But of the feathered tribe which we meet with figured on these textiles, there are three that merit an especial mention through the important part they were made to take, whilom in England at many a high festival and regal celebration--we mean the so-called “_Vow of the Swan, the Peacock and the Pheasant_.” From the graceful ease--the almost royal dignity with which it walks the waters, the swan with its plumage spotless and white as driven snow, has everywhere been looked upon with admiring eyes; and its flesh while yet a cygnet used to be esteemed a dainty for a royal board, on some extraordinary occasions. To make it the symbol of majestic beauty in a woman, it had sometimes given it a female’s head. Among the gifts bestowed on his son, Richard II. by the Black Prince, in his will were bed-hangings embroidered with white swans having women’s heads. To raise this bird still higher, in ecclesiastical symbolism, it is put forth to indicate a stainless, more than royal purity; and as such, is often linked with and figured under the Blessed Virgin Mary, as is shown upon an enamelled morse given in the “Church of our Fathers.”[420] Besides all this, the swan owns a curious legend of its own, set forth by some raving troubadour in the wildest dream that minstrel ever dreamed. “The life and myraculous hystory of the most noble and illustryous Helyas, knight of the swanne, and the birth of y^e excellent knight Godfrey of Boulyon,” &c., was once a book in great favour throughout Europe; and was “newly translated and printed by Robert Copland, out of Frensshe in to Englisshe at thinstigacion of y^e Puyssaunt and Illustryous Prynce Lorde Edwarde Duke of Buckyngham--of whom lynyally is dyscended my sayde lorde.”[421] [420] T. ii. p. 41. [421] Typographical Antiquities of Great Britain, ed. Dibdin, t. iii. pp. 152-3.