236 ON ANCIENT CASKETS OF IVORY AND WOOD. 



met by a lady who implores his prowess against a hairy savage 

 which the knight is seen encountering. The badge of the 

 rose on the left shoulder of the surcoat and on the hood 

 of mail of the warriors is a point worthy of remark. 



V. A lady's casket (which was not the property of Mr. 

 Douce) of ivory, perforated, with red leather underneath, and 

 bound with brass at the edges, perfect, of the latter part of the 

 reign of Henry VI. On the top a joust. On the front a lion 

 and a griffin, one on each side of the lock. At the back, 

 a stag hunt. On one end, a stag killed by a man with a 

 spear ; and on the other Orsin attacking the bear. 



VI. A casket of wood, supposed to have belonged to Mar- 

 garet, Queen of Scotland, though this is by no means certain, 

 as the style is of earlier date. It is covered with the letters 

 m. 0i,, each surmounted by what is now termed a ducal 

 coronet, and accompanied by the Douglas heart, from which 

 spring three quatrefoils arising from the same stem. This 

 does not much resemble the Marguerite, or daisy, but more 

 closely the gilliflower, and what is generally termed the ladies' 

 smock leaf. 



VII. A beautiful little ivory casket of the time of Edward 

 II., to contain a lady's marriage presents, complete. The top 

 contains a knight and lady under each arch of eight compart- 

 ments, in various attitudes of courtship, done with great spirit, 

 the last of which represents him in armour, receiving, on one 

 knee, his helmet from the lady. The front, back, and sides, 

 are managed in the same way ; and much innocent play with 

 diadems or chaplets, and with dogs, is pourtrayed. At one 

 end they are engaged in playing at tables, and putting a bird 

 into a cage ; at the other, with two birds, and sitting holding 

 a diadem between them. Such subjects ornamented some- 

 times the mirrors, and circular boxes to hold the seals of 

 marriage contracts. 



The costume on all of these is well worthy of attention, 

 from the accuracy of its details, and the architecture and 

 articles of domestic use, are various and instructive. 



The ivory caskets merit far more research ^han what a 

 residence in the country will permit. They form but a part 

 of the valuable bequest of ivory carvings for which I am 

 indebted to my late worthy friend, Francis Douce, Esq. 



If the slight sketch of such curiosities is worthy of a place 

 in your periodical, I shall be happy in having sent it. 



SAxMUEL R. MEYRICK, K. H. 



