red wax, and apparently is about to bestow a grant upon a person who kneels at his feet. The king is at once recognised by the inscribed scroll, Sc's Edwardus rex; the figure of the suppliant, to whom the charter is accorded, is represented as of much smaller proportion than that of the sovereign, in accordance with a conventional principle of design in old times, by which persons of inferior station were often represented as of diminutive size, in comparison with their more powerful neighbours. Over the head of this smaller figure is a scroll, which bears the following inscription, Will' m': Edwardus: It does not appear, in the absence of all legendary or historical evidence, who was the person thus designated, upon whom a grant was conferred by the Confessor, and who here appears as connected with the history of St. Werstan. He is clad in a sleeved robe and hooded cape, the former being blue, and the cape bordered with white: it is not properly the monastic habit, and it differs from that in which St. Werstan appears, as before described. It may be conjectured that the hermit, disturbed in his peaceful resting-place upon the Malvern heights by some oppressive lord of the neighbouring territory, had sent a messenger to intercede with St. Edward, and obtained by royal charter lawful possession of the little plot whereon the celestial vision had led him to fix his oratory. Certain it is, as recorded in the charter of Henry I., dated 1127, that amongst the possessions of Great Malvern were numbered lands granted by the Confessor, although no regular monastic establishment appears to have existed previously to the Conquest. It seems therefore reasonable to conclude from the introduction of the subject now under consideration, in connection with the circumstances of the legend of that saint, that, according to received tradition, the period when St. Werstan first resorted to this wild spot, and established himself on the locality marked out by a heavenly vision, was during the times of the Confessor.

"The fourth, and last subject of the series, which appears in

dedit.'

"Una virgata terre in Baldeh, de feudo de Hanley, quam Rex Edwardus Carta R. Henr. I. A.D. 1127. In another charter of Henry I., cited in Pat. 50 Edw. III., per inspeximus, it is called 'Baldehala,' and in Plac. 12 Edw. II., Badenhale.""

6

the upper division of this remarkable window, appears to represent the martyrdom of St. Werstan the hermit, and the chapel or oratory, which was the scene of that event, described by Leland as situated near to the Priory. On the steep side of the Malvern heights are represented, in this pane, two small buildings, apparently chapels: the upper one may, doubtless, be regarded as the same miraculously dedicated building, which appears in the second pane; from its roof springs the bell-turret and spire, but precise conformity in minor details has not been observed in these two representations. At one of the windows of the oratory is here to be seen the Saint, who puts forth his head, bleeding and bruised, whilst on either side stands a cruel murderer, prepared with sword upraised to strike the unoffending recluse. These miscreants are clad in gowns which are girt round their waists, and reach somewhat below their knees; the scabbards of their swords are appended to their girdles, and on their heads are coifs, or caps, similar in form to the military salade, but they do not appear to be armour, properly so called. These may possibly, however, represent the palets, or leathern head-pieces, which were worn about the time when this painted glass was designed, as a partial or occasional defence. Be this as it may, it deserves to be remarked that the short gown and coif-shaped head covering is a conventional fashion of costume, in which the tormentor and executioner are frequently represented as clothed, in illuminations and other works of medieval An illustration of this remark is supplied by the curious embroidered frontal and super-frontal, preserved in the church of Steeple Aston, Oxfordshire, which were exhibited at the annual meeting of the Archæological Association at Canterbury. The subjects portrayed thereon are the sufferings of Apostles and martyred Saints: the work appears to have been designed towards the early part of the fourteenth century; and the tormentors are in most instances clad in the short gown and closefitting coif. Beneath, not far from the chapel, wherein the martyr is seen, in the Malvern window, appears a second building, not very dissimilar to the first in form, but without any bellturret and spire: possibly, indeed, so little were minute propriety

art.

and conformity of representation observed, the intention may have been to exhibit the same building which is seen above, and a second occurrence which there had taken place. This oratory

has three windows on the side which is presented to view, and at each appears within the building an acolyte, or singing-clerk, holding an open book, whilst on either side, externally, is seen a tormentor, clad in like manner as those who have been noticed in the scene above; they are not, however, armed with swords, but hold bundles of rods, and seem prepared to castigate the choristers, and interrupt the peaceful performance of their pious functions. With this subject, the series which appears to represent the history of the martyr St. Werstan, closes, and in the four compartments of the lower division of the window, divided by the intervening transom, are depicted events recorded and well known, in connection with the foundation of Great Malvern, namely, the grant and confirmation conceded by William the Conquerer to Aldwin, the founder; the grant to him by St. Wolstan, bishop of Worcester; and the acts of donation by William, earl of Gloucester, Bernard, earl of Hereford, and Osbern Poncius; benefactions which materially contributed to the establishment of this religious house. Of these, curious as the representations are, I will not now offer any description; the circumstances, to which they relate, are detailed in the documents which have been published by Dugdale, Thomas, and Nash. No allusion has hitherto been found in the legends of the saints of Britain, or the lists of those who suffered for the faith within its shores, to assist us in the explanation of the singular subjects which are now, for the first time, described; they appear to be the only evidences hitherto noticed, in relation to the history of St. Werstan, and the earliest Christian establishment on the savage hills of Worcestershire. In this point of view, even more than as specimens of decorative design, it is hoped that this notice may prove acceptable.

"It is so material, wherever it may be feasible, to establish the precise age of any example either of architectural design, or artistic decoration, that a few observations will not here be misplaced, in the endeavour to fix the dates, both of the fabric of the