or’ alternately with another ’azure, a fleur-de-lys, or.’  The embroidered sides have been badly damaged by time and probably more so by repair.  The book has been rebound in leather, the old embroidered back quite done away with, and the worked sides pulled away from their original boards and ruinously flattened out on the new ones.  After the Felbrigge Psalter no other embroidered binding has been preserved till we come to one dating about 1536, which is in satin, and will be described under that head.

The Miroir or Glasse of the Synneful Soul. MS. by the Princess Elizabeth. 1544.

The Princess Elizabeth, afterwards Queen, in her eleventh year, copied out in her own handwriting the Miroir or Glasse of the Synneful Soul. She says it is translated ’out of frenche ryme into english prose, joyning the sentences together as well as the capacitie of my symple witte and small lerning coulde extende themselves.’  It is also most prettily dedicated:  ’From Assherige, the last daye of the yeare of our Lord God 1544 ...  To our most noble and vertuous Quene Katherin, Elizabeth her humble daughter wisheth perpetuall felicitie and everlasting joye.’

The book is now one of the great treasures of the Bodleian Library; it is bound in canvas, measures about 7 by 5 inches, and was embroidered in all probability by the hands of the Princess herself.  The Countess of Wilton in her book on the art of needlework says that ’Elizabeth was an accomplished needlewoman,’ and that ’in her time embroidery was much thought of.’  The Rev. W. Dunn Macray in his Annals of the Bodleian Library considers this binding to be one of ’Elizabeth’s bibliopegic achievements.’

[Illustration:  4—­The Miroir or Glasse of the Synneful Soul.  MS. by the Princess Elizabeth. 1544.]

[Illustration:  5—­Prayers of Queen Katherine Parr.  MS. by the Princess Elizabeth. 1545.]

The design is the same upon both sides.  The ground is all worked over in a large kind of tapestry-stitch in thick pale blue silk, very evenly and well done, so well that it has been considered more than once to be a piece of woven material.  On this is a cleverly designed interlacing scroll-work of gold and silver braid, in the centre of which are the joined initials K. P.

In each corner is a heartsease worked in thick coloured silks, purple and yellow, interwoven with fine gold threads, and a small green leaflet between each of the petals.  The back is very much worn, but it probably had small flowers embroidered upon it.

Prayers of Queen Katherine Parr. MS. by the Princess Elizabeth. 1545.

Another manuscript beautifully written by the Princess Elizabeth about a year later is now at the British Museum.  It is on vellum, and contains prayers or meditations, composed originally by Queen Katherine Parr in English, and translated by the Princess into Latin, French, and Italian.  The title as given in the book reads, ’Precationes ... ex piis scriptoribus per nobiliss. et pientiss.  D. Catharinam Anglie, Francie, Hibernieq. reginam collecte, et per D. Elizabetam ex anglico converse.’  It is, moreover, dedicated to Henry VIII., the wording being, ‘Illustrissimo Henrico octavo, Anglie, Francie, Hibernieq. regi,’ etc., and dated Hertford, 20th December 1545.