between the joints of the masonry, he found a century; a bronze penannular fibula; a bronze space, and was thereupon induced to bore into the seal-ring of the fifteenth century; and another walls of the queen's chamber, when he discovered seal-ring of the same period, bearing the letters a passage way, eight by nine inches in dimensions, ihr. Mr. E. P. Shirley communicated a paper evidently a ventilating flue. Its terminus has not entitled "A Memoir and an Account of the yet been found. Within the passage way he found Funeral Expenses of James Montagu, Bishop a bronze hook, which is supposed to be the most of Winchester, 1618.” ancient specimen of bronze now existing. He also found a piece of worked cedar wood and a granite ball, which latter is believed to have been an Egyptian weight. Its diameter is 2 inches. As the walls behind which these articles were found were solid on the inner side of the chamber, it is believed that they were placed in the positions where they were found at the time the pyramid was erected.

BRITISH ARCHEOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION.-February 26.-Gordon M. Hills, Esq., Treasurer, in the chair. Mr. J. W. Grover exhibited and described a fragment, the lower part, of a Roman legionary eagle, of bronze, recently found among the excavations in Queen Victoria-street. Mr. E. Roberts sent for exhibition portions of a Roman mortar; three Roman sandals or soles of shoes; another of the time of Edward III.; a wooden DISCOVERY OF PILE-DWELLINGS.-An interest- clog, probably of the fourteenth century; and a ing discovery has recently been made by Dr. delft jug, a pewter pattern, and a pewter saltJeutzsch of remains of pile-dwellings in the bed of cellar, all of the seventeenth century. Mr. H. the Elster, near Leipzig. These traces of pre- Syer Cuming, V.P., then read some remarks on historic man, which are so common in the lakes water-pipes, in connection with the interesting of Switzerland, and of some other parts of southern specimen exhibited by Mr. Roberts at the last Europe, are very rare in central Germany; and, meeting; and he also exhibited another small as far as we remember, no indications of the prac- leaden specimen from Beaulieu Abbey, Hants, tice of building upon piles have hitherto been of the thirteenth century. Mr. J. W. Grover found so far north as Leipzig. In the immediate made some remarks on this subject. Mr. J. W. district no traces of its pre-historic inhabitants have Bailey sent the following objects, which were previously been met with. These remains, which ably described by Mr. Cuming, pre-Roman-a were discovered during some operations in the bed deep blue glass bead of the bronze period; a of the river at Plagwitz, consist of a number of Keltic glain or glass bead; and a globose bead, oaken piles sharpened at the bottom, which have formed of layers of red, white, and blue enamel. been driven into a bed of clay in rows, and a num- Roman-a net-maker's alveolus or shuttle, of ber of oak trunks lying horizontally in the same great rarity; the capulus, or haft, of a scalprum, level as the upper end of the piles. The whole or pen-knife; the capulus, or handle, of a scalwas covered by a considerable thickness of loam. pellum or lancet, bronze, but containing a porThe lower jaw of an ox, fragments of the antlers tion of the iron blade; a small bronze, two of deer, long bones of some mammal not yet de-pronged fork, used for trimming the wick of a termined, and shells of freshwater mussels have been found, besides pieces of charcoal and rough pottery; and in the loam about five feet below the surface there were two stone axes with ground edges.

Meetings of Societies.

