d "hinge" comes from the Saxon,
_hengen_, to hang. Primitive hinges were sometimes sockets cut
in stone, as at Torcello; but soon this was proved a clumsy and
inconvenient method of hanging a door, and hinges more simple in
one way, and yet more ornate, came into fashion. Iron hinges were
found most useful when they extended for some distance on to the
door; this strengthened the door against the invasion of pirates,
when the church was the natural citadel of refuge for the inhabitants
of a town, and also held it firmly from warping. At first single
straps of iron were clamped on: then the natural craving for beauty
prevailed, and the hinges developed, flowering out into scrolls and
leaves, and spreading all over the doors, as one sees them constantly
in mediaeval examples. The general scheme usually followed was a
straight strap of iron flanked by two curving horns like a crescent,
and this motive was elaborated until a positive lace of iron, often
engraved or moulded, covered the surface of the door, as in the
wonderful work of Biscornette at Notre Dame in Paris.

Biscornette was a very mysterious worker, and no one ever saw him
constructing the hinges. Reports went round that the devil was helping
him, that he had sold his soul to the King of Darkness in order to
enlist his assistance in his work; an instance of aesthetic altruism
almost commendable in its exotic zeal. Certain jealous artificers
even went so far as to break off bits of the meandering iron, to
test it, but with no result; they could not decide whether it was
cast or wrought. Later a legend grew up explaining the reason why
the central door was not as ornate as the side doors: the story was
that the devil was unable to assist Biscornette on this door because
it was the aperture through which the Host passed in processions. It
is more likely, however, that the doors were originally uniform,
and that the iron was subsequently removed for some other reason.
The design is supposed to represent the Earthly Paradise. Sauval
says: "The sculptured birds and ornaments are marvellous. They are
made of wrought iron, the invention of Biscornette and which died
with him. He worked the iron with an almost incredible industry,
rendering it flexible and tractable, and gave it all the forms
and scrolls he wished, with a 'douceur et une gentillesse' which
surprised and astonished all the smiths." The iron master Gaegart
broke off fragments of the iron, and no member of