quaint; this is invariably the archaic phase of all early art. Born in
the catacombs of Rome--roused by impulses from the north, by education
in the south, and everywhere encouraged by the fostering hand of the
Church, and the patronage of papal and of royal and imperial
houses,--it evolved its forms, and emancipated itself at last from its
poor and sordid condition; and the Gothic phase of each nation
attained to its own peculiar growth and characteristics; and among
them the foremost in the world's estimation was the English school of
embroidery, to which the next chapter is devoted.

There has been much controversy as to the date of the dalmatic of
Charlemagne in the Vatican treasury. Like every good early piece of
Gothic work in Italy, it is allotted to the days of Pope Boniface
VIII. (thirteenth century). But when we examine this splendid relic we
cannot doubt that it is of a much earlier time, as there is nothing
Gothic to be found in it. It is full of the lingering traces of Greek
art (not Byzantine). It reminds us most of the mosaics of Santa
Pudenziana, which are always quoted to prove that Greek art still
survived in Rome in the eighth century.[505] The dalmatic has been
much restored, but, I believe, most carefully kept to the old lines.
It is worked on a thick, dark-blue, or purple, satiny silk, which had
entirely fallen into little stripes, but has been skilfully mended,
and the embroidery has never been transferred. On the front is our
Lord in glory, saints below, and angels above, with a border of
children playing, which is truly Greek. The motive of this is the "Ibi
et Ubi." On the back is the Transfiguration, and on the humerals are
the sacraments of bread and wine. The whole, as art, is beautiful; and
it is historically most interesting. Lord Lindsay tells us that in the
dalmatic of Charlemagne, (called that of Leo III.) Cola di Rienzi
robed himself over his armour, and ascended to the Palace of the Popes
after the manner of the Caesars, with sounding trumpets before him, and
followed by his horsemen--his crown on his head and his truncheon in
his hand--"Terribile e fantastico."[506]

This dalmatic must be ranked first and highest among ecclesiastical
embroideries. (Plates 53, 54, 55.)

Some of the details are curious. The whole of the blue satin ground is
worked with crosses "parseme." Parts of the design are so adorned with
larger and smaller Greek crosses--and others with the starry cross. On
t