lamp; a comb, of horn, with wooden teeth, of the fifth or six century. Mediæval-the crossguard of a sword-hilt, thirteenth century; a small leaden effigy of St. James the Less, sixteenth century; a seal with the sign of St. George and the Dragon, from the front of a glass bottle of the sixteenth or seventeenth century. Mr. H. Syer Cuming exhibited, on behalf of Dr. KenSOCIETY OF ANTIQUARIES.-February 20.-A. drick, two curious mirrors, one was a pocket W. Franks, Esq., Director, in the chair. Mr. J. mirror in a case, of English work, date 1680; P. Collier exhibited and presented a broadside, the other was a double mirror, having one side entitled "A Decree betwene Churchyarde and concave and one flat, early eighteenth century Camell." The Marquis of Hertford exhibited, make. Mr. Hills exhibited a fine silver peg through Mr. E. P. Shirley, some Anglo-Saxon tankard, the property of R. Stainbank, Esq. Mr. remains, found at Ragley Park, Warwickshire, Thomas Blashill read a paper by Mr. J. T. including a gilt fibula of cruciform type, two Irvine, of Bath, on the Roman Temples of Bath, other small fibulæ, a buckle, an iron knife, and which was accompanied by coloured drawings a dagger blade in bronze sheath. The Royal of proposed new restorations of the temples of Institution of Cornwall sent for exhibition the Sol and Minerva. Mr. J. W. Grover discussed following objects, all found in Cornwall:-a several points, stating that the before-mentioned Roman bronze figure of a bull; a bronze figure deities represented no others than the sun and of our Saviour, from a crucifix of the fourteenth the moon, and said that there was evidence

that coal had been used by the Romans for awakened by it throughout the world.
keeping up a sacred and perpetual fire in the
larger of these two temples, during the first
century of our era. It was announced that the
Annual Congress of the Association will be held
this year at Sheffield, under the presidency of
the Duke of Norfolk, and probably during the
last week in August next.

ROYAL SOCIETY OF LITERATURE.-February 26. Sir P. de Colquhoun, V.P., in the chair. Mr. W. H. Turner communicated a paper " On Seals attached to Charters preserved in the Bodleian Library, Oxford," mentioning two seals of Anselm, Abbot of Bury St. Edmunds, 1138-48; two seals of Hugh, Abbot from 1157 to 1179; and one of Sampson de Totington, Abbot from 1182 to 1211.

He said

as M.

that many regarded the subject from different points of view; but the two most important, according to his own impressions, were, firstly, the revelation of the existence of an epic at Babylon, of parts of which these tablets consisted. It was important, inasmuch Renan and other kindred writers, in the endeavour to establish certain opinions, had laid it down as a characteristic of the Semitic race that it had no epopee, and that it was incapable of executing one. It was curious to find in the "Deluge Tablets" a perfect cyclic epic in confutation of such a theory. Secondly, these tablets threw great light upon the Indian account of the same event. Doubts had been entertained, for some time past, whether this account was indigenous, SOCIETY OF ANTIQUARIES.-February 27.-J. the presence of a fish-god being, he might say, Winter Jones, Esq., V.P., in the chair. Mr. W. foreign to Indian mythology; but Mr. Smith's M. Wylie exhibited a cast of a gold brooch of explanation put it beyond all doubt that the the Carlovingian period, bearing a fleur de lis, Babylonian and Indian traditions were identical. found in Hanover, and now in the museum at SOCIETY OF ANTIQUARIES.-March 6.-Earl Mayence. Mr. R. Caulfield exhibited an early Stanhope, president, in the chair. Sir John cross, probably once affixed to a shrine, of the Lubbock, M.P., read an exceedingly interesting tenth century; and a portion of the staff of a paper on "The Troad." He stated that last processional cross, of the fourteenth century; year he visited the plains of Troy. The balance both found in the Chapter House, Cloyne. Mr. of opinion as to the true site of the city of Troy W. H. Hart communicated a paper "On some was clearly divided between Bunarbashi and Northamptonshire Star-Chamber Proceedings," Hissarlik: the rival claims resting principally in relating to some libellous verses on the officers the distance of these places from the sea, and of the ecclesiastical courts at Peterborough, the courses of the rivers; but all theories sugtemp. James I. gested on these points were open to grave obSOCIETY OF BIBLICAL ARCHEOLOGY.-March jections. After briefly passing in review the 4.-Samuel Birch, Esq., LL.D., F.S.A., in the opinions of M. Chevalier, and remarking upon chair. Eleven new members were elected. A the inconsistency of some of the statements of paper was read, by the Rev. A. H. Sayce, M.A., Homer, Sir John observed that several writers "On the Synchronous History of Assyria and had objected to the Bunarbashi theory, on the Babylonia, translated from the Cuneiform In-ground that the nature of the country would scriptions." This most ancient historical docu- have rendered impossible the pursuit of Hector ment, which unfortunately exists in a very frag- by Achilles three times round the walls of Troy. mentary condition, is a chronological history of Ilium Novum had been regarded as the true the two kingdoms of Assyria and Babylonia site in the time of Alexander the Great, and the from the fifteenth to the seventh centuries B.C., Romans subsequently held the same opinion. from the time of Karaindas to that of Shal Yet there were differences of opinion about it maneser, with whose invasion of Babylonia the then. Hissarlik failed to agree with Homer's record ends, and whose famous black marble description of Troy; since it was a mere hill, obelisk is now in the British Museum. Mr. and in Priam's time must have been fifty feet Sayce accompanied his translation with numerous lower than it is now. With regard to Bunarhistorical and philological comments, and pro- bashi, the author said that it was nine miles mised to translate some further historical tablets from the sea; but in the memorable battle beon another occasion. An interesting discussion tween Patroclus and Hector, in which the ensued, in which Mr. François Lenormant, Pro- former was killed, Homer relates that the Trojans fessor Donaldson, Mr. R. Cull, Dr. Birch, Dr. drove the Greeks to their ships, and were in Ginsburg, and Captain Wilson took part. M. turn driven back to the walls of Troy so many Lenormant, a distinguished Assyrian scholar, times, that Troy could not have been nearly so who spoke in French, referred to the "Deluge far as that from the sea. No site could be said Tablets," recently translated by Mr. George to accord thoroughly with the account given by Smith, and testified to the immense value of Homer, and the examination of the tumuli the discovery, and the universal interest threw little light upon the matter. That of Ajax

