Part 4 (1/2)

Berks.h.i.+re Childrey and Long-Wittenham, Clewer, Woolhampton, and Woolstone (Norman)

Derbys.h.i.+re Ashover (Norman)

Dorsets.h.i.+re Wareham (Norman)

Gloucesters.h.i.+re Frampton-on-Severn and Llancourt (similar, Norman) Siston and Tidenham (Norman) Gloucester Museum (Norman) Clunbridge (1640)

Kent Brookland (Norman), Chilham, and Eythorne (the latter dated 1628, a copy of a Norman original)

Lincolns.h.i.+re Barnetby-le-Wolde (Norman)

Norfolk Brundal, Hastingham (Norman)

Northamptons.h.i.+re Wansford

Oxfords.h.i.+re Clifton, Dorchester, Warborough, (Norman)

Somerset Pitcombe

Surrey Walton-on-the-hill (Norman)

Suss.e.x Edburton and Piecombe (early English) Parham (Decorated)

Wilts.h.i.+re Chirton

Two of the French fonts are figured by Viollet-le-Duc,[16] that at Berneuil is of the twelfth century and very similar to that at Tidenham in Gloucesters.h.i.+re, with alternate arches occupied by figures and foliage.

[16] _Art. Fons._

At Lombez (Gers) is a very beautiful example, small and delicate, with two girdles of decoration, the upper row continuous foliage and figures, but made up of one scene, a man discharging an arrow at a lion and a basilisk, five times repeated; the lower row has sixteen quatre-foils with figures of four varieties repeated, these are the religious orders.

It is remarked that the decorations were evidently ”stock patterns”

because the upper row is much older than the lower, which is of the late thirteenth century.

At Visine (Somme) is one of the fifteenth century with separate cast figures in sixteen niches.

At Bourg-Achard, in Normandy, is another lead font,[17] and one is also in the Museum of Antiquities in Rouen, this last has a long inscription and date, 1415. There is a cast of one of these fonts in the Trocadero collection in Paris.

[17] Dawson Turner's _Tour_.

At St. Evrouet-de-Monford (Orne) is another very similar to our Brookland font with Zodiac and Seasons.

In Germany, at Mayence, there is a very fine example of the fourteenth century. And in the South Kensington Museum is a copy of a small circular lead font in the Berlin Museum; this is cast in one piece, it stands on three lions' feet and has two handles, around it is an inscription in Lombardic letters. It was presented to Treves by Bishop Baldani in the thirteenth century.

-- IX. OF INSCRIPTIONS, ETC.

A sheet of lead is a most inviting surface for inscriptions, as may be seen by making a trip to the leads of some cathedral or castle and inspecting the series of names, dates, hand-marks and foot-prints left by generations of plumbers and visitors. So lead has been one of the chief materials used for written doc.u.ments, not merely ephemeral, and even now it would be difficult to find anything more ready to receive the legend, more enduring to transmit it, and so easily decorated with the charm of art which makes an object worthy to live. Our first ill.u.s.tration shows the foundation record of an Egyptian King inscribed on lead.