To appreciate the display one needs, of course, to be an expert. Like " everything' else art blazoning degenerated fon, but the inexpert car Only he admires the quaint delicate ly combined devices, odd little four so wooden yet so full of life, the gorgeous colouring which through all the centuries has remained' marvellously fresh. Also one delights in the exquisite writing of the MSS, though, again, study fs needed to read it. Handwriting then was an art which the few who could practise it took a just. pride.
'Among the MSS. is the draft of 2 grant, of arms and crest to Shakes peare's father. Garter, King - of 'Arms, was accused by York Herald of having granted arms too much like those of Lord Mauley, and defended himself vigorously in' another MSS, which she the pogt's father Position, rent, idea slated by a Warwickshire contemporary to have been written by Shakes-peace. But somehow it has quite a Gifferent flavour from all else one knows of him.
'A drawing in pen and ink of the badges of Edward 1V and Richard TIT atirneted me, because It was done slate as the reign of James T, and already the art of "whitewashing" had begun. the draughtsman adding of Richard that "he made many good and wholesome laws, which are yet force. He was wise and valiant."
Tournament Roll Of the pictorial work, the most Impressive, if not the best artistically, the Westminster Tournament Roll, depicting the jousts held by Henry VII at' Westminster in February, 1808, in honour of Queen Katherine of Aragon, an immensely tong piece of vellum "crowded with figures, Queen Katherine in state in the royal box, as it might be at Olympia, and King' Henry on horseback tilting before her, all' done in gold, silver and colours.
Another vellum roll of the Penyston family tree, dated July 10, 1864, with coats of arms wherever' they Inlermarried with other families, is very pretty. And there is a wonderful genealogical tree, the branches all curving in and out like those of a Feal tree, showing the descent of Queen elizabeth from William the Conqueror; also a drawing of Queen Elizabeth proceeding to Parliament with hundreds of tiny figures and "he Queene's 'Majestic in her litter under the canopic." I think T am Tight la saying that carriages on wheels came in much later, 'One of the later exhibitions partiularly interested me, for here the Tink' with our own times is nearer and it is possible to visualize the people of whom it tells,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.