the latter part of the last century. The Rev. Edwin Jarvis sent a Sassanian seal of white cornelian, and two portions of a bronze frame of an aulmonière, with inscriptions inlaid in silver, found in Lincoln. Mr. E. Pepys exhibited some

"On

had been rifled long ago; while in that of Patroclus disinterment had not been proceeded with. The tumulus of Achilles had been opened by Count Choiseul, but the result was not very satisfactory. Sir John Lubbock concluded with some remarks upon the character of Helen; small flint implements found in Lincolnshire. arguing, from Homer's account, that she could Mr. W. J. Bernhard Smith sent nine curved not have been a depraved and abandoned woman. swords of the sixteenth and seventeenth cenIn the discussion which ensued, Admiral Spratt turies, in illustration of those recently exhibited, said that he had made a visit to the Troad and which were inscribed Edwardus Prins Anglie. thirty years ago, and he could only offer what Those most resembling the inscribed swords had was his humble opinion on the subject of the the appearance of being of German manufacture, site of Troy, after a detailed examination of the and it was suggested by Mr. Hewitt, that as spot, with Homer in his hand. There were two Henry VIII. had German artisans in his pay in streams; one, which was no doubt the Simois, England, the inscribed swords were not improbhaving its sources in Mount Ida; the other, the ably made by them. Mr. S. A. Hankey exhibited Scamander, flowing from the heights of Bunar- and described a series of forty-nine playing cards, bashi. On one of the spurs of Bunarbashi there with engravings representing the conspiracy of were the ruins of a city, and a portion of a wall Titus Oates. Mr. Oldfield and Mr. J. G. Nichols six feet thick; and the Scamander, starting just made some remarks on similar historical packs beneath, confirmed him in the opinion that this was of cards. Mr. J. G. Waller read a paper the true site. As to the distance from the sea, some Wall Paintings recently discovered, parPliny and Strabo had both placed Troy at the ticularly at South Leigh, Oxfordshire." He distance of twelve stadii (about one English exhibited in connection with his paper some mile). Although it was now nine miles, he photographs of the wall paintings at South Leigh, considered that there was nothing incompatible and at Wisborough Green, Sussex. Mr. W. F. in this, as the sea had been retiring ever since Vernon communicated " Supplementary Notes the Trojan war, and placing more and more land on the Silver Oar as a badge of Admiralty jurisbetween the city and the sea. The president diction." Sir E. Smirke and Mr. O. Morgan observed that it was curious to note that the took part in the discussion which ensued, and privileges bestowed upon Ilium Novum in con- the latter referred to the earliest known represideration of its being the reputed site of Troy sentation of the oar, on a monument to a Serhad not increased its extent or its prosperity. geant of the Admiralty, temp. Henry VII., in the He could not but think that a more exact and church at Abergavenny. careful examination of the tumular barrows of the Troad would bring to light much important information, and therefore proposed a resolution to the effect that the society, after hearing the able paper read by Sir John Lubbock, and bearing in mind the satisfactory results of the expedition for the discovery of the Temple of Diana, at Ephesus, undertaken with the aid of the Chancellor of the Exchequer, obtained by the exertions of the British Museum authorities, desired to make a similar appeal on behalf of an expedition to Troy to the well-known classical attainments and investigating spirit of Mr. Lowe, and thereby authorised the communication of the resolution to that gentleman. This was seconded by Mr. Octavius Morgan, M.P., and carried unanimously. A resolution was also passed, authorising petitions to be sent in from the society in favour of Sir John Lubbock's Ancient Monuments Bill.

