Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1874-06-04
ON THE MANTEL-PIEuE.
From Chambers Journal.

cut down this mantling work till it is only
smooth slab of marble, or stone, capped with
d shelf to carry chimney ornaments but; 10
the house of our forefathers, it rose from the
wide opening over the hearth to the ceiling.
Sometimes, as far back as the thirteenth and
fourteenth centuries, it extended across the
width of one end Of the hall, or chamber, In
which it was placed as may be seen in one of
the examples in the South kcnsngton Muse
um. 1t was always supported on jambs (the
French equivalent for legs) which were treat
ed as part Of the composltion; and so much
ornamcntation was expended upon it that it
required no tourther decoration to make it the
chief feature iu an apartment. A row OF war
rors, 10 martial array, Sculptured In stone,
praccd some mante-pleceS Sometimes angles
were carved upon them, especially upon those
belonging to m0nastlc houses; but more ire
oueutIy they we're chosen as centre for her
aldic displays. Besides the coats of arms of the
owners, they also bore their notices. But
when an edfcc was built by prosperous uer
chant beneath the dignity of heraldic receni-
ton, sentence from the Scripture, or couplet
embodyiug welcome, advice, or admonition,
was occasionally carved upon the mantel-piece
oithe chief chamber.
Derbyshire presents US with few examples
of coats of arms, dates, and initials on nlantel-
rcted mansion in green pastures close to the
winding Wye. where the Vernons kept open
house in the old days of the Tudors, there is a
sprclmen of this combination. 1t occurs on the
oakcn chimney piece 10 the drawing groom,
where are carved the arms of Sir George Yer
non, the arms of Henry VIII, plume of
feathers and the the initials +. p. There IL
second heraldc example at Hardwick Hall,
where Mary Queen of Scots spent some Of the
days of her long captivity. Thisis an Elizabe;han
mansion, with front tul of large transomed win
dows finished with an open parapet ln which the
letters + S.are placed at intervals. These last ore
the initials of Elizabeth, G. untess of Shrews-
bury, who built the hall 10 the last decade of
the sixteenth century. Ip the great dining.
rovm there is chimney piece with the arms
borough Hall, another handsome mansion
house, with large transomed windows and en-
batted turrets, built In the reigu Of Elizabeth,
there occur several Inscriptions on scuptured
stone chimney piece. The builder of this fine
hall was Francis Rhodes, one of the justices of
the Common Pleas, and the mantel-piece was
probably the pride of his house and heart
There arc statues OF Justice and Religion in it,
and two shields of the arms of Rhodes with
different implements, indicating that the
worthy justice had two wives. Above the
shields be caused to be carved: 'Fraucis + .des
seryiens d ne Regime ad legem. Ammo Dui
1854 Utatis suG so; and below them: Con-
>tulus justiclarius de Bance Communl, 80
Elz'
A, Enfield, Middlesex, there is still standing
palace 10 which Queen Elizabeth lived, and,
perhaps, played upon tine virglnals to groups
of admirers In this residence, which is COM
parativey small and homely, there is paneled
,I,r how md nd
tel-piece rising up to the cornlce OF the panel
ed ceiling. The mantel-picce is supported on
TWO classic columns, aud divided into three COM
partments, consisting of a centre and two wings
In the wide central panel are the arms of Eng
land; on one side those of Westminster, and on
the other the Tudor rose. Below the side pan
els are the initials E. and r.; and below the
centre, on scroll, is pious inscription In
Latin. There is another Elizabethan example
iu Bramall Hall, one of the halls of the old
Laucastriau gentry, near Manchester. "Vive
Ia Royce the gallant owner caused to be in
scribed on his mantel piece, as he thought OF
the fair vestal throned in the west" And
there is Welsh specimen of the same date in
the great hall at Newton, Brecon. This sturdy
stone mansion, with its steep gables and small
window-opeuings, was the home of the family
of Games. Shakespeare gives the name OF
Davy Games in the list Of Euglish dead which
the herald presented to Henry '. "Where
the king. Edward the Duke of York, tho
Earl of Suffolk. Sir Richard Kelly, Davy
Gam Esquire, none else of name" continues
the monarch. David Games was an ancestor
of whom man might be proud, thought his
representative 10 the following century, as he
pondcred over che details of the battlefield,
newly brought to notice by the genius of the
dramatist and he caused this inscription in
the Welsh language, to be cut over the fire
place of his principal room: "John Games,
the son and eldest heir of Edward Games, ap
John, ap Morgan, ap Edward, ap Morgan, APP
nafydd Gam 1882. % God depends every
thing. Games
AT one time; the fancy for inscribing notices
ulon mantel. pieces was so much in vogue aud so
maay notices suggested themselves as suitable,
that the walls and coruices were taken into ao
count, and likewise covered with them. The Earl
northumberland caused the walls and cornices
Of his seates at Leckenfeld and Wresse to be
SO treated. In such cases, the decorator only
was employed and when fresh coat of paint
was required, the trite sayings were painted
out An instance of a painted inscription up
op nlantel-piece was discovered few months
ago in an upper room in house in High
Street, Tewkcsbury. Some alterations were
required, and, on some brick-work being taken
down, an old Fireplace was uncovered. with
this inscription painted over it in old English
characters: ''Three thinges pIeseth booetb
God and man. Concozde betwene brethren:
Amytie betwene napghbours: and a man and his
wyfc that agreeth we'll together. Fower things
hurt much the site of man: Teares. smocke,
wynde, and the worst of all to SO his friends
uuuckye and his fose happye. These fvfe
thlnges are rare sene: A tayer yonge womane
with ought lover, youge man with ought
myerth, an old usesseror with ought money,
asney great tayer with ought thefes, q fare
iharne with ought music. The letters of this
inscription were black except the initials,
which were painted red. We read. too, of
another painted motto 10 an account drawn up
OF the Duke of Beaufort's progress through
Wales in the reign of Charles Ii. This was iu
an upper room, too, boarded in panes, that is