

ANCIENT MEMORIAL BRASSES OF DORSET. 147 



This vestment had an aperture for the head, but none for the 

 arms, falling over them before and behind. Our example is no 

 exception to the rule of having a border or apparel to the entire 

 vestment of the usual quatrefoil ornament obtaining in this 

 century. 



It is interesting to compare the perfectly plain border of 

 chasuble on Henry Denton's brass, 1498, with the entire absence 

 of border to this vestment in priest with chalice at Broxbourne, 

 Herts, 1465. 



We see William Grey " represented as laid out for interment, 

 attired in the officiating vestments of the Mass, agreeably to a 

 long received custom of the Church."* Almost certainly he 

 lies buried so, with the chalice on his breast. 



"The paten and chalice were buried with ecclesiastical 

 persons of common rank, as well as with prelates and presidents 

 of religious societies."! 



" It is most probable that all these vessels so interred, being 

 rather emblematical of the profession of the party than his 

 private property, were made of meaner metal, silvered over, 

 as the rings interred with prelates were gilt."J 



" The constitutions of William de Bleys in 1229 add a single 

 item of interest, an unconsecrated chalice, which might be of 

 tin, for burial with the priest." Cripps, p. 176. 



The inscription in black letter is usual, and has the well- 

 known marks of contraction. Abbreviations, however, were 

 often arbitrary, and depended very much on the space at the 

 engraver's disposal, giving an interesting side light on the size 

 of " latten " provided, and probably on its cost. In this instance 

 the inscription plate is made of a different alloy to the effigy, 

 the colour of the plate showing a larger percentage of copper in 

 its composition than the other. 



* Monumental Brasses, Waller. 



t Gough's Sepulchral Effigies, p. Ixix, Part I., Vol. I. 



J Gough's Sepulchral Effigies, p. Ixx. 



