e made of copper, shaped not unlike a deep "blower," which
was used in order to extinguish the fire when the bell rang. There
are a few specimens in England of these curious covers: they stood
about ten to fifteen inches high, with a handle at the top, and
closed in on three sides, open at the back. The embers were
shovelled close to the back of the hearth, and the curfew, with the
open side against the back of the chimney, was placed over them,
thus excluding all air. Horace Walpole owned, at Strawberry Hill,
a famous old curfew, in copper, elaborately decorated with vines
and the York rose.

[Illustration: A COPPER "CURFEW"]

[Illustration: SANCTUARY KNOCKER, DURHAM CATHEDRAL]

The Sanctuary knocker at Durham Cathedral is an important example
of bronze work, probably of the same age as the Cathedral door on
which it is fastened. They both date from about the eleventh
century. Ever since 740, in the Episcopate of Cynewulf, criminals
were allowed to claim Sanctuary in Durham. When this knocker was
sounded, the door was opened, by two porters who had their
accommodations always in two little chambers over the door, and
for a certain length of time the criminal was under the protection
of the Church.

In speaking of the properties of lead, the old English Bartholomew
says: "Of uncleanness of impure brimstone, lead hath a manner of
neshness, and smircheth his hand who toucheth it... a man may wipe
off the uncleanness, but always it is lead, although it seemeth
silver." Weather vanes, made often of lead, were sometimes quite
elaborate. One of the most important pieces of lead work in art
is the figure of an angel on the chewet of Ste. Chapelle in Paris.
Originally this figure was intended to be so controlled by clockwork
that it would turn around once in the course of the twenty-four
hours, so that his attitude of benediction should be directed to
all four quarters of the city; but this was not practicable, and
the angel is stationary. The cock on the weather vane at Winchester
was described as early as the tenth century, in the Life of St.
Swithin, by the scribe Walstan. He calls it "a cock of elegant
form, and all resplendent and shining with gold who occupies the
summit of the tower. He regards the world from on high, he commands
all the country. Before him extend the stars of the North, and all
the constellations of the zodiac. Under his superb feet he holds
the sceptre of the law, and he sees under him all the pe