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THE HOTHAMS. 185
that such an honourable augmentation as the dagger of Walworth could
have been added after the new seal had been adopted, in 1384, without some
similar record being made thereof.
And the other relic of Walworth consists of a pall, which is carefully
preserved at Fishmongers' Hall, and is said to have been made to do
honour to his burial. Through the courtesy of the chief clerk, I have been
permitted to see it, but it is far beyond my power adequately to describe
it, so as to give any idea of such a triumph of taste and needlework.
It consists of a centre slip, about 12 feet long and 2\ feet wide, and
two shorter sides, each 8 feet 1 1 inches long by i foot 4 inches wide, and
when laid over the corpse it must have totally enveloped the coffin, but
without corner falls, like our modern palls. The central slip is a piece of
gold brocade, of a very elaborate pattern and costly material. The end
pieces consist of very rich and massively-wrought pictures in gold and silk
of St. Peter in full pontificals, supported by angels burning incense ; their
wings are radiant as peacock feathers ;
their outer robes gold raised with
crimson ;
their under dress white shaded with blue. The faces are finely
worked in satin, and they have long yellow hair.
The side pieces are divided into three portions. On the centre, in
each side, figures of Christ and St. Peter, superbly and elaborately wrought,
and, on either hand of them, the fishmongers' arms, richly and properly
emblazoned, supported by mermen and mermaids, the former clad in gold
armour, the latter in white silk thread beautifully worked, with superb
jewels hanging from their necks.
It is indeed a splendid specimen of ancient art, and well worthy of
a visit. I am told that there are similar palls belonging to
many of the
great London companies, and that the pall of the Vintners' Company
equals if not eclipses it in beauty.
But having laid my hero to rest under such a costly coverlet, there I
must leave him ;
like another hero whose life and actions are not above
criticism, " after he had served his own generation, by the will of God he
" fell on sleep and saw corruption." And we must each in our time
endeavour so to act that the same may be said of us.
THE HOTHAMS.
The name of Hotham has been already incidentally mentioned in the
foregoing pages, but it is right that it should receive more definite notice,
as it is associated with more than one interesting incident in English
history. According to the Hotham pedigree, Sir John de Trehous, who
served under William the Conqueror at the battle of Hastings, had a grant