MtTRAL tAINTlNGS IN CORNISH CHURCHES. 151 



to learn the subjects. These and the mermaid picture are 

 gone. — T.c.p. 

 S. Keyerne. This painting occupies a prominent position as 

 usual upon the north wall of the Nave, over the north door 

 and opposite to the south or principal entrance. 



The date is about 1480. The picture is enclosed in an 

 ornamented scroll border of elegant design. The gigantic 

 figure of Saint Christopher occujiies the main field of the 

 painting. He bears the infant Christ upon his right 

 shoulder and looks towards him, while with his two hands 

 he grasps the uprooted sapling that steadies him in fording 

 the river. He wears, as usual, a sort of turban, and has a 

 red mantle wrapped over the left shoulder, the under-tunic 

 being white and flounced below the waist ; and beneath this 

 appear baggy trunk hose, the legs below the knee being 

 bare. A number of fish of various kinds are swimming: in 

 the stream. On one of these, a large plaice, the orange 

 spots are realistically depicted. A heron is shewn perched 

 on a rock on the left bank. 



This stream is depicted as flowing between undulating 

 banks with trees on it, a ship in full sail, having a pennon 

 streaming from the mast, and, to the right of the spectator, is 

 the hermit's cell with a winding path leading up to it. This 

 cell has a small tower at one end with a door in it, and a 

 gabled roof, and below, on the margin of the stream, is the 

 usual figure of the hermit holding out with both hands a 

 lantern to light the saint across. Behind him are trees, one 

 bearing apples, and two rabbits peeping out of a hole. 



Around this main subject are eight smaller ones, arranged 

 in square panels, four on either side, and forming a sort of 

 inner border. I have no doubt that the incidents depicted 

 in these are taken from the legend of the same saint's life ; 

 but they are unfortunately in a very mutilated state, and it 

 is difficult to be quite certain as to what incidents some of 

 the scenes relate to. The uppermost on either side is half 

 destroyed, and the second on the left hand has not been freed 

 from whitewash. The two lower panels on the left side 

 contain each a male and a female figure standing on a tiled 

 floor. Probably we have here the incident of the two women 



