PAINTED WINDOWS AT HADDON HALL. 35 



probably of singular merit and beauty, for the mediaeval artists 

 seemed always to put forth their best efforts on their delinea- 

 tions cf this favourite character. From the pose of 

 the Baptist, turning towards the central figure, it is 

 probable that he was originally placed in the outer 

 light on the same side, and that the fragment of the 

 episcopal figure in the bottom of that outer light was brought 

 here from some other window — perhaps the empty south one. 

 There has obviously been an attempt to balance the window after 

 the robber)', by glass brought from some other place in the 

 chapel, and this is abundantly proved by the corresponding 

 piece on the opposite side having a small kneeling figure at a 

 prayer desk, utterly at variance with the scheme and proportions 

 of the whole window. 



The larger lights of the tracery all retain (save one) their 

 original single figures. The two " batements " above the 

 second light show the Annunciation : the kneeling angel occupy- 

 ing one, and the B.V.M. the other. The central trefoil, the 

 two triangles, and the " angells " have been filled with foliations 

 shaded and stippled in brown, on a stained or golden ground. 

 The royal shield intrudes itself in the uppermost leaf of the 

 trefoil. In any restoration of this window this should be 

 removed : it is a showy blemish, quite out of tone and keeping 

 with the rest. These arms are, however, of considerable 

 antiquity, apparently of the Plantagenet period. 



Just above the inscription which runs across the whole 

 window, near the base, are three shields, in the three centre 

 lights, each supported by a demi-angel, with wings slightly 

 displayed, and holding a scroll with the assignation of the arms, 

 but the names are almost concealed by the crossbars. The 

 first shield has a lion rampant gules, for Ludlow, the arms of 

 Sir John Ludlow, of Hodnet, Shropshire, the father of Bene- 

 dicta, wife of Sir Richard Vernon, who erected this mndow. 

 The second, or central coat, is that of Vernon, argt. fretty, 

 sable, with a canton. The third shield is blank. No doubt 

 this heraldic display once occupied the whole breadth of the 



