Under the great north window hangs a piece of tapestry, dating, so
say experts, from the beginning of the sixteenth century. It is of
Flemish design, and was woven, possibly in England, with the intention
of filling the place it now occupies. Faded in colour, often blurred
in outline, the tapestry still remains a glorious memorial to the
love of beauty and artistic workmanship and corporate pride of the
great guild. It is divided into six compartments, and represents a
king, queen, and their Court adoring the Virgin, the Trinity, and
divers saints in glory; being undoubtedly designed to commemorate
the admission of a king and queen into the ranks of the Trinity
guild--an event which did actually occur in 1500 in the case of Henry
VII. and Elizabeth of York. Among the company of saints the place of
honour is given to those who were the chosen patrons of the guild.
Unfortunately the tapestry has not come down to us in the condition
in which it left the makers' hands. The figure of Justice holding
the scales is obviously out of harmony with the whole design. There
is no doubt that the personification of the Trinity, God the Father
on the throne holding Christ extended upon the Cross, with the Dove,
once occupied this space. The Hebrew letters of the word Jehovah
found above the cross still remain, but the reformers, who could not
endure the representation of this mystery, cut out the rest.[744]
Round the present incongruous figure of Justice kneel angels bearing
the instruments of the Passion, the nails, the sponge of hyssop, the
crown of thorns, the scourge, pillar and spear. The Assumption of
the Virgin in the lower central compartment reminded the guildsmen
of their earliest patroness, whose festival was one of their chief
days of assembly. The Virgin's feet rest on the crescent moon, which
is supported by an angel. The apostles kneel round in attitudes of
adoration. On either side of the lower tier a king kneels in prayer, on
the right a queen, traditionally identified with Henry VI. and Margaret
of Anjou; this attribution has not gone unchallenged; and it is at
least possible that the contemporary king and queen, Henry VII. and
Elizabeth of York, may be intended; the heraldic roses in the border
are, however, Lancastrian and not Tudor. The King kneels at a table
whereon lie a crown and missal; he wears a jewelled cap. None of his
followers can be identified save the kneeling cardinal, who probably
is intended for Beaufort, Bishop of Winchester (or Cardinal Morton),
and the standing figure behind the King, who may be the "good Duke
Humphrey" (or Henry, Prince of Wales). The Queen kneels opposite. None
of her ladies can be identified. The Queen has a head-dress embroidered
with pear-pearls, upon which is a crown of fleur-de-lys, her dress is
yellow, and the sleeves lined with ermine. Of the three ladies who
kneel behind her the third is obviously a child.[745]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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