laid on the concrete is of blue slate, and white (Hopton Wood) stone of great hardness. The stones are cut square and will be laid in patterns.

Meetings of Societies.

The Rev. Canon Burfield exhibited a small Roman urn of earthenware, about 4 inches in height, in very good preservation, found in a gravel pit near the Belgrave-road, opposite St. Mark's parsonage; it was full of gravelly earth.

The Rev. T. Farebrother exhibited a silver threepenny piece of Queen Elizabeth, and three other ROYAL HISTORICAL AND ARCHEOLOGICAL coins of the reign of Charles and George II. SOCIETY OF IRELAND.-At the annual meeting of The Chairman exhibited one of the rare St. Barthis Association held at the Apartment, Butler tholomew medals on which he made the following House, Kilkenny, the Mayor, V.P., in the chair, remarks:-The rare "St. Bartholomew" medal was Mr. Malcolmson, Carlow, exhibited, on the part of struck by order of Pope Gregory XIII., on the ocDr. O'Meara, of that town, a very graceful primeval casion of the massacre of the Huguenots, when it urn of baked clay, curiously ornamented with is asserted 30,000 persons were killed in one day. incised markings. It was 4 inches in heigth, the Obverse, GREGORIVS XIII. PONT. MAX. An. I. widest diameter being that of the rim round the Head of the Pope, looking to the left; and in the mouth, which was 5 inches; the least diameter at exergue, F.P. The Artist was a certain Federigo the bottom, 2 inches. It had been found by a Bonzague, generally called Federigo di Parma, and farmer named Doyle, residing at Killerrig, County the letters F.P., are the initial letters of his name, Carlow, in deepening a passage from his yard to his Latinized, Fredericus Parmensis. Bonzague worked haggard. He met with a small boulder, on raising for Pope Gregory, as well as for his three predeceswhich, he found it had formed the covering of a sors. Reverse. VGONNOTORVM STRAGES, 1572 little kist formed of granite stones, just sufficient in size to contain the urn. Nothing had been found in the vessel but something which he considered to be fine sea sand. There was no mixture whatever of bones, burned or otherwise.

Mr. Graves pointed out that this urn had a rim round the bottom, unlike those in their Museum in which burned bones had been found, and it appeared to belong to the class which the English Archæologists now designated "food vessels," they being frequently found in kists along with larger urns containing burned bones; and the supposition was that food was placed in them by the Pagan aborginies of these countries for the use of the spirit of the departed relatives whose burned remains filled the other vessels, whilst on the journey to the other

world.

Mr. Walters, the Town Clerk of Kilkenny, Exhibited eight ancient vellum documents from the archives of the town, and Mr. Prim some relics of the old Kilkenny Volunteer Corps. Amongst the papers brought before the meeting-some of which we shall publish, or give extracts from in our succeeding issues were:-"Notes on Powerstown Church," by Mr. Robertson. "Patron Saints, Patron Days, Holy Wells, and other memorials of ancient times and places in Ossory," by Mr. John Hogan. "On the Clan Kavanagh," by the Rev. James Hughes. "On a Pagan Cemetery at Drumakilly, County Tyrone," by Mr. W. F. Wakeman, [with numerous beautiful illustrations]. "On a kitchenmidden (or ancient refuse heap) discovered at Cork Harbour," by Mr. G. M. Atkinson.

(Slaughter of the Huguenots). A destroying angel is represented advancing quickly, holding up in one hand the cross, in the other a drawn sword. Before the angel lie seven persons dead or dying. This medal has been engraved, and is very rare.

The Chairman also exhibited a gold coin of Vespasian, on which he made the following remarks:-Gold coin (aureus) of Valentinian I., Emperor of Rome, 364-375 A.D., found in the neighbourhood of Frome, sometine ago. It reads on the obverse, D. N. VALENTINIANVS P. F. AVG., and bears the Emperor's face in profile. On the reverse he is figure of "Victory," while in the right he grasps the again represented, holding in his left hand a small "Labarum," a military standard (introduced in the time of Constantine), on which may be noticed the initial letters, in Greek characters, of the word "Christos." The coin was struck at Antioch, as we learn from the four letters in the exergue, S.M.A.Q. It was in the reign of this Emperor that the great Roman Empire was first divided into the east and west; and in his time also lived and died the great champion of the orthodox faith, Athanasius, Bishop of Alexandria.

The Chairman also exhibited a collection of

Anglo-Saxon silver coins of the reign of Edward the Confessor and Harold, and read as follows:—“I exhibit to-day a number of Anglo-Saxon silver coins, selected from a considerable hoard which was discovered a few years ago at Chancton, in Sussex. It seems that upon the removal of an old barn, by a hedge-row, in which were some large trees, a crock was found, containing the coins, when the big root LEICESTERSHIRE ARCHEOLOGICAL SOCIETY. of one of the trees was cut through to allow the The annual meeting was held in the Guildhall, Leicester, on the 27th of January, the Rev. A. Pownall, F.S.A., in the chair.

plough to pass. A few of the coins were dispersed in the neighbourhood, but the greater number by far were secured for the Treasury, under the exer

sion took place about half-way through the Confes-
sor's reign, in the year 1052 A.D. Of the 58 coins
of Harold little need be said. His coins generally
are far less common than those of Edward, and the
present hoard will not diminish the disparity.
Mr. J. Hunt exhibited a carved sabre of foreign
manufacture, of about the date and commencement
of this century. It appeared to have been a well
finished weapon, and probably belonged to an
officer of Hussars or light Cavalry of that period.
On each side the blade was engraved a mounted
trooper dressed in a braided tunic and Hessian
boots. There is a name on the back, apparently
German, but not quite decipherable. The scabbard
was of wood and leather, almost entirely covered
with steel.

