the close of the thirteenth century. It is about eight inches in diameter, and in a perfect state of preservation, being formed of Alerce wood, (L'aris of Barbary, Thuja articulata,) a wood almost peculiar to the north of Africa, of such a quality that, without any great degree of hardness, it resists the action of the atmosphere, and is believed by many to be indestructible. This relic was saved when part of the fabric was pulled down by the Spaniards, while Mr. Ford was in Spain in 1831.

Mr. C. W. Martin read a memoir on the discovery of some nails of a peculiar form, supposed to have been used for the purpose of crucifixion, at Bourne Park, near Canterbury. The nails were seven or eight inches long, and the heads about an inch and a half square; one of them is remarkably bent, as if it had been extracted with forceps. It is supposed by Mr. Martin that these nails were used in the crucifixion of malefactors during the dominion of the Romans in Britain. A Roman burial place is situate not far distant from the spot where the skeletons were disinterred, and these malefactors were apparently buried on the outside of the ordinary cemetery. One of the nails is stated to have been driven directly through the shoulder-blade of the body.-Mr. Roach Smith, Mr. Wright, and others expressed their disbelief in the theory advanced that these skeletons had been crucified, and contended that there was no proof that the Romans in Britain resorted to that species of punishment. Mr. Martin said that a fifth skeleton was visible at the bottom of a piece of water. If similar nails were found with it, near the hands and feet, he should consider the point pretty well established. On the other hand, it was stated that the Romans used large nails in the erection of the funeral pyre used in the process of cremation; but this was answered by Mr. Hallam, who urged that if the bodies had been burned, the bones would have exhibited traces of fire, and charcoal would also have been discovered with them.

May 30. J. Payne Collier, Esq. V.P. William Henry Blaauw, esq. of Beechlands, Uckfield, and the Rev. William Beale, LL.D. were elected Fellows of the Society.

Peter Legh, esq. exhibited a piece of terra cotta rudely impressed with a human head, which was found at Norbury Booth, near Knutsford. Its form resembles that of the marks used by a nurseryman; perhaps it may have been made for a pax.

Dr. Guest exhibited a cocoa-nut cup mounted in silver, of the time of James I. The sides of the nut are engraved with the royal devices of the rose within a garter,

three harps crowned, the portcullis within a garter, and a shield quarterly within a garter, and between the initials I.R. but the charges of the shield are not inserted.

Captain Gall exhibited a very large cornelian onyx, which he purchased of Mr. Tennant in the Strand. Its outward coat of red is carved into a kind of shrine, in the centre of which, in white, appears a seated figure of the Chinese Venus. The workmanship is excellent, and, from the hard quality of the stone, it is calculated that it must have occupied the artist for seven or eight years.

C. Wykeham Martin, esq. read a further statement relative to the discovery of the nails in the skeletons attributed to crucified criminals. Its object was principally to support the veracity and credibility of the finders of the nails.

A letter was then read from Charles Roach Smith, esq. F.S.A. expressing his doubts upon the hypothesis advanced by Mr. Wykeham Martin. He stated that it was a usual circumstance to discover large nails in Roman cemeteries:-that they had been generally attributed to the coffins which were used, sepulture being practised simultaneously with cremation, Sometimes it had been supposed that they had fastened the logs which formed the funereal pyre. In the years 1838-9, in the cemetery at Strood near Rochester many such nails were discovered, as described in the XXIXth volume of the Archæologia; in Mr. Roach Smith's Collectanea are figured several iron nails and wooden rings which belonged to wooden frames that had been made to protect glass urns. Mr. Wire in the IIIrd volume of the Journal of the Archæological Association, has described some nails found at Colchester, which were 12 inches in length, and accompanied with black earth, apparently formed of decomposed wood. The further discussion of this interesting subject was postponed to a future occasion.

The Rev. Joseph Hunter, F.S.A. exhibited an impression of a seal of the poet Chaucer. It is inscribed S. Gaufridi Chaucier, and bears his shield of, party per pale, with a bend, the latter not marked with a line to shew counterchanging. This seal was found among the records of Her Majesty's Exchequer, attached to a deed of Thomas Chaucer, esquire, of Ewelme, who is generally supposed to have been the poet's son, dated the 20th May, 10 Hen. IV. i. e. nine years after the poet's death. Mr. Hunter also mentioned that the name of Geoffrey Chaucer occurred in a writ of the 14th Ric. II. as clerk of the king's works employed at the Tower, Wallingford, and other Royal castles.

Charles Roach Smith, esq. F.S.A. made

a communication with respect to some twisted rings and celts found in Woolmer Forest, Hampshire.

Octavius Morgan, esq. F.S.A. exhibited three carved boxes of wood of the 17th century, a rest for a knitting pin, and a tobacco case.

A gold fibula was exhibited, found a few months since in Scotland, but in what locality, or by whom, was not stated, lest it should be claimed as treasure trove by the officers of her Majesty's Exchequer. Mr. Akerman observed that it is similar in form to a bronze fibula found at Odiham. One limb is made to unscrew, the screw turning in the Eastern manner, towards the left hand. This exhibition led to a discussion upon the subject of treasure trove. It was stated that a gold chain found in Perthshire, no less than five-and-twenty years ago, on being recently exhibited at the Archæological Institute, was claimed by the officers of the Exchequer. The Rev. Joseph Hunter proposed that the Society should memorialise Government on this subject, and it was recommended to the Council to consider of the propriety of such a memorial.

June 6. Henry Hallam, esq. V.P. James Crowdy, esq. was elected a Fellow of the Society.

Patrick Chalmers, esq. F.S.A. exhibited two Burmese bows, a horoscope, and other articles brought from Ava.

Benjamin Nightingale, esq. exhibited a coloured drawing representing various ancient beads, thirty-five in number, now in his possession. Mr. Akerman communicated some remarks on this curious collection, which comprised specimens of Roman, British, Saxon, Russian, and Egyptian manufacture.

J. R. Walbran, esq. communicated a memoir on the oath of the Parliament of Scotland, taken in 1641, which was supposed to have been lost, but was found in the charter-chest of K. L. Dundas, esq. of Blair castle.

A portion was then read of a memoir by William Watkiss Lloyd, esq. on the François Vase, (so named after Alexandre François, its discoverer,) which was found in Etruria, about a mile from the ancient Clusium, now Chiusi. It is of large dimensions, and covered with an unusual number of figures, in several rows, of the principal deities and heroes of the Greek mythology. The dissertation was illustrated by the exhibition of some large French lithographs, which have been published by the Archæological Society of Rouen.

It was announced that the second part of the xxxIIIrd volume of Archæologia was ready for delivery to the Society.

June 13. J. Payne Collier, esq. V.P.

T. G. Fonnereau, esq. F.S.A. exhibited a heavy instrument of iron, elaborately chased, but apparently having no other purpose but to exhibit the maker's skill in forming a universal joint.

C. Roach Smith, esq. F.S.A. presented to the Society a cast of a Roman antefix tile, found at Chester, and transmitted to him by James Harrison, esq. of that city. It is ornamented in front with a masque of Jupiter Ammon.

B. L. Vulliamy, esq. presented to the Society a large globular or ball clock, of German manufacture. It is about a foot in diameter, and the outer case of white metal it is wound up by merely raising it from the table, and struck the quarters correctly during the meeting. paper respecting it will be read hereafter.

A

T. W. Fairholt, esq. F.S.A. communicated drawings showing the very interesting remains of the Roman castrum recently excavated at Lymne (Portus Lemanis), on the margin of Romney Marsh, by James Elliott, esq. of Dymchurch, and Charles Roach Smith, esq. These researches have ascertained that the castrum was multangular, and not square; and that the destroyed walls fell from a natural cause the slipping of the earth in consequence of a land-spring. Some round towers have been disclosed, and a large mass of wall thrown flat, so as to have the appearance of a pavement.

The Rev. H. T. Ellacombe exhibited drawings of two sepulchral effigies in the church of Bitton, co. Somerset. They were originally in a chantry chapel, and it is conjectured represent prebendaries of the church, which formed a prebend in the cathedral church of Salisbury. It is remarkable that they are little more than three feet in length. They represent priests not in the more usual costume used for the mass, but in the choral habit, the most striking feature of which is the aumasse or fur tippet. Other examples have been observed at Wells, Hereford, Warwick, and Towcester.

W. D. Saull, esq. F.S.A. exhibited models of three of the most remarkable primæval antiquities of Cornwall, viz. the circular hill-fort of Castle Chun in Morvan 2. the circle of Boscawen un, which somewhat resembles Stonehenge; and 3. the Mîn an tol, or holed stone. The three stones which (with a fourth recumbent one) form the latter monument stand nearly in a straight line, and not in a triangle, as asserted by Dr. Borlase. Mr. Saull considers these two last structures were formed for the exercise of public games, and that Castle Chun was occupied as a dwelling-place of a tribe. He entered at some length into the subject of

the ancient trade in tin, and the supposed commerce of the Phoenicians with this island.

The reading of Mr. Lloyd's paper on the François Vase was then continued, but not concluded.

June 20. Sir R. H. Inglis, V.P.

C. Roach Smith, esq. exhibited the following ancient and medieval relics :1. An elegant and perfect Roman bowl of ribbed glass, discovered in a grave with coins of Vespasian at Tokely, in Essex. It is in the possession of Mr. Joseph Clarke.-2. Two gold circular Anglo-Saxon or Frankish fibulæ, brought from France by Mr. George Isaacs. They are set with coloured glass and stones interspersed with filigree-work.-3. Bronze cruciform Saxon fibula found in Suffolk, and a drawing of one of the small class of large size, and elaborately decorated, found near Leicester.-4. Fibulæ, armillæ, and other personal ornaments of the Roman period found at Colchester. Forwarded by Mr. E. Acton.-5. Weapons in iron of the Roman and Saxon periods from Colchester. Mr. E. Acton.-6. Roman gladius in iron, found with other Roman remains at Bury St. Edmund's.-7. Roman fibulæ, beads, &c. with a denarius of Augustus; reverse, the moon and stars; mounted in gold as an amulet; from various parts of France.-8. Sword-sheaths of the fifteenth and sixteenth century in cuir bouilli, from the Thames.-9. Roman sandals, and shoes of the fourteenth and sixteenth centuries, from the Thames.10. A beautiful jet bulla, carved with a representation of two winged Cupids filling a sack; found at Colchester.-11. A statue of Paris in oolitic stone, dug up in the city. It is of good execution, the drapery being particularly well cut. The height is about 2 feet.

W. Chaffers, esq. exhibited, 1. A piece of Roman tesselated pavement discovered in Queen-street, Cheapside, in June, 1850; 2. A Roman amphora found in a wooden cist on Dowgate Hill, in June, 1850; 3. and twenty articles of earthenware also recently found, which were thought to have been used in curling the perukes in fashion in the reign of Charles II.

Dr. Hemingway exhibited by the hands of Sir H. Ellis an ancient fragment of stone, bearing an inscription in Saxon characters, commemorative of a donation to an ecclesiastical house. It was found at Dewsbury.

Robert Mylne, esq. exhibited several spears and swords, a celt, and a hair-pin, all of bronze.

C. Wykeham Martin, esq. communi. cated some observations on the presumed crucifixion nails, in reply to Mr. Roach

Smith's letter read on May 30. Mr. Martin combated the notion of the nails being used in the construction of coffins, the number of four or six found with each skeleton being insufficient for that purpose. In reply to the argument that there was no evidence of the practice of crucifixion in England, Mr. Martin evidenced the use of that punishment in several other Roman provinces, from which it might be safely presumed to have been practised in Britain. He also showed its use in reference to a great variety of offences; indeed amongst slaves it was not uncommon for several generations of one family successively to pass out of life in that manner. In a postscript to his communication, Mr. Martin stated that it had been suggested to him that the bodies near which these nails were found might have been those of crucified Christian martyrs who suffered in some general persecution.

Patrick Chalmers, esq. communicated a paper on the masons' marks found on buildings in the north of Scotland.

The reading of Mr. Lloyd's observations on the François vase was concluded.

The Society adjourned to the 21st Nov.

BRITISH ARCHEOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION.

May 8. Mr. Pettigrew in the chair. Communications were read from Messrs. Barton and Bergne, relating to coins found in the Isle of Wight, very closely resembling those of our Henry III. and some other English and Scotch kings near the same period, but bearing the names of Flemish towns, and apparently coined by the princes of that nation. Mr. Barton affirms them to be good and true money; but Mr. Bergne considers they are imitations, either struck by the princes to obtain the profit of mintage, or, by them, or some private individuals, for the purpose of circulating light or base coins. Asphitel, and other members, remarked that complaints were constantly made in this country about the fraudulent practices of the Flemings, even as late as Henry VIII.

Mr.

Mr. W. L. Brown communicated an account and drawings of Roman remains found at Alchester, Oxfordshire; consisting of a great variety of pottery, and also a stone implement which he considers to have been used to bruise boiled grain.

Papers followed, from Mr. Lott, on some Roman coins found during an excavation for a drain in the upper part of Cheapside; from Mr. C. Baily, on an ampulla of lead now in the museum at York, and which he supposes was used to contain the oil used in the Romish sacrament of extreme unction, this appear

ing to be the subject represented on one side of the vessel; it is of about the 13th century; from Mr. Purland, on a representation of one of four candelabra in the cathedral of Ghent, said to have belonged to Charles I.; from Mr. Harrison and Rev. Mr. Massie, some further remarks on the pavements, &c. at Chester; and from Mr. C. R. Smith, on the excavations at Lymne Castle, Kent; exhibitions of antiquities from different parts of Norfolk, of a book cover with ivory carving of the Ascension, temp. 11th century; and a very large stone celt from Malta.

A letter was also read from Mr. Pretty of Northampton, contradicting an erroneous report [see May, p. 520] that a coin of the emperor Carus had been found at Northampton.

OXFORD ARCHITECTURAL SOCIETY,

May 29. The Rev. Dr. Bloxam, Fellow of Magdalen college, in the chair.

The Rev. John Baron, M.A. of Queen's college, read a learned and able paper on "the Bishopricks of the Anglo-Saxon Church, in illustration of their architectural remains."-Mr. Freeman remarked that the ancient civil divisions of England might be traced from the ecclesiastical; and that at Norwich some Anglo-Saxon churches were built since the Conquest; and at the very time the Norman Cathedral was in course of erection.-Professor Hussey observed that the wooden churches mentioned in Bede were the exception, and not the rule; most Anglo-Saxon churches were built of stone, and instanced St. Alban's and the church in Dover Castle; and he drew attention to the fact that the peculiar character of many churches in any given district may be traced to a common centre.-Mr. Freeman remarked that in South Wales localisms were still more marked, especially in the military church towers, and the stone vaulting.

June 11. The annual meeting of this Society was held this day. The Rev. J. M. Neale, M.A. Warden of Sackville college, East Grinstead, read an exceedingly learned paper, being "A Catena of Writers on the Symbolism of Architecture from St. Gregory of Tours down to Bishop Lancelot

Andrewes."

THE ECCLESIOLOGICAL SOCIETY. May 16. The eleventh annual general meeting of this (the late Cambridge Camden) Society was held at the National Schools, Albany-street, Regent's-park. The Ven. Archdeacon Thorp, President, presided.

There were also present Lord Campden, Mr. A. J. B. Hope, M.P., Sir S. Glynne, Bart. &c. The Rev. B. Webb, secretary, read the report. A paper on Anthems was read by Mr. F. R. Wegg-Prosser. The Rev. T. Helmore read a paper on the Cantus Collectarum, and on the decline of true Ecclesiastical Music in Cathedral and Collegiate Choirs. A paper was next read by Mr. G. E. Street, architect, endeavouring to prove that certain churches in Kent and Surrey were the work of the same architect, and concluding with the recommendation of a church-guild among professional architects. Mr. G. G. Place, architect, explained a model by which he illustrated a method, devised by himself, for shoring up central lantern-towers, where it might be necessary to rebuild their bearing arches and piers. The meeting then examined some specimens of church plate and enamelling, exhibited by Mr. Keith, the manufacturer to the society; also some iron-work, cheaply wrought by Mr. J. Leaver, and some wood-carving by Philip and Co.

YORKSHIRE ANTIQUARIAN CLUB.

May 1st. At a meeting of this club an interesting collection was exhibited of ancient remains, from tumuli in the neighbourhood of Pickering, recently opened by Mr. Ruddock, of that place. They consist of several cinerary urns and other vases of early British pottery, of various shape and ornament; of weapons, including spear and arrow heads of flint, some of them of peculiar beauty of form; of beads and other ornaments of jet, &c. Some of the tumuli from which these objects were taken were remarkable for the situation of the sepulchral deposit at a very unusual depth. In one there was a cisterna at the depth of eleven feet below the surface of the natural soil, and eighteen feet from the summit of the tumulus. Some of the objects exhibited were of considerable interest and rarity; one vase in particular, capable of holding about a pint, elaborately ornamented, and, what was considered very remarkable, furnished with a handle, excited much attention as a beautiful, and perhaps unique, specimen of early Celtic pottery. In one case only was any object of metal found, and this consisted of a spear-head of bronze, which was taken from a cisterna containing two skeletons, and a second spear-head of flint, It was understood that a detailed account of these tumuli would be prepared by Mr. Copperthwaite of Malton.