ANCIENT MEMORIAL BRASSES OF DORSET. 233 



similar shape, reaching below the knees behind, and to the 

 lower part of the thighs before, being open at the sides as far as 

 the hips, as may be seen on the monument to Prince John of 

 Eltham, 1334, in Westminster Abbey. Matthew Paris, in 

 describing the pageants attending the marriage of Henry III. 

 with Eleanor of Provence in 1236, writes that the citizens of 

 London " were adorned with silk garments, and enveloped in 

 Cydases woven with gold." 



The Cyclas gave way to the Jupon, a surcoat without sleeves, 

 reaching only to the waist, of almost universal wear at the 

 Court of Richard III. It was usually of costly description, on 

 which, as well as on other articles of dress, were depicted, in 

 silk tissue and beaten gold, the arms of the wearer. 



The Jupon was in turn superseded by the Tabard, originally a 

 loose garment, somewhat resembling the labourer's smock-frock. 

 In the Plowman *s Prologue, attributed to Chaucer, we read : 



" He tooke hys tabarde, and hys staffe eke, 

 And on hys heade he sett hys hatte." 



The Tabard as formerly worn by Nobles, and which still 

 constitutes a conspicuous part of the herald's official costume, 

 descended to a little below the waist, and was furnished with 

 square, or rounded, sleeves extending nearly to the elbows. 



Tabards first appear on brasses of the fifteenth century ; few 

 are found so late as this, and of the three Dorset possesses, 

 that at Melbury is singular in being shown on a standing 

 figure. Mr. Macklin mentions eight from 1547 to c. 1560, of 

 this transitional period ; 1 the only others of contemporary 

 note are shown on brasses to Henry Hobart, Esq., of Lodden, 

 Norfolk, 1561, and Sir John Russell, of Strensham, Worcester- 

 shire, 1562. 



Above the effigy (see Plate 3) appear two shields having 

 inscriptions over ; that to the sinister bears the arms of Henry 

 Strangwayes, Esq., son of Sir Gyles Strangwayes, the elder, by 



1 The Masses of England, Eev. H. W. MackliD, M.A., 1907, p. 240. 



