Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 1.djvu/227

Rh England, and there can be little doubt that such was the case; it precisely resembles the brasses of England in every peculiarity of workmanship whereby they may be distinguished from continental specimens; and the singular fact that the only known memorial of an Englishman of distinction, existing in any foreign church, should present these peculiar details which are to be recognised in the brasses of the period, existing in England, appears to afford a corroboration of the belief that these engravings were executed in this country.

One remarkable circumstance has not hitherto been sufficiently investigated, as regards the workmanship of these engraved memorials. The surface of the metal being burnished, or even in some cases gilded, it is obvious that the effect of the incised lines would be lost, if they were not filled up with some black composition, and there can be scarcely a doubt that in every instance the lines, and all the excised parts of the field, or other portions where diapering was introduced, were filled in with black, or in many cases with coloured compositions. Some examples, even of the earliest period, still exist, which exhibit enamel thus employed for the enrichment of works of this description, such as the full sized brass of one of the d'Aubernoun's at Stoke d'Abernon, in Surrey, in which instance the blue enamel of the shield, a surface of very considerable extent, is still very perfect. The date of this work is about the reign of Edward II. Other specimens may be seen at Elsing in Norfolk, Ifield in Sussex, Broxbourne in Essex, and several other churches, and it is very probable that the introduction of enamel in this manner was much more frequent than at first sight we might be inclined to suppose; for the contraction and expansion of the metal, and exposure to the feet of the congregation, would quickly throw off every fragment of