BRITISH ARCHEOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION.March 12.-H. Syer Cuming, Esq., V.P., in the chair. The chairman announced in feeling terms the death of their active and distinguished member, the late Mr. J. W. Baily, an ardent archæologist, and the possessor of a fine collection. A vote of condolence with his bereaved family was unanimously passed, and his son, Mr. W. Baily, was elected unanimously to continue his father's membership. Mrs. Baily, in accordance with one of the last desires of her late husband, sent for exhibition the following articles, all of the Roman period, and found in the recent London excavations. Mr. H. Syer Cuming described them in his usual able and learned manner. Four iron knives (cultri) of various lengths, ranging from four to ten and a-half inches; one, with a wooden haft, had a ring for suspension. The jugum or beam of a libra or pair of scales, of yellow bronze, length ROYAL ARCHEOLOGICAL INSTITUTE.-March 53 inches. A statera, or steelyard, of iron, with 7. Octavius Morgan, M.P., V.P., in the chair. a ring. The iron handle of a steelyard (ansa The chairman exhibited a singular piece of statera). The counterpoise or weight of a steelcarving in bone; and an étui case fitted with yard (aequipondium), made of yellow bronze. knife, fork, and other small articles, dating in Three specimens, the only perfect ones found in

trian copper coin of Menander. Mr. John Evans read a paper, written in French, by M. ImhoffBlumer, "On the Legend T P I H on Greek Coins." The thanks of the meeting were returned to Mr. Evans for the able manner in which he translated this interesting paper into English as he went on. He also read another paper, communicated by Mr. Consul Rogers, "On Glass as a material for Standard Weights for Coins."

London, of the clavis trochi, a hook employed for trundling hoops, by the Roman boys. One specimen was brought by Mr. Cuming. A doorhandle (ansa ostii) of bronze; it also served as a knocker. A portion of another bronze doorhandle. A portion of a horizontal bar of a hinge, bronze, eighteen inches and a quarter in length. A nail from a Roman horse-shoe. Mr. E. Roberts and Mr. J. W. Grover made some remarks on these objects. The Rev. A. H. Cumming exhibited the following articles, from LONDON AND MIDDLESEX ARCHEOLOGIthe neighbourhood of Helstone, Cornwall. A CAL SOCIETY, March 10th, John Ord Hall, Esq., celt of green stone, an adze, an axe-head, a ball Treasurer, in the chair. Mr. J. E. Price, F.S.A., or amulet, and an ancient muller for grinding Hon. Sec., announced the recent decease of Mr. tin, all of stone. Some Roman coins and a J. Walker Baily, an old and respected member of bead, found in a kist-vaen. A seal, fifteenth cen- the society. He possessed, as is well known, a tury, probably of a Dutch merchant. A small valuable collection of London antiquities, and selbrick found in a tumulus in the Channel Islands. dom has there been a meeting of the society which Four specimens of old communion plate, one of has not been enriched by some contribution from which, a paten, was dated 1570. A flagon of his stores. Mr. Price next referred to an interestElizabethan ware, with a silver-gilt mounting, ing photograph sent for exhibition by Mr. John which was first used for domestic purposes, and E. Cussans. It is of a piece of sculptured marble then presented to a church for a sacramental about 18 inches square, and apparently a portion flagon. Mr. H. S. Cuming, Mr. Roberts, and of a frieze. It was recently discovered in pulling Mr. Morgan remarked upon these articles and discussed some points, and the special thanks of the meeting were returned to Mr. A. H. Cumming. Mr. J. W. Grover exhibited an iron sword of an early period, found in the Thames' bed, near Queenhithe; also some modern knives from the south of Spain, Hungary, and Roumania. Mr. E. Roberts exhibited, from the excavations in Queen Victoria-street, a bone implement of the bronze age; a small jug of early Saxon pottery; a pitcher of the thirteenth century; an iron key of the fifteenth century; a very large and fine pitcher of the Elizabethan period; a mustard-pot of Fulham ware; a German drinking-mug of the sixteenth century; a wooden cup or wine bowl of the sixteenth century; and a fragment of a costrel, sixteenth century, perhaps Gubbio ware.

