The first symptoms of degeneracy are
noticeable in an orphrey at South Ken-
sington (No. 828, 1903) acquired from the
Hochon collection. It is of linen em-
broidered in gold thread and coloured silks,
with the following saints : Helena, James the
Less, Paul the Apostle, Lawrence, Bartholo-
mew, Catherine of Alexandria, Andrew and
another (Plate 16). The canopies are sup-
ported by twisted columns, and have large
foliated crockets. This orphrey was probably
embroidered shortly before the middle of the
fourteenth century.*
As the century advances, the work loses
still more of its fine qualities. An illustration
will be found in a series of small panels
representing scenes in the history of the
Virgin Mary f (Plate 20). They are as
follows : The meeting of Anna and Joachim
at the Golden Gate ; the Birth, Presentation,
Education, and Marriage of the Virgin ;
the Annunciation ; the Salutation ; the Virgin
* Photographs of two English embroidered orphreys,
with the shields of King Edward III. and John Grandison,
Bishop of Exeter (1328-1369), were exhibited at the meet-
ing of the Society of Antiquaries, December 17, 1896 (see
Proceedings).
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