Mr. Stephens, the Borough Surveyor, exhibited a
drawing of a fragment of Roman pavement found
in excavating for a cellar on the south side of Silver-
street, in this town, at a depth of three feet below
the surface of the street pavement.
The pattern
was composed of interlacing circles within a square
border, all of black, red, and white tesseræ.

cise of the Crown's revived claim to 'Treasure trove.' By order from the Treasury these were brought eventually to the medal room at the British Museum, for examination and selection. The precise number of those which were thus obtained by the Crown amounted to 1,720; and all of them, excepting 58 silver pennies of the Harold, who fell at Hastings, were silver pennies of his predecessor King Edward the Confessor (1042-66. A.D.). In point of condition many of them were as fresh as the day they were struck, and undimmed by rust. After classification, and a selection of such as were required for the national collection, the remainder were sold to a well-known numismatist, by whose favour, they are at present in my keeping. Never before had such a rich hoard of this king's money been found; and its contents have more than doubled the specimens of King Edward coinage in the British Museum. I am well aware that to all, excepting those who study coins, a mere enumeration of mints and moneyers would be wearisome, and I shall be consulting your wishes most, if I detain you only to state of the fifty three mints, of which we possess examples in this find, as many as twenty are new. Among these fifty three occurs the mint of Leicester, not however amongst the most prolific; for as is usually the case, the number of the Chancton coins, struck at Leicester, is small as compared with the issue of many places of comparatively little importance now. The hoard has, however, contributed six Leicester minted coins to the twenty-one, which were already deposited in the medal room, and it will be interesting to put on record the moneyers' names. Brunnusel, Leofwine, Colbrand, Fluscart, Boynnic, Sweartool:-Such are the names upon the coins of those who struck them for the King. Uncouth in sound, and unlike the names of existing Leicester tradesmen, they are; but they once designated men in this old town, who were men of reputation, in their day; for the moneyer's office was one of high trust, if nothing more. And before the sound of their names dies upon the tongue, ROYAL SOCIETY OF LITERATURE.-January 22. let us try to conceive the pleasures it would doubt--Sir P. de Colquhoun, Q.C., in the chair. A less have been to the men, who answered to those paper by Mr. R. S. Poole, Keeper of the Coins names, could they have forseen, eight hundred years and Medals in the British Museum, was read ago, that the work of their hands would have been the "On the Use of the Coins of Camarina, in subject of our remark to-day; and that in an age so Sicily, in illustration of the Fourth and Fifth Olymremote as ours in the Town Library of the Guild pian Odes of Pindar." The author explained the Hall of their own Leicester, their names would again circumstances of the victory at the Olympic be pronounced in the hearing of Leicester men. Games of Psaumis, a native of Camarina, which is There are ten well defined types of the Confessor's commemorated on the coins of that town. money. The Chancton coins are most numerous in those which are accounted to have been his latest. This has been usually the case when his coins have been discovered in this country; and, on the other hand, his earliest types are most abundant in finds of his coins on the Continent; a circumstance which the payment of the Dane gold is supposed to account for; it will be remembered that its remis

Mr. Holyland called the attention of the Society to a monumental slab of slate, to the memory of Alderman Gabriel Newton, now doing duty as a stone shelf in a cellar in this town. The inscription is as follows:-" In memory of Gabriel Newton, Gent., one of the Aldermen and once Mayor of Leicester, who died the 26th day of October, 1762, aged 78 years. By his first wife, Elizabeth, daughter of Mr. Alderman Wells, he had several children, which all died in their minority. By his second wife Mary, daughter of George Bent, Gent., he had George Newton, who died the 8th day of March, 1746, in the 18th year of his age. By his last wife, Eleanor Bakewell, daughter of John Bakewell, Gent. of Normanton-on-the-Heath, he had no issue." It was suggested that the slab should be removed and inserted in the wall of Alderman Newton's school.

SOCIETY OF ANTIQUARIES.-January 30.-Earl Stanhope, President, in the chair. Mr. A. W. Franks, director of the society, read a very interesting paper "On Bronze Implements found in various parts of the East," calling special attention to the bronze or copper implements sent for exhibition by Captain Bloomfield, and found in Central India.

SOCIETY OF BIBLICAL ARCHEOLOGY.-Feb- stone before the period of the Norman Conquest. ruary 4.-Samuel Birch, Esq., LL.D., President, Mr. Freeