Sprawling all in gold and lively colours, both before and behind, upon this rich garment of state, is figured, with all its hideousness, the imperial five-clawed dragon, before which, according to the royal fancies of that land, the lion turns pale and the tiger is struck with dumbness. In the ornamentation the light blue quantity of silk is very conspicuous, more especially upon the broad lower hem of this robe. 78. Chasuble of crimson velvet, with both orphreys embroidered; the velvet, pile upon pile, and figured with large and small flowers in gold and colour, and other smaller flowers in green and white; the orphreys figured with the Apostles and the Annunciation. Florentine, late 15th century. 4 feet 3½ inches by 2 feet 5½ inches. Like most other chasubles, this has been narrowed, at no late period, across the shoulders. The velvet is very soft and rich, and of that peculiar kind that shows a double pile or the pattern in velvet upon velvet, now so seldom to be found. On the back orphrey, which is quite straight, is shown St. Peter with his keys; St. Paul with a sword; St. John blessing with one hand, and holding a chalice, out of which comes a serpent, in the other; St. James with a pilgrim’s hat and staff: on the front orphrey the Annunciation, and St. Simon holding a club, but his person so placed, that, by separating the archangel Gabriel from the Blessed Virgin Mary, a tau-cross is made upon the breast; St. Bartholomew with a knife, and St. James the Less with the fuller’s bat. For their greater part, the Gothic niches in which these figures stand, are loom-wrought; but these personages themselves are done on separate pieces of fine canvas and are applied over spaces left uncovered for them. Another curious thing is that in these applied figures the golden parts of the draperies are woven, and the spaces for the heads and hands left bare to be filled in by hand; and most exquisitely are they wrought, for some of them are truly beautiful as works of art. 79. Cope, crimson velvet, with hood and orphrey embroidered, &c. Florentine, late 15th century. 9 feet 5½ inches by 4 feet 6 inches.