side, is a large monogram worked in blue silk, interwoven with silver
thread, containing the letters K, probably standing for Katherine, A, F,
H, and R, possibly meaning 'Anglie, Francie, Hibernieque, Reginæ,' but
like most monograms this one can doubtless be otherwise interpreted.
Above and below the monogram are smaller H's, worked in red silk,
interwoven with gold thread. In each corner is a heartsease of yellow
and purple silk, interwoven with gold thread, and having small green
leaves between each of the petals. The work which was once on the back
is now so worn that it cannot be traced sufficiently to tell what it
originally was. The designs of these two volumes, credited to the
Princess Elizabeth, resemble each other to some extent; they both have a
monogram in the centre, they both have heartsease in the corners and
groundwork of a like character. They are, as far as workmanship goes,
still more alike, similar thick silk is used for the ground, and threads
and braids of a thick nature, with metal interwoven, are used on both
for the ornamental work. Speaking of this British Museum book, the
Countess of Wilton says, 'there is little doubt that Elizabeth's own
needle wrought the ornaments thereon.'


_Books embroidered by the Princess Elizabeth._

It cannot be said that there is any actual authority for saying that the
two covers just described are really the work of Elizabeth's own hand,
although she is known to have been fond of embroidery, it being recorded
that she made and embroidered a shirt for her brother Edward when she
was six. There is little doubt, however, that the same designer and the
same workwoman worked both these covers, and the technique, as well as
the design, are peculiar for the time in which they were done. Canvas
bindings were rare--most of the embroidered work on books of that period