stood on or near Coventry."
However this may be, it is certain that this splendid piece of English
work came into the hands, by some means, of the nuns of Syon, and after
remaining with them at Isleworth till Elizabeth's time, it was carried
by them through Flanders, France, and Portugal. They remained at the
latter place till the same persecution which dispersed the famous
Spanish Point lace over the length and breadth of the Continent, and
about eighty years ago it was brought back to England, and was given by
the remaining members of the Order to the Earl of Shrewsbury. After
further vicissitudes of a varied character it was bought by the South
Kensington Museum for L110, and now sheds the glory of its golden
threads in a dark transept unnoticed except by the student.

III

ECCLESIASTICAL EMBROIDERIES AND VESTMENTS

[Illustration: HALF OF THE STEEPLE ASTON ALTAR FRONTAL.

English, Fourteenth Century.]

III

ECCLESIASTICAL EMBROIDERIES AND VESTMENTS

The Pierpont Morgan purchase--The Steeple Aston
Altar-frontal--The "Nevil" Altar-frontal at S. K. M.--City
palls--Diagram of vestments.

Other copes of the same period are in the Madrid Museum, two copes at
Bologna, and the "Ascoli" cope recently purchased by Mr. J. Pierpont
Morgan and generously returned by him. Some cushions from Catworth
Church, Huntingdon, now at the South Kensington Museum, were probably
cut from copes, and bought by permission of the Bishop of Ely for L27. A
long band of red velvet at South Kensington Museum embroidered with gold
and silver and coloured silk has evidently been made from the "Apparels"
of an alb. It is in two pieces, each piece depicting five scenes divided
by broad arches. The first five are from the life of the Virgin, and
are: "The Angel appearing to Anna," "The Meeting of Anna and Joachim,"
"Birth of the Virgin," "Presentation of the Virgin," "Education of the
Virgin." In the second piece are: "The Annunciation," "The Salutation,"
"The Nativity," "The Angel appearing to the Shepherds," and the
"Journey of the Magi."

Another piece of similar work is the altar-frontal of Steeple Aston,
which was originally a cope, and the cope now at Stonyhurst College,
originally belonging to Westminster Cathedral. It is made of one
seamless piece of gold tissue.

During this great period of English embroidery certain characteristics
along with its superb workmanship must be noticed. The earlier the wor