Mary Magdalene, Christ and Thomas,
the death of the Virgin, the burial and coronation of the Virgin, St
Michael and the twelve Apostles. Of the latter, four survive only in
tiny fragments. The spaces between the four rows of medallions are
filled with six-winged cherubim. The ground-work of the vestment is
green silk embroidery, that of the medallions red. The figures are
worked in silver and gold thread and coloured silks. The lower border
and the orphrey with coats of arms do not belong to the original cope
and are of somewhat later date. The cope belonged to the convent of Syon
near Isleworth, was taken to Portugal at the Reformation, brought back
early in the 19th century to England by exiled nuns and given by them to
the Earl of Shrewsbury. In 1864 it was bought by the South Kensington
Museum.]

[Illustration: FIG. 3.--COPE OF BLUE SILK VELVET, WITH APPLIQUE WORK AND
EMBROIDERY.

In the middle of the orphrey is a figure of Our Lord holding the orb in
His left hand and with His right hand raised in benediction. To the
right are figures of St Peter, St Bartholomew and St Ursula; and to the
left, St Paul, St John the Evangelist and St Andrew. On the hood is a
seated figure of the Virgin Mary holding the Infant Saviour. GERMAN:
early 16th century. (In the Victoria and Albert Museum, No. 91. 1904.)]

Plate II

[Illustration: FIG. 4.--COPE OF EMBROIDERED PURPLE SILK VELVET.

In the middle is represented the Assumption of the Virgin, on the hood
is a seated figure of the Almighty bearing three souls in a napkin.
ENGLISH, about 1500. (In the Victoria and Albert Museum.)]

[Illustration: FIG. 5.--COPE MORSE (GERMAN, 14TH CENTURY) IN THE
CATHEDRAL AT AIX-LA-CHAPELLE.

(_From a photograph by Father Joseph Braun, S. J._)]

[Illustration: FIG. 6.--COPE MORSE (GERMAN, EARLY 14TH CENTURY), IN THE
PARISH CHURCH AT ELTEN.

(_From a photograph by Father Joseph Braun, S. J._)]

FOOTNOTE:

[1] This derivation, suggested also by Dr Legg (_Archaeol. Journal_,
51, p. 39, 1894), is rejected by the five bishops in their report to
Convocation (1908). Their statement, however, that it is "pretty
clear" that the cope is derived from the Roman _lacerna_ or _birrus_
is very much open to criticism. We do not even know what the
appearance and form of the _birrus_ were; and the question of the
origin of the cope is not whether it was derived from any garment of
the time of the Roman Empire, and if so