Chapter IX: Elizabeth and James I. 1558-1625

During this last period there was a considerable revival both in the number and quality of brasses. About 800 were laid down in these two reigns and at first there is a marked improvement in the engraving. It is usual to speak as if the deterioration continued steadily from the time of Henry VIII through the Edwardian and Elizabethan brasses to the final disappearance of the art in the eighteenth century. This is not quite the case. The Elizabethan brasses (with which are included those of James I) are decidedly better in many instances than those of the Transitional period. Even some of the Caroline examples are better than those laid down between 1547 and 1558.

Early in the reign of Elizabeth, the plate of brass itself began to be manufactured in England. It was usually thin, however, and the engraving as in the Transitional brasses was shallow and too much detail and shading were attempted. The thinness of metal led to their becoming battered and worn and they are often in far worse condition than those laid down a couple of centuries earlier.

Many brasses were, however, fixed to the walls and these are in a much better state of preservation. These sometimes take the form of rectangular plates: at times the figures are fixed against the wall in a recess over a tomb. They are then usually depicted kneeling at desks.

The new style of armour which took the place of that worn in the Transitional period became finally established by 1575. Its main characteristics are these: The use of the long-waisted doublet and the short hose rendered the old style of armour unwearable. The cuirass becomes long and is brought forward to a peak with a projecting rim. It is known as a “peascod.” The pauldrons are large and have no ridges, they are lined with leather the escalloped edge of which is allowed to extend beyond the plates. The neck is encircled by a ruff, as are the wrists. The helmet is seldom worn, but is often placed behind the head, though the figure is depicted standing.

Kneeling figures in many cases have the helmet on the ground, together with the gauntlets.

The front of the thighs are protected by laminated cuissarts under the trunk hose, and the legs by knee-caps and greaves. The sollerets are of a more graceful shape and fit the feet closely. Two long tassets are buckled to the edge of the cuirass, and hang down over the trunk hose. They are all formed of several hinged plates and take the place of tuilles. They are not infrequently rounded at the lower edge and are fastened by straps to the breeches. The sword hangs at the left side from a leather belt and the dagger at the right side from a sash. Swords usually possess guarded hilts.

The illustration of Wingfield, Easton, Suffolk, shows these characteristics, and there are but few variations. The most noticeable is where, the puffed breeches not being worn, continuous plates from knee to cuirass protect the legs. This type is shown in the brasses of Thos. Hawkins, Boughton-under-Blean, Kent, 1587, and Thos. Nevynson and wife, Eastry, Kent, 1590.

It is remarkable how, in spite of gunpowder being in general use, the men of the age of Elizabeth were still encased in a panoply of plate.

The ladies fall naturally into two divisions. The Transitional form, or Queen Mary dress, changed about 1560. The gown is fastened only at the waist by a sash, and thus shows below an embroidered or quilted petticoat. Between the bodice and the throat, the bust is covered by a gathered partlet with a frill and the Paris bonnet continues in use. From about 1575 a new style comes into vogue and is well shown in the illustration of the wife of Wm. Wade, Bildeston, Suffolk, 1599. Her skirt is distended at the hips by the farthingale and shows the embroidered petticoat beneath. The sleeves are slashed and a large ruff is round the neck. Usually frills are also worn at the wrists, but here Alice Wade is an exception. A broad-brimmed hat is worn.

There are several variations. The lappet of the bonnet is sometimes turned up over the head, and when it comes far enough forward to shade the face, it is called a “Shadow.” At the end of the period, a large veil was substituted. Sometimes the hair is brushed up to a lace crown, supported by a wire frame. This fashion is shown in the brass of Margt. Chute, Marden, Hereford, 1614. She wears besides the wheel farthingale, a peaked stomacher, and a starched collar ornamented with point lace.

The bedstead brasses have already been mentioned in reference to the chrysom children, but are really a peculiarity of this period.

The civilian costume is not over-interesting, because doublet and hose are usually covered by a long gown, such as is seen in the memorial to Wm. Dunche and wife, quadrilateral plate, Little Wittenham, Berks., engraved c. 1585. Here husband and wife kneel at desks under two classical arches. Two sons kneel behind their father. They wear short cloaks, doublet and hose. This is also the costume of the sons of Alice Wade, who wear pointed beards.

The brasses of children, especially boys, become fairly numerous and are not without interest, as they exhibit the doublet and hose under a short cloak. The brass of W. Browne, Holton, Oxon., 1599, is a good example, showing the long hose fastened above the knee by garters of ribbon.

The clergy for the most part wear the ordinary civilian dress of the day without cassock or surplice, and a long gown with long sleeves, known as the Geneva gown. Some also wear a hood to denote they hold a degree, as does Dr Wm. Bill, Dean of Westminster, Westminster Abbey, 1561.

Of clergy in surplice and cassock only two brasses now survive. Formerly at Denham, Bucks., there was one portraying Leonard Hurst, 1561, in cassock and surplice opening in front like a college surplice and a long scarf. It is now lost, but is illustrated in Haine’s _Manual_. The two that still survive are Wm. Dye (priest), Westerham, Kent, 1567, who wears cassock, a closed and gathered surplice and a scarf, and Nich. Asheton, Winchford, Warwick, 1582, very similar to the lost brass at Denham, Bucks.

The remaining clergy are in civilian costume, but one or two wear a scarf over the Geneva gown, as at Stonham Aspal, 1606.

In many cases the title of the ecclesiastic is given, and these are of some interest. (See Appendix.)

Tyndall’s figure is 5 ft. 4 in. long and there is a border fillet and several shields.

There are three bishops, but Robt. Pursglove, 1579, is in full mass vestments, and has been mentioned before.

Edmund Geste, Bishop of Salisbury, in his Cathedral, 1578, wears rochet and chimere, a scarf and lawn sleeves. Instead of a crozier, he holds a walking stick in his right and a book in his left hand. It should be remembered that this was the outdoor garb, hence probably the walking stick.

H. Robinson, Bishop of Carlisle, 1616, has two brasses, that at Queen’s College, Oxford, being copied and put over his grave in Carlisle Cathedral. His brass, like Airay’s, who succeeded him as Provost of Queen’s, differs from the usual type. They resemble the copper plates used in books and are very finely engraved and filled with many additional emblems. A good rubbing cannot be taken owing to the thinness of the engraving, which nevertheless is well done.

On a quadrilateral plate, Robinson kneels in front of Queen’s College and Carlisle Cathedral. There are three sheep folds to signify he was a shepherd to his flock. Several peasants with their tools and in the dress of the period stand in one corner and dons are entering Queen’s College in the other. He wears a skull cap and ruff, rochet and chimere. In his left hand he holds his crozier, which has a human eye in the centre, and a stork on the outer curve of the volute. The infula is a napkin and bears the word “Velando.”

From the Elizabethan period some attempt at portraiture is made: in the case of Robinson and Airay with considerable success. The brass to Erasmus Williams, Rector at Tingewick, Bucks., 1608, is probably by the same hand as these two and is signed R. Haydock. It is very similar in general treatment to them, and on Airay’s brass are the same initials R. H.