Both with regard to its golden cloth, and the figures upon it, this piece is very valuable. The stuff is of that kind which our countryman, John Garland, tells us was wrought by young women at his time, and shows, in its grounding, a pretty zig-zag pattern. The two kneeling figures, though done in mere outline of the scantiest sort, display an ease and gracefulness peculiar to the sculpture and illuminations in England and France of that period. St. Blase is shown us vested in his chasuble and mitre--low in form--with a very long grey beard, and holding a comb in one hand--the instrument of his martyrdom; St. Stephen is robed as a deacon, and kneeling amid a shower of large round stones, pelted at him on all sides. 1271. Silk and Gold Damask; ground, light green silk; design, griffins passant and fleur-de-lis in one row, fleur-de-lis and slipped vine-leaves arising from two tendrils formed like the letter C, and put back to back, all in gold. Sicilian, 14th century. 12 inches by 7½ inches. The whole of this pattern is thrown off with great freedom, and an heraldic eye will see the boldness of the griffins. The vine-leaves are as crispy as any ever seen upon such stuffs, and the whole does credit to the royal looms of Palermo, where it was probably wrought at the command of the prince, for himself, or as a gift to some French royalty. An exactly similar stuff to this may be found at No. 7061; and it is said that the robes now shown at Neuburg, near Vienna, are traditionally believed to have been worn, at his marriage, by Leopold the Holy. 1272. Silk and Cotton Stuff; ground, light purple cotton; design, small but thick foliage, interspersed with birds of various kinds, in pairs and face to face, in amber-coloured silk. Sicilian, 14th century. 9½ inches by 7 inches. Though so small in its elements, this is a pleasing design, and extremely well drawn, like all those from Palermo. 1273. Silk and Cotton Damask; ground, of cotton, a light orange; design, within a ten-cusped circle, and divided by the thin trunk of a tree, two cocks, face to face, all in gold thread, upon a purplish crimson ground, and between the circles an ornamentation in which a small crown tipped with fleur-de-lis, over a lion passant gardant, is very frequent in gold. Sicilian, late 14th century, 10¼ inches by 3 inches. Though such a mere rag, this piece is so far valuable, as it shows that France then got her silken stuffs from Sicily, and, in this instance, perhaps sent her own design with her Gallic cock, and her fleur-de-lis mingled so plentifully in it. How or why the lion is there cannot be explained. 1274. Silk Damask; ground, fawn-colour; design, parrots, and giraffes in pairs, amid floriated ornamentation, all, excepting the parts done in gold, of the tint of the ground. Sicilian, 13th century. 20½ inches by 10½ inches.