Page:Notes and Queries - Series 12 - Volume 8.djvu/592

 486 NOTES AND QUERIES. [i2s.vm.juN E i8,i92i. famous member of this family of glass- i Robert Preston does not mention his painters. Free 1465. He evidently learnt his business with William Inglish (free 1450 ; died 1480), who had been a pupil of John Chamber the younger (free 1414 ; died wife in his will, nor leave a bequest for Masses for her soul if she were dead, though he speaks of his daughter Janet, who had evidently been named after the first wife of 1450), as in his will he leaves a sum of money j his former master. He was probably a for Masses for the souls " of William Yng- ! son-in-law of William Winter, a founder lyshe and Jenett his [first] wife " ; and also by trade who was buried in St. Helen's to " Sir John Ynglyshe, chanon in Bridling- Church in Stonegate, where both he and ton," a son of William Inglish, " one par | Robert Preston evidently lived, a street baydes of castledowne,* the nowmbre of I which was inhabited largely by founders x w* one lase of grene sylke, and one : signet, and glass-painters. Preston was possibly of Synt Martene gyltyd f and v." William | a brother-in-law of Sir John Petty the glass- Inglish at his death in 1480 had bequeathed i painter (free 1470 ; died 1508). Both to Robert Preston ". i wyspe of ruby glass " j Robert Preston and Sir John Petty held and a sum of money, besides making him j William Winter in high esteem. The former joint executor with his (Inglish's) second j at his death in 1503 left money for Masses wife Margaret. William Inglish's son Thomas j for " all the saules that I had any good of, .was free of the city "the same year his father j w* the saule of William Wynter " ; whilst died, leaving him " ten wyspes of white glass j Sir John Petty five years later directed in with all the appliances and pictures [i.e., car- j his will, " it is my last will a prest shall toons and designs] belonging to my work," j syng at Sanct Elyn Kyrk in Stanegate so that he would be just of age. Twenty- ! a yere at the Lady awter whar he lyes three years later Preston at his death be- for Mr. Wynder saull and his son in lay, queathed to Thomas Inglish " all my j iiij 1 * xiijs iiija." There can he little doubt scrowles, w* one warkbord, the best except that the son-in-law referred to was Robert one, one pare of the best moldes, with one Preston. Preston evidently was well-to - of the best sowderyng yrnes, and iij grosyng do and enjoyed a wide reputation as a yrnes, w*> on par clampes and one payr I glass-painter. To " Saynt Mary abbey, called scherys," also " ij sheff of blew glasse, one Wedrall, besyd Carry 11," which had evi- sheff of red, w* v sheff of white glasse. "$ | dently proved a good patron, he bequeathed It is therefore more than likely that " as good a vestment as cane be boght during the intervening period the two had for xC' He also supplied figures ready been, if not exactly in partnership in the i painted, which could be surrounded with a modern sense of the term, at least working in close connexion with one another in .carrying on the business in which we may assume they had both served their time. stone, probably agate or onyx. Vide ante, p. 453. t A " signet of Synt Martene gyltyd " was evidently a seal or signet-ring made of base metal covered with gold. The term " St. Martins " was applied to sham jewellery made of the medise- val equivalent of pinchbeck from the fact that the sanctuary of St. Martins-le-Grand, London, T*as a noted resort for the makers of imitation gold and silver articles of finery. The place became so notorious that forty-five years before the date of the above bequest an ordinance of the Star Chamber dated 36 Hen. VI., decreed that " no workers of counterfeit cheynes, beades, broaches, owches [jewels worn on the front of hats], rings, cups, and spoons silvered should be suffered therein " (F. Cohen in Archceol. xvii. 55). Thus Butler in his ' Hudibras ' Lady's Answ. 59 has " Those false St. Martin's beads." J It will be no doubt noticed that the above bequest of glass was made in the exact propor- tions in which each particular colour was employed in windows at that period. border and a background of quarries bought ready cut by a local glazier or monastic odd- jobber, and so form a cheap and filling " design." * A Robert Preston, who was no doubt identical with Robert Preston the glass- painter, was chamberlain of the city in 1496 (Skaife MS. in York Public Library), and although his name does not appear in the Roll of the Corpus Christi Guild, one of the most exclusive guilds in York, he was evidently a member, as he bequeathed them fourpence and the same sum to " the mayster," and each of the " kepers of Corpus Christi gyld beyng at my Derige and Messe." " To Robert Begge," whom he calls " my prentese, all my bookesf that is fitte for one prentesse Fowler, Surtees Soc., p. 416. For what is pro- bably another example of the same practice, see opus tit., p. 650. t The above would probably include MSS. consisting of recipes relating to the craft, sketch-
 * Casteldowne= chalcedony, a semi-transparent
 * ' Durham Account Rolls,' ed. by Rev. Canon