434 



senting a knight on horseback, standing in his stirrups, with both arms 

 extended, the right hand holding the sword, as if leading on his follow- 

 ers to battle. This is evidently a work of the twelfth century at the 

 latest, as is proved by the presence of the spike spur, which is not 

 fastened to the heel, but strapped round the ankle. The form of the 

 crossguard of the sword is also twelfth century; and it is singular 

 that the figure is accoutred without a scabbard. The form of the hel- 

 met is obscure, owing to the upper portion of the head having been 

 broken away. The body is clothed in a surcoat reaching to below the 

 knee in massive plaits, the waist is belted. The saddle is peaked 

 in front and rear, reaching high above the waistbelt; the shoulders 

 and the greater part of the neck of the horse are protected by a tbick 

 tight- fitting covering, fastened to the bow of the saddle, the forehead of 

 the animal being guarded by a rectangular plate of metal, apparently 

 fastened to an inner neck-and-headguard, passing beneath the shoulder 

 armour just described. There is the appearance of a bit in the horse's 

 mouth ; and the bridle, which is represented as single, passes beneath the 

 neck armour. It is probable that this sculpturing formed a portion of 

 a tomb erected to one of the Irish chieftains who fell in battle against 

 the English invaders, or an equally hated neighbouring chieftain, as it 

 is not at all probable that an English or Anglo-Norman knight would 

 have acquired such a social standing as this tomb would indicate in such 

 a remote district as this to the west of Tralee, at the close of the 

 twelfth century.*' 



No. 55. Effigy of St. Christopher, from a carving in high relief on 

 limestone, preserved, when I saw it, in the Pilltown Museum, and stated 

 to have been taken from Jerpoint Abbey. The saint is here represented 

 as standing in the water, leaning on his budding staff, which is grasped 

 in his right hand, while he bears the infant Saviour on his left arm and 

 shoulder ; the water is expressed by zigzag lines crossing his legs, and 

 the lower end of the staff ; and also by the outline of a fish on the field 

 of the stone to the left of the figure. The cap of St. Christopher, which 

 has a low round crown and a broad upright rim, is the only characte- 

 ristic feature in the costume, and it fixes the date by the carving at the 

 thirteenth century. St. Christopher's hair falls in flowing curls over 

 his shoulders ; his face is without the moustache, but he wears a care- 

 fully curled beard beneath his shaven chin. His body is clothed in a 

 long-sleeved garment, the ends of which are looped up, and thrown over 

 his left arm; beneath this is a loose tunic reaching to the knees. The 

 bead of the infant Saviour is surrounded by the nimhus: and his right 

 hand and arm are raised in the act of giving the benediction to St. Chris- 

 topher. 



The legend of St. Christopher is one of exceeding quaintness, and 

 contains a sound moral; and, as it is not generally known, I venture to 



* See notice of this effigy in the " Kilkenny Archaeological Journal," vol. ii., part 2, 

 1853, p. 39, by Richard Hitchcock, Esq. 



