\ 
Account of the ancient Tapefiry embroidered by Queen Matilda. .665 
the fame period. The fhort cloak at- 
tached to the right fhoulder is fuch as 
has formed, in all times fince, the dra- 
pery of heraldry. 
No. U1.—Ecclefia :—A Church. 
After Harold had arrived at Bofham, 
a fea-port belonging to that Prince, he 
and his {quire proceed. to. church to 
pray fora happy paflage. It is, to be 
obferved, that trees rudely. drawn, edi- 
fices, and drapery, form the partitions 
between the different parts of the hif- 
tory, in the fame manner as in the an- 
cient ba/fs-relievos. 
No. 1V.—Hic Harold mare navigavit.— 
Harold embarks. 
__ Harold and his fuite, previous to em- 
barking, partake of .a collation. Se- 
veral of them drink out of large horns, 
whofe ufe is very ancient. Harold’s 
people enter the boat to embark, 
having with them the falcons and dogs 
of ,their matter. 
No. V.—Et welis vento plenis, venit in 
terram Widonis Comitis.—The winds 
drive Harold upon the territories of 
Count Guy. 
This Guy was Count of Ponthieu; 
and Harold is compelled by the form 
to land upon his coaft. The fhip has 
but one malt ; and a: great number of 
bucklers are ranged round the deck, 
ia the fame manner as we fee in the 
paintings of the Herculaneum ;— fo 
long is it before ancient cuftoms are ~ 
effaced. 
No. VI.—Haroid.—Harold. 
Harold, in his boat, advances to the 
hore, to {peak to Guy, whom he fees 
there. The barbarous rights of na- 
tions of that time do not afford him 
much contelation on this accident. 
No. VII.—Hic apprehendit Wido Ha- 
roldo. 
_ Harold is no. fooner landed, than he 
is feized by two armed men by the or- 
ders of Guy. The Count is on horfe- 
back, having no other arms than a 
Jarge {word in his hand. We know 
not.what could be the ufe or occafion 
of a horn, which hangs from the fad- 
die, with the point downwards.—A 
guard of four horfe follow him, arméd 
with fwords, lances, and bucklers ; 
which laft are decorated with embiems, 
which, however, are not to be taken 
tor armorial-bearings, fuch as are now 
in ufe. In the sith century thefe em- 
bhems were devices of the particular 
Wwatriors; but were not yet become the 
4 
hereditary enfigns of families, as*they’ 
were in the following century. : 
No. VIIL.—Et duxit ; eum ad Belfcm ; et, 
thi eum 3 tenuit.—And orders him to 
be conduéted to Baurain, where he 
holds him prifoner. ~~ Ces OW 
Guy on horfeback, witha falcon on 
his finger, conduéts him prifoner to 
Belfem.' This Belfem is Baurain lz 
Chateau, His. prifoners precede the 
Count. Harold ison horfeback with 
a falcon on his finger. \ His attendants 
are on foot, guarded by foldiers. 
No. IX.—Vbi. Harold : et parabolant. 
At this place Guy and Harold come 
to an explanation. Its probable that 
Harold here ftates to Guy, that he is an 
Ambaflador of the King of England; 
and that Guy propofes to him to treat 
of the ranfom to be paid for his being 
fet free. Guy is feated on a kind of 
throne, with a {word in his hand. | 
No. X.—Vbi Neutii Witlelmi Ducts vene- 
runt ad Widonem. — At this place, 
alfo, Ambafladors from Wlliam- 
come to demand Harold. 
William Duke of Normandy, in- 
formed of the purport of Harold's em- 
baffy, and being made acquainted with 
his captivity, difpatched meffengers to 
the Count of Ponthieu, to require the 
releafe of his prifoner. Guy wears a 
coat of mail, and has a battle-axe in 
his left hand. The ambafladors have 
landed ; and, while they open their 
commiffion to the Count, a valet holds 
their horfes by the bridle. 
The valet is a dwarf, whofe name, 
Turold, is written over his head. It 
was a cultom of that time, in the courts. 
of great lords, to ule dwarfs for valets 
or pages. Dominichino has placed 
dwarfs in the fuite @f the Emperor 
Otho ; and Raphael has done the fame 
in a feries of paintings of the hittory of | 
Conftantine. 
No. Xl —Nantii Willelmi— Ambafladors 
of William. 
To fhow that thefe Ambafladors are 
different from the two former, the 
groupes are feparated by a fpecies of 
vaulted edifice. Intveatics and remon- 
{trances having failed to procure Ha- 
rold’s releafe, William next. employs 
menaces.. The two ambafladors are 
knights, who arrive on the tuil gallop, 
with their lances couched. They ap- 
pear to announce that their embafly is 
of a lefs ainicable nature than the for- 
mer, A young man, whofe cap refem- 
bles 
