red
cloud. The back is divided into six panels, on each of which is a
different design in coloured silks. These designs are small, and
although they are in perfectly good condition, the subjects represented
are doubtful. The upper and lower panels seem to represent only castles
with towers. Then apparently come Jonah and the whale, the creation, the
temple, and the deluge with the ark, but it is quite possible that other
interpretations might be made. There are remains of two red silk ties on
the front edges of each board, and the edges of the leaves are gilded
simply.
[Illustration: 9--Sermons by Samuel Ward. London, 1626-7.]
_Sermons by Samuel Ward._ London, 1626-7.
Mr. Yates Thompson has kindly allowed me to describe and illustrate an
embroidered book belonging to him, bound in canvas, and measuring 5-3/4
by 4-1/4 inches. It is a collection of sermons preached by 'Samuel
Ward, Bachelour of Divinity,' and printed in London, 1626-7, the binding
being probably of about the latter date. On the upper cover is a lady in
a blue dress, seated, and holding a hawk on her left wrist, and a branch
with apples in her right. Round her are scattered flower sprays,
honeysuckle, foxglove, a stalk with two large pears, a cluster of
grapes, a twig with a butterfly upon it, and a wild-rose spray. The
lady, the petals of the flowers, and the leaves are all worked in
tapestry-stitch; the bird and the lady's hair in long straight stitches;
the stalks, fruits, and grasses are worked in variously coloured silk
threads, thickly and strongly bound round with very fine silver wire.
The lady has a coif, cuff, and belt of short pieces of silver and gold
guimp arranged like a plait.
The under side shows a seated lady in a green dress, playing a lute
left-handed. This most unusual position is probably not really
intentional, but the drawing has accidentally been reversed. She is
surrounded, like her companion with the hawk, by flower sprays, a
thistle, cornflower, strawberries, a rose, lily, bluebell, and small
bunch of grapes, making a kind of arbour, with a wreath of red cloud at
the top. The lady, the petals of the flowers, and the leaves are worked
in fine tapestry-stitch; the stalks and fruits in coloured silks, mixed
with silver wire. The lady has a coif and a cuff of silver guimp
arranged in the same way as that on the other side.
The back is divided into four panels by silver guimp, each containing a
flower worked in tapestry-stitch, a blue flower, a wild rose, a pansy,
and a thistle. The ground of the whole is loosely overcast with silver
thread, the constructive lines of the book being marked by rows of
silver guimp arranged in small arches. The edges are bound by a strong
silver braid. The head and tail bands are worked in silver thread--an
unusual method--and the edges are gilt and gauffred.
There are two ties on each board of striped silk, much frayed and worn,
but the embroidered work itself is in excellent condition, and very
strong.
_New Testament, etc._ London, 1625-35.
[Illustration: 10--New Testament, etc. London, 1625-35.]
A small copy of the New Testament, printed in London in 1625, bound
together with the Psalms, 1635, is covered with canvas, all worked in
tapestry-stitch, and measures 4-1/4 by 3 inches.
On the upper cover is a full-length figure of Hope, with dark hair,
dressed in a red dress with large falling collar, having a blue flower
at the point. In her left hand she holds an anchor. In the distant
background is a cottage and a gibbet on a hill, the sun with rays just
appearing under a cloud. On the hilly foreground is a red lily, and
further afield a caterpillar and a strawberry plant. On the lower cover
is a full-length figure of Faith, with fair hair, dressed in a blue
dress with large falling collar, having a red flower at the point. In
her left hand she holds an open book with the word 'FAITH'
written across it. On the hilly foreground is a large red tulip and a
plant with red blooms, further afield are a pear-tree and two
caterpillars.
On the back are four panels, containing respectively a bird, a blue
flower, a squirrel, and a red flower.
On the front edge of the upper cover can be seen the remains of one tie
of green silk, and the edges are protected all round by a piece of green
silk braid. The edges of the leaves are plainly gilt.
This cover is one of the rare instances of a book bound in embroidered
work not made for it, the embroidery being clearly made for a book of
about half the present thickness. It is possible that it was intended
for either the New Testament or the Psalms separately, and, as an
after-thought, was made to do double duty. But as it now is, the worked
back is just a strip down the middle of the back itself, the designs of
the sides encroaching considerably inwards.
_The Daily Exercise of a Christian._ London, 1623.
