Page:Notes and Queries - Series 12 - Volume 4.djvu/25

 12 S. IV. JAN., 1918.]

NOTES AND QUERIES.

19

BARNARD FLOWER, THE KING'S GLAZIER.

(12 S. iii. 436.)

SOME years ago I investigated the date of Flower's coming into the kingdom, with a view of ascertaining whether he could be definitely associated with the Fairford glass. I also collected a good deal of information as to tho Flemish colony of glaziers and glass- painters established in South wark about this period.

I agree with H. C. that, for the present, Mr. Lethaby's dates must not be taken into account. He appears to have confused the period covered by some Exchequer T.R. accounts with the actual dates of the pay- ments to Flower. These are as follows :

T.B.. Miscellaneous Books, vol. 214, 21 Henry VII 1 Henry VIII., 1505-10.

10 April, 21 Henry VII. [1506]. "Item, to Barnard Flower, the Kings glasier, for his hole yeeres fee, due at o r Lady-day the Annunciac'on last passed, for keping of certen of the King's manors & castells in Rep'ac'on with glasses, xxiii 11 ." P. 52.

20 June, 21 Henry VII. [1506J. "Item, to Barnard Flowre the Kings glasier vpon an indent towards the glasing of the Ohauncell of the King's College at Cambrige, xxx V P. 72.

29 Sept., 22 Henry VII. [1506]. " Barnarde Flo re thq King s glasier half yeeres fee for kepinge of certen of the Kings castells & manors in Bc-p'ac'on, xij "." P. 101.

28 March, 22 Henry VII. [1507], similar entry, P. 144.

Also on 30 Sept., 23 Henry VII. [1557] ; 31 March, 23 Henry VII. [1508] ; 31 March, 24 Henry VII- [1509].

Thus Flower was in the service of the Crown early in 1505. Can we prove an earlier date ? Unfortunately, his patent of appointment as King's glazier is not recorded on the Rolls, and it is possible that he never was technically so appointed. It is, how- ever, known that much of the glazing executed in England immediately prior to 1505 is either Flemish work or shows signs of Flemish influence. The portrait of Prince Arthur in Great Malvern Priory was the gift of Henry VII. in 1501-2 '(Westlake, iii. p. 38 n.) ; while the corresponding portrait in St. Margaret's, Westminster, is known to be Flemish work. Did not these portraits emanate from the same atelier ? and if PO, were they not both executed at Dort in Flanders ?

The following document throws some light upon the provenance of English glass at a later period,

Letters and Papers Henry VIII., vol. 162, folio 131.

[The Glaziers' Petition to Cromwell, c. 1537 ?] Mekely besechithc your honorable Lordeshipe we your pore suppliantts nnd contynewall oratoures the felishipe and fremen of the crafte of Glasyers crafte to be so good Lorde vnto vs your pore Suppliantts that we may haue the Kyngs lavres to precede agaynst one peter Nicholson the Glasier a stranger whiche hath offendide the Kyngs Acte made by our Sou'eigne Lorde the Kyng and all his lordes both spirituall and temp'rall enactyde by his soa'eignes parlya- mente and according vnto that we your saide suppliantts humblie besechithe your grace that the Kings lawes may procede vpon hym by your Lordeshipes favourc I truste that your Lorde- shipe will lete vs haue the Kyngs Lawes and in this that we may haue yo r Gracyous andswere where to we shall stande and in this we shall enfourme -jour Lordeshipe the trewithe That is that they [sic] sayd peter Nicholson dothe nat onely kepe thcise five seru'nts [servants] straungers to doo onely your Lordeshipes worke alone but he takith but he takith [sic] allruens worke that he may gett besydes Whereby that he offendithe the Acte and yet more ou' [more- over] that the saide peter Nicholson doth nat onely sett theise men aworke here but he setts more men aworke beyeonde the see and bryngithe his glasse reddy wrought ou' [over] in to Eng- lande wherebj that our Englisshe men cannat be sett in worke and more ou' the Kyngs Grace loses his custome and in this excepte that your honorable Lordshipe be good vnto vs beyng the Kyngs pore Subiectts that we may haue the Kyngs Lawes to procede orells theise straungers will vtterly vndoo vs and In this our Grevouse comepleynte and it will please your Lordeshipe to shewe your Gracyous fauouf vnto vs the Kyngs lovyng subiectts to se anorder in this and to reforme it and your Lordeshipe byndith vs to be yo r trewe beademen and we shall praye for your longe contynewaunce in hellth and high p'seruacyon tothe pleasure of God [Endorsed] The suplicac'on

of the crafte of

Glasiers.

The Act ref erred to here is not that of 1 Ric. III. e. 12, prohibiting the importation of " painted glasses," but the Statute of Aliens referred to by H. C. The tradition of the Fairford glass probably rests upon some action taken or proposed to be taken under the former Act. Obviously this Act was no longer regarded as being in force. It will be seen that the English glaziers tacitly admit the superioritjr cf the foreign workmanship, and they lay" stress upon the number of workmen employed by Nicholson. Many of the names of his workmen are preserved in an action in the Star Chamber which was first brought to light by Mr. Page in his valuable Introduction to the Huguenot