The art must, however, have survived in certain places, for numbers of vessels which can be referred, on the authority of illuminated MSS., etc., to Saxon times, are in existence. Such specimens include (_a_) vases, ornamented with ribs and applied lobes. These are probably of German origin, and were introduced into Britain by the Saxon invaders. (_b_) Trumpet-shaped cups, ribbed, or stringed, or fluted. These have no base on which to stand, and are probably of English manufacture, dating from the latter half of the sixth century, (_c_) The third type is the “palm” cup, shaped so as to be conveniently held in the palm of the hand, having no bottom on which to stand; and (_d_) bowls of various shapes. The palm cups and bowls belong to the eighth and ninth centuries, and later. It should be remembered that the dates given can only be roughly approximate, and that the various periods fuse one into the other, so that there is no definite line of demarcation. Moreover, there is no definite proof that glass vessels were made in England during Saxon times, save only such [Illustration: FIG. 38. _Saxon Glass._--1, 2, 3, Trumpet Cups; 4, a Ribbed and Lobed Vase; 5-9, Palm Cups and Vases.] statements as that of the Venerable Bede previously referred to. Only, while similar vessels are found both in France and Germany, it is claimed that a greater number and a greater variety are found in England, the inference being that they were made in this country. So remarkable is the paucity of evidence and so absolute the dearth of authenticated examples in these Dark Ages of glass manufacture, that it has often been asserted that no glass vessels were made in England before the fifteenth century. Glass vessels were, of course, known and used, but these were probably, in the main at any rate, imported from Venice and the East. On the other hand, it is known that before the thirteenth century window glass--blown glass too, and not cast glass--was made, and very successfully. Indeed, old English coloured glass was particularly fine, and this being so, it is not easy to understand why the same art should not be applied to vessels. Coarse glass vessels were certainly made at a very early date. The records of Chiddingfold refer to Laurence _Vitrearius_ in 1230, William le _Verir_ in 1301, and John _Glasewryth_ in 1380. The record, in its transition from Latin to Norman-French, and then to Anglo-Saxon, has its philological interest as well, but it may be mentioned that John the _Glasewryth_ made both “brode glas and vessel.”