_The Daily Exercise of a Christian_, printed in London in 1623, and
measuring 4-3/4 by 2-3/4 inches, is ornamented with a single flower
spray, with buds and leaves. The flower is a double rose with curving
stem, one large half-opened bud and one smaller, and a few leaves, all
worked in tent-stitch. The spray rises from a small bed of grass, out of
which grows a small blue flower. In the upper right-hand corner is a
small blue cloud. The same design is on both sides. The back is divided
into four panels, the divisions being marked and bounded by a thick
silver braid, which is also used as an edging all round the book; the
designs, beginning at the top, are a fly and a flower alternately,
differently coloured.
The background is all worked in with silver thread in chain-stitch. With
this book is one of the now rare ornamental markers, which, no doubt,
often went with embroidered books. It is fastened to an ornamental
oblong cushion, probably made of light wood, and is worked in silver
thread and coloured silks in the same manner as the rest of the
embroidered work, and finished off at the ends with small red tassels.
[Illustration: 11--The Daily Exercise of a Christian. London, 1623.]
[Illustration: 12--Bible. London, 1626.]
_Bible._ London, 1626-28.
A copy of the Bible, printed in London in 1626, is bound in canvas,
and measures 6 by 3-1/2 inches.
The embroidery is in coloured silks, silver cords and threads, and
silver guimp. On the upper cover is a small full-length figure of St.
Peter, with short beard, holding a key in his left hand. He is dressed
in a blue under-garment, with red and orange robe over it, all the edges
being marked by a silver twist, some of which has come off. The ground
is green and in hillocks. All this work is done in coloured silks and
silver threads in shading stitch.
On the under side is a figure of St. Paul, with long beard, holding a
silver sword in his right hand. He wears a blue under-garment, with red
and orange upper robe, all edged with silver twist. The feet of both
figures are bare. The rest of the design is the same on both sides. The
skies are worked in large stitches of blue and yellow silk and silver
threads, graduating from dark to light; above these are canopies of
silver thread, couched, and vandyked at the edge. Enclosing the figures
are arches with columns, in high relief in silver cords and threads. The
inner edge of the arch is curiously marked by a line of brown silk
worked over a strip of vellum in the manner used for hand-worked
head-bands, and the outer edge has 'crockets' of silver guimp. The
columns rest upon 'rams-horn' curves, heavily worked in relief with
silver threads, the insides of the curves worked in brown silk over
vellum like the inner edge of the arch.
_Metal Threads used on Embroidered Books._
Guimp and gold threads are largely used, as has already been noticed,
in embroidered books from early times, but on the next specimen of a
canvas-bound book I have chosen for description, dated 1642, a kind of
metal thread occurs which is very curious. It is used at an earlier date
on satin books, and it is also found more commonly upon them; but as I
have put the canvas books first for the purpose of description, and the
'thread' occurs in one of them, this is the best place to put its
description. This thread I call 'Purl,' and a thread with this name is
mentioned in several places as having been used in England in the
seventeenth century; but there is no description of it, so that this
thread may not be the 'purl' mentioned by the seventeenth-century
writers, but if it is not, I do not know what purl is, neither do I know
any other special name for the thread. In order that there may be no
doubt as to what I mean by purl, I will shortly describe the thread as I
know it.
First there is a very fine copper wire; this is closely bound round with
coloured silk, also very fine, and in this state it looks simply like a
coloured thread. Then this coloured thread is itself closely coiled
round something like a fine knitting-needle--in fact I have made it on
one--and then pushed off in the form of a fine coiled tube. The thread
is always cut into short lengths for use, and on books these short
lengths are generally threaded and drawn together at their ends,
making, so to speak, little arches--so that although on the under side
of the material there is only a tiny thread, on the upper side there is
a strong arch, practically of copper. On boxes and other ornamental
productions of this same period, pieces of purl are not infrequently
found laid flat like little bricks; and houses, castles, etc., are often
represented by means of it; but on books the general use is either for
flowers, grounds, or (in very small pieces) to keep on spangles.
Obviously any coloured silk can be used in making this thread, so that
it may be said that for coloured silk work, where strength is required,
flowers worked in purl are the best. The colours used when roses are
represented are usually graduated,--yellow or white in the centre, then
gradually darkening outward, yellow, pale pink, and red, or pale yellow,
pale blue, and dark blue. Purl flowers are usually accessories to some
regular design, but, in one instance at least, to be described later on,
it supplies the entire decoration of a small satin book.
_Bible, etc._ London, 1642.
The design on a Bible with Psalms, printed in London in 1642, bound in
fine canvas, and measuring 6 by 3-1/2 inches, is the same on both sides.
The ground is all laid, or couched, with silver threads, caught down at
intervals by small white stitches. In the centre is a circular silver
boss, and out of this grow four lilies worked with silver thread in
button-hole stitch; each of these lilies has a shape similar to its own
underneath it, outlined with fine gold cord, and filled in with red
silk; representing altogether white flowers with a red lining. These
four red and white lilies make together the form of a Maltese cross, and
between each of the arms is a purl rose with yellow centre and graduated
blue petals. A double oval, with the upper and lower curves larger than
the side ones, marked with a thick gold cord, encloses the central
cross, and the remaining spaces are filled with ovals and lines of gold
guimp, with here and there a little patch of red or yellow purl, the
extremities of the upper and lower ovals being filled with threads of
green silk loosely bound with a silver spiral, worked to represent a
green plot.
[Illustration: 13--Bible, etc. London, 1642.]
The upper and lower curves of the oval are thickened by an arch of gold
thread laid lengthwise, and kept in place by little radiating lines of
red silk. In each corner is a purl rose, with blue centre, the petals
graduating in colour from pale yellow to dark red, with leaf forms and
stalks of gold cord and guimp. At the top and bottom of the oval is a
many-coloured purl rose, and the spaces still left vacant are dotted
with little pieces of red, blue, and yellow purl and spangles. On the
front edges are the remains of two red silk ties.
[Illustration: 14--Bible. London, 1648.]
The back is divided into four panels by a thick gold twist. The upper
and lower panels have each a blue purl rose worked in them, with a white
and red lily in the same silver thread as those on the sides, with gold
leaves and stalks; the two inner panels contain each three purl roses,
with gold leaves and stems. The upper of these panels has a large rose
of blue, yellow, and red, and two smaller ones yellow with blue centres;
the lower panel has a large rose of red, pink, and yellow, and two
smaller ones of red, with yellow centres.
Dotted about the groundwork of the panels are several spangles and short
lengths of coloured purl.
The edges of the leaves are plainly gilt.
_Bible._ London, 1648.
A Bible, printed in London in 1648, formerly the property of George
III., is bound in canvas, and has embroidered upon the boards
emblematic representations of Faith and Hope. It measures 6-3/4 by 4-3/4
inches.
On the upper side is a full-length figure of Faith. She has fair hair,
and is dressed in an orange and red dress cut low, and showing in the
front a pale blue under garment. She has a large white collar and cuffs,
both in point-lace, and bears in her right hand an open book with the
word 'FAITH' written upon it, while her left hand rests upon a
pointed shield, pale purple with a yellow centre. She is standing upon a
rounded hillock, on which are a strawberry plant with two fruits, two
caterpillars, a red tulip, and another flower.
In the right-hand upper corner is a turreted and gabled house, the
windows of which are marked with little glittering pieces of talc. Below
the house is a caterpillar and a large blue butterfly. In the left-hand
upper corner is the sun, in gold, just appearing under a blue cloud.
Underneath this, in succession, come a tree with a butterfly upon it, a
bird, most likely meant for a wren, and another caterpillar. The remains
of two red tie-ribbons are near the front edges. The background is
worked in silver thread, and the edges of the boards are bound with
silver braid having a thread or two of red silk on the innermost side.
On the under cover Hope appears in a curiously worked upper garment of
blue and white, short in the sleeves, in needlepoint, with a belt. Under
this is a dress of red and orange, showing a blue under skirt in front.
A scarf of the same colour as the dress is gracefully folded over the
shoulders and hangs over the left arm; a rather deep collar and cuffs
are both worked in needlepoint. The right hand rests upon an anchor with
a 'fouled' rope.
Hope stands upon a rounded hillock, on which are a snail and spray of
possible foxglove, and out of which grow a red carnation and another
flower. In the upper right-hand corner is a gabled cottage with a tree,
and under it a moth, flower, and caterpillar. Towards the upper
left-hand corner is a bank of cloud with red and yellow rays issuing
therefrom, and under it a pear-tree with flower and fruit, and a
many-coloured butterfly. All the background is worked in silver thread.
The five panels of the back, indicated with silver cord, are each filled
with a different design. Beginning at the top, these are: a rose, a
parrot with a red fruit, a double rose, a lion, and a lily. The edges
are plainly gilt.