George Victor Du Noyer

“ When compared with the tomb in Westminster abbey, given by Carter [9] , (an example offered more for the value of the general features of style which it displays, than for its details,) the stone coffin of Cashel will present a sufficient similarity to enable us, aided by the traditionary evidence, to come to the conclusion that it is of equal age with the effigies, and may be regarded as a work of the thirteenth century. ”

“ The rest of the costume of these figures is equally characteristic of the thirteenth century; the loose robe confined at the waist by a narrow strap and buckle, and falling so low as to envelope the feet entirely in its folds, the mantle kept in its place by a narrow strap crossing the breast and held in the left hand, the square cushion under the head, are all fashions observable in the monuments of that period. ”

“ And thus, although the unsettled state of political affairs in Ireland effectually barred all advancement in the cultivation of taste and feeling for appropriate ornament as applied to religious edifices, there was sufficient general knowledge diffused among the people to give to the works of the native artist in that country a general similarity in style to such as may have been produced contemporaneously in England. ”

“ The Franciscan monastery at Cashel, on the site of which the remarkable effigies which have been described were found, was commonly called Hacket's Abbey, and strange as it may appear that the memorials of the invader and his wives or kinswomen should have been preserved in times when popular feeling was subject to no control, there can be little doubt that the knight whose portraiture has been brought before the notice of our readers, was either William Hacket, the founder, or one of his immediate descendants. ”

“ Chain mail, employed as defensive armour, fell wholly into disuse in the reign of Edward III., when the light plate-armour of Southern Europe came into almost general adoption, whilst on the other hand the earliest example of a roweled spur occurs upon the great seal of Henry III. [6] Certain minor peculiarities may deserve notice in the examination of this effigy; around the wrist of the right hand there appears to pass a narrow strap, which increases in width towards the verge of the slab on which the figure reclines, so as to suggest the notion that something had been attached to it. ”

“ The period to which, by comparison with monumental effigies in England, this figure may confidently be assigned, is the middle of the thirteenth century, and the singular effigies of ladies are doubtless of the same age. It may be observed that several writers in recent times have stated that cross-legged female effigies exist, an assertion which is grounded, perhaps, only on the observation of Mills to that effect, substantiated by no example or authority [10] . ”

“ This effigy is not cross-legged, it represents the earl clothed in his civil robes, and without any cap or covering on his head; the hair is divided on the forehead, and falls over the cars in short curls, whilst on the upper lip are seen mustaches. ”

“ They present also this novel feature, that three of the effigies, representing females, are, as well as the figure of the knight which is pre- served with them, cross-legged, a peculiarity of monumental design hitherto wholly unnoticed. ”