Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 4.djvu/93

Rh terre," in the ancient Kalendars of the Exchequer, under the date, 17 Edward II., and the inventory of valuables which had belonged to Edward III., Richard II., and other great personages, taken on the accession of Henry IV., in which occurs, "un cruskyn de terre blank, hernoisez d'argent endorrez, ove un covercle enbatelle enaymellez dedeinz ove, j. babeuyne ," &c. The importation of the earthen wares of Holland or the Low Countries into England, as early as the reign of Henry IV., appears by the compotus for collecting a subsidy on foreign goods in the port of Hull; when the cargo of the ship "Skenkewyn, de Durdraght," appears to have consisted of glass, patten-clogs, with paving stone, earthen vessels, and images. "Ollis et kannis lut ymagin' lut', ollis lapid ," &c.

The following notice of a remarkable specimen of monumental sculpture, hitherto undescribed, has been communicated by Mr. Walford and appears to supply an interesting illustration of the character of sepulchral effigies, during the middle ages, and the question whether they may be regarded as individual portraitures.

"In Sittingbourne church, Kent, under a four-centred arch in the north wall, near the east end of the north aisle, about a foot below the spring of the arch, is a plain slab of Wealden marble, five feet seven inches long, supported like a shelf by its ends and one side, and having a chamfered outer edge, in which, throughout its length, is a casement, as if it once contained a brass inscription. About a foot and a half beneath this slab lies a stone effigy of a lady five feet long, in grave-clothes, open so far as to shew the neck, bosom, and chest; the whole is thickly coated with white-wash. The left hand is brought up to the left breast, which is very large, as if much swollen from some disease, while the other breast appears to be almost wasted away. The right arm and hand seem to have rested on the abdomen, but this arm is missing, having been broken off just above the elbow. Obliquely across the chest, from right to left, lies what, after carefully cleaning it, I found was certainly an infant, also in grave-clothes, about ten inches long, including a small part covered by the drapery of the lady. Its head, which occupies the place of her right breast, has a portion broken off, but sufficient remains to shew that it lay face upwards. The body of the lady is somewhat emaciated, though not to the extent that is sometimes met with in effigies in grave-clothes. At the feet, which are entirely covered by the drapery, are a small death's head, and some remains of what I conjecture were cross bones, and by the side of the feet at the outer angle is another death's head. There is neither inscription nor arms, but there are some ornamental details in small panelling on the face of the arch; and judging from the arch itself, the subject, and the style of execution, I think it may he safely referred to the latter half of the fifteenth century; probably to the reign of Edward IV.

"The left breast appears in an abnormal state, as I was assured by an intel-