RELIQUARY, QUARTERLY ARCHEOLOGICAL JOURNAL AND REVIEW. A DEPOSITORY FOR PRECIOUS RELICS-LEGENDARY BIOGRAPHICAL, AND HISTORICAL, ILLUSTRATIVE OF THE HABITS, CUSTOMS, AND PURSUITS, OF OUR FOREFATHERS. VOL. VI. (NEW SERIES.) JAN. TO OCT., 1892. LONDON: BEMROSE AND SONS, LIMITED, 23, OLD BAILEY; AND DERBY. 1892. THE RELIQUARY. JANUARY, 1892. On a Medieval Chalice and Paten at West Drayton, Middlesex. BY T. M. FALLOW, M.A., F.S.A. THE chalice and paten which belong to West Drayton church, Middlesex, possess some features of considerable interest. They are illustrated (Plate I.) from photographs by Mr. R. Keene of Derby. Both vessels are hall-marked, and the chalice bears round the foot an inscription of an unusual character, so far as existing examples are concerned. The chalice is parcel-gilt, the stem and foot are hexagonal, and the former is divided into two unequal portions by the knot, which has six facets. Each of the facets of the knot is diamond-shaped, and is engraved with a four-leaved flower device. The bowl is not original, and is a clumsy addition, but it seems to be of some age, and was perhaps made in the reign of Edward VI., when the Sacrament was again administered to the people in both kinds, and when the original bowl may have been found to be too small. If this conjecture as to its date and origin be correct, the bowl of the West Drayton chalice makes up in interest for what it lacks in grace, and in proper proportion to the remainder of the vessel. The foot has been a good deal knocked about; it is mullet-shaped, and formerly had knops attached to each of the points. These have been lost, or cut off, greatly to the disfigurement of the chalice. On the front compartment of the base is engraved, under a trefoil arch, a crucifix, and below the crucifix, in a band which surrounds the foot, is the black letter inscription: Orate | p aiabz | Johis po | rpyll & | Johanne | bxor.' ei' Unfortunately, nothing whatever is now known of John and Jane Porpyll, or who they were; but from the wording of the legend it is pretty evident that the chalice and paten were bequeathed by one or other (if not by both) of them as their memorial. There are only two other examples extant of English medieval vessels bearing an inscription of this character, so far as is at present known. One of these is a paten at Pilton, in Somerset, which is of much the same date as the West Drayton vessels. It has a vernicle 184855 |