Heraldry as art: An account of its development and practice, chiefly in EnglandEve, G. W. (George William)
History
Heraldry as art: An account of its development and practice, chiefly in England
Eve, G. W. (George William)
Heraldry -- Great Britain
From the second half of the fifteenth century onwards armorial stained
glass increased greatly in extent and freedom. The shields became
square and in many instances have the form (derived from the tournament
shield à bouche) which became associated later with the name of the
Tudors. Probably the finest examples of domestic stained glass that
we have are the splendid heraldic windows at Ockwells Manor, Berks.
In these the shields are much curved, the helmets and mantlings are
very elaborate, and the figures are drawn with great vitality and
beauty. Each light has an achievement, consisting of arms with mantled
helm and crest, in the middle, upon a background of quarries placed
diamondwise and bearing the Norreys Badge, three distaffs, in yellow
stain. In diagonal lines, the motto in text letters, “Feyth = fully
serve,” is several times repeated in all but two of the lights, the
exceptions being the Royal ones, where “Dieu et mon droit” accompanies
the Arms of Henry VI (Fig. 215) and “Humble et Loiall,” the motto of
his Queen, Margaret of Anjou, is with her armorials. In both these
lights the Norreys Badge appears as in the others. Below the King’s
Arms are his two supporters, heraldic antelopes Argent, which are
spotted, as well as armed, crined and unguled (i.e. horned, haired
and hoofed) Or. The series, which included twelve lights that are now
vacant, was erected by Sir John Norreys, the builder of Ockwells
Manor House, and consists of his arms and those, to quote Mr. Everard
Green, “of his sovereign, patrons and kinsfolk. In short a liber
amicorum in glass, a not unpleasant way for light to come to us.” The
arms here illustrated are those of Sir Edmund Beaumont, K.G., and Sir
James Butler, K.G. (Figs. 217 and 218), of Sir Henry Beauchamp, Earl of
Warwick (Fig. 216), and the Royal Arms, to which reference has already
been made. The heraldic particulars of those and others that remain
will be found amply set forth in _Archaeologia_, vol. lvi., 1899. It
will be observed that the arms of such as were K.G. are not encircled
with the Garter, that practice not having as yet come into full general
use. Some attention should be given to the badges on these windows as
being good examples of the practice in domestic glass of decorating
transparent quarries with devices, badges and monograms, floral and
other running patterns, in stain and grisaille, as admirably serving
its purpose without too much sacrifice of light, and therefore as
affording suggestions for modern work which has to comply with similar
conditions. The lights herein illustrated are from the excellent
drawings by Mr. W. T. Cleobury, in the Victoria and Albert Museum.
[Illustration: FIG. 217.--Arms of Sir Edmund Beaumont, K.G., Ockwells
Manor.]
[Illustration: FIG. 218.--Arms of Sir James Butler, K.G., Ockwells
Manor.]
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