down a part of the old Red Lion Inn at Hitchin, and had been used as an ordinary stone in the construction of the walls, other pieces of white marble were found which had been similarly employed as building materials. It appears to be classic work, and may have been brought from Verulam, or belonged to some Roman building in the immediate neighbourhood. The subject is a male and female figure in a chariot drawn by horses, behind which there appears a winged cupid-like form, the head-dress of the woman resembles that often seen in Greek and Roman sculpture, and the general treatment of the work is suggestive of the marbles discovered in the temple of Apollo Epicurius, near the ancient Phigalia in Arcadia, and now preserved in the British Museum. Mr. C. Golding exhibited a coloured drawing of a portion of the rood screen in Westham Church, Suffolk. The subject repreNUMISMATIC SOCIETY.-March 20.-W. S. W. sented was that of the Transfiguration. Mr. George Vaux, Esq, F.R.S., F.S.A., president, in the Browning exhibited a series of Greek and Roman chair. Two new members were elected. Mr. antiquities acquired during a recent tour in Italy D. C. Elwes sent some notes and rubbings of and a visit to the excavations on the site of the uncommon coins. The Rev. William Allan sent buried city of Pompeii. Mr. Browning described for exhibition one of the new circular Japanese most of the objects exhibited. Among them were coins. Mr. Henry W. Henfrey exhibited a small fragments from the Temple of Fortune at Præneste, collection of Bactrian coins, including a silver or Palestrina, some specimens of tesselated paveobolus of Eucratides the Great, a silver hemi- ment from the "House of the Dancing Girl," the dracma of Apollodotus the Great, and copper villa of Diomedes, and the Temple of Jupiter in coins of Azes. Mr. J. F. Neck exhibited a groat the Forum of Pompeii, some good examples of of Edward IV., coined at York, bearing the un- Roman lamps. A photograph of the magnificent published mint-mark of a fleur de lis over a crown. mosaic representing the Battle of Issus, and now Mr. Richard Hoblyn exhibited a Scotch noble of preserved in the Museum at Naples, some Etruscan Charles I., and a five-shilling piece (Scotch) of vases, various specimens of coral and other objects. William III., reading "Dei Gratia after the Mr. Henry W. King, Hon. Sec. of the Essex king's name only. Mr. Vaux exhibited a Bac- Archælogical Society, read a paper entitled "Re

