There is, however, a manuscript note in a copy of the Psalms, printed in
1633 and bound in embroidered white satin, that the work upon it was
done by 'Elizabeth, wife of Matthew Wren, Bishop of Ely,' who was an
uncle of the architect. The volume still belongs to a member of the
family, Dr. W. T. Law of Portland Place, who has most kindly allowed me
to give an illustration of this beautiful book. It measures 4 by 3
inches. The design is different in details on each board, the central
design, however, being in each case contained within a strongly worked
gold border in high relief, widening out at each extremity into a
crownlike form, and richly augmented at intervals with clusters of seed
pearls. On the upper board within the oval is a double rose with curving
stem, leaves, and a bud; the petals are worked in needlepoint, with fine
gold twist at the edges, and a cluster of pearls in the centre. In the
upper corners are a butterfly, with needlepoint wings, and a bird, with
needlepoint wing and tail. In the lower corners are a unicorn and an
antlered stag, both recumbent, and in high relief.
[Illustration: 43--Psalms. London, 1633.]
On the lower board within the oval is a vine, with curving stem and two
large grape clusters, tendrils, and leaves, growing from a small green
mound. The edges of the petals are bound with a fine gold twist, as are
also the edges and outlines of the leaves, and most of these parts are
worked in coloured silks, mixed with fine metal threads, in needlepoint
lace-stitch.
A few hazel-nuts are scattered about outside the gold oval, and in each
corner is a further ornamentation: a reddish butterfly with wings of
needlepoint lace in relief and edged with a gold cord, a green parrot
with red wings and tail, are in the two top corners, and in the two
lower are a rabbit and a dog, each on a small green ground. Innumerable
gold spangles are all over the sides and back, each kept in place by a
small pearl stitched through.
The back is divided into five panels, by rows of pearls, and a
conventional flower is in each, except the centre one which has an
insect. These are all worked in needlepoint and edged with gold twist,
the stems of some of them strongly made by a kind of braid of gold
cords.
This little book is certainly one of the most ornamental specimens of
any of the smaller satin-bound books of the seventeenth century, and
although here and there some of the pearls are gone, altogether it is in
very good condition, and it is rarely that such a fine example can now
be met with in private hands.
_Bible._ London, 1638.
[Illustration: 44--Bible. London, 1638.]
Several of the embroidered books on satin are worked chiefly in metal
threads, and the designs on such books are not as a rule good. Whether
the knowledge that the work was to be executed in strong threads has
hampered the designer or not cannot be said, but certainly there is
often a tinselly effect about these bindings that is not altogether
pleasing.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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