A copy of another work by the same author, the Essays printed in 1625, was given by him to the Duke of Buckingham, and is now at the Bodleian Library at Oxford.  It is bound in dark green velvet, measuring about 7 by 5 inches, the same design being embroidered on each side.  In the centre is a small panel portrait of the Duke of Buckingham, with short beard, and wearing the ribbon of the Garter.  The portrait is mostly worked with straight perpendicular stitches, except the hair and collar, in which the stitches are differently arranged.  The background merges from nearly white just round the head to pink at the outer edge; the coat is brownish.  The framework of the portrait is solidly worked in gold braids and silver guimp in relief, the design being of an architectural character.  Two columns, with floral capitals and pediments, spring from a scroll-work base and support what may perhaps be intended for a gothic arch with crockets.  Immediately above the crown of the arch is a ducal coronet, and a handsome border of elaborate arabesques reaching far inwards is worked all round the edges.  The outlines of these arabesques, the stalks and curves, are all worked in gold cords, the petals and leaves in silver guimp in relief.  The back is divided into eight panels by gold and silver cords, and in each of these panels is a four-petalled flower with small circles.  There are several gilt spangles kept down by a small piece of guimp.

[Illustration:  32—­Common Prayer.  London, 1638.]

Common Prayer. London, 1638.

Among the few older royal books in the library at Windsor Castle is an embroidered one that belonged to Prince Charles, afterwards Charles II.  It is a copy of the Book of Common Prayer, printed in London in 1638, and is bound in blue velvet with embroidered work in gold cord and silver guimp, similar in character to that on the copy of Bacon’s Essays just described.  It measures 8 by 6 inches.  The design is heraldic.  In the centre is the triple plume of the Prince of Wales, with coronet and label, no motto being apparent on the latter.  The plume is encircled by the Garter applique, on pale blue silk, the motto, worked in silver cord, being nearly worn off.  Resting on the top of the Garter is a large princely coronet, flanking which are the letters ‘C.  P.’  In the lower corners are a thistle and a rose.  A broad border with arabesques encloses the central panel.  This book was exhibited by Her Majesty at the Burlington Fine Arts Club in 1891.  It is in very bad condition, which is curious, as it is not so very old, and as it is still among the royal possessions it might well have been imagined that it would have been better preserved than other and older books of a like kind which we know have been considerably moved about.  The colour is however very charming still, and books have rarely been bound in blue velvet, black, green, or crimson being most usual.

After 1649, or thereabouts, there was a full stop for a time to any art production in the matter of bookbinding.  Indeed, for the embroidered books as a class that is the end, but nevertheless a few examples are found at a later date, but no regular production and no original designs.