The

marks on Three Inventories of the Household Triumph of Julius Cæsar by the well-known Goods and Effects of Sir John Shaa, Knight, Italian engraver in wood, Andre Andreani, after Alderman, and Lord Mayor of London, temps. the famous pictures now at Hampton Court by Henry VII." He observed that these inventories Andria de Mantegna, was also exhibited. These related to Arden Hall, Sir John's seat in Essex, as woodcuts were published in 1598, and are admirwell as to a house possessed by him in our own able specimens of "block" printing, a process city, probably in Westcheap, and a third at Old which gives the effect of clever drawings in Ford. They contain mention of his armoury, monochrome. The original etchings by Mancoverlids, garnishes of pewter, kitchen utensils, tegna for three of the pictures were shown by linens, and an enumeration of the various tools Mr. Laing. Next came processions proper, and used in goldsmith's work. He was a goldsmith and the one for which Mr. Drummond claimed most a great woolstapler in 1482. Sir John was knighted attention was the masterly series of etchings by on the field by Edward IV., and made a baronet. Nicolaus Hogenberg of the pageant at Bologna He became Lord Mayor in 1501, and died five in 1529, on the occasion of the crowning of years later, viz., in December, 1505. Mr. King Charles V., by Pope Clement VII., as King of proceeded to give extracts from his will, and con- Italy and Lombardy. This, it seems, is of the cluded with some copious references to the inven- greatest rarity and claims a high place, not only tories which will shortly be presented at length in as an artistic performance, but as a trustworthy the transactions of the society. record of this important meeting, and presents us with an interesting gallery of historical portraits of many who figured prominently in that stirring period. It was dedicated to Charles V., who seems to have paid for its execution. next paper, by Dr. John Alexander Smith, gave an account of some curious early remains which he visited last summer with Mr. James Melvin, Bonnington, Ratho, in that neighbourhood. On the top of Tormain Hill (in Gaelic, Tor Maen, the hill of the stone) he was shown a group of those curious early carvings in the trap rock which have been described as sculpturings of cups and concentric circles. They are partly covered by the soil, and were discovered by Mr. Melvin. On the shoulder of the same hill is the Witches' Stone, described by Dr. Daniel Wilson as a cromlech, but in regard to which Dr. Smith was inclined to follow Sir James Simpson's view, that there was not sufficient ground for so styling it. Two miles southward on the Kaims Hill are the vestiges of an early fortification, consisting of a triple wall drawn round the sides of the hill, and within this defensive line on a level plat under one of the shoulders of the hill a large number of hut circles. The next paper, by John Macpherson, M.D., was an examination of the names of Clan Chattan and what they indicate. In the next paper, Mr. R. R. Brash, Cork, gave the results of his examination of the Ogham inscription on the Newton pillar-stone, Aberdeenshire.

SOCIETY OF ANTIQUARIES OF SCOTLAND.-Mr. James Drummond, R.S.A., read a paper on the subject, of Mediæval Processions which was illustrated by a large and beautiful series of engravings, etchings, &c., of great rarity. Mr. Drummond remarked that mediæval triumphal processions illustrated the costume, armour, and habits of the people of different nations and at various dates with a correctness which was often looked for in vain in other quarters. Between triumphs and processions he drew a line of difference-under the former classing such as had not in reality taken place, but which represented correctly the armour, costume, &c., of the period delineated; the other being much more interesting, as having been a reality and depicted by one who witnessed, or who, perhaps, took a share in the pageant. Of the former class, the best known were the triumph of Maximilian I., a series of 135 large woodcuts showing forth the glory of the reign of the Emperor. Although these cuts were executed between 1515 and 1519, yet they were not published as a set till 1796, the blocks having been scattered after Maximilian's death, and were only brought together again and deposited beside the original drawings in the Imperial Library at Vienna in the year 1779. A good idea was given of the gorgeousness of the original drawings on vellum, and which are supposed to be by Hans Burgmar, Mr. Drummond's copy of the book having some fifty of the plates painted and emblazoned from the originals. Albert Durer's triumphal car consists of eight plates. The Emperor is seated on this highly ornamental car attended by female figures, representing Justice, Truth, Clemency, and other virtues, holding towards him triumphal wreaths. The original drawing is in the British Museum. There was also shown De Hooghis' Triumph of John Sobieski as King of Poland in 1614. The

AT A SALE of rare books and manuscripts the other day, Burns' poems, the first edition, was bought by Mr. Pickering, the publisher, for £19 10s.; and another publisher of Piccadilly gave £26 10os. for a copy of Sir David Lindsay's works, dated Edinburgh, 1597. The Felton portrait of Shakespeare, a rare relic, found a purchaser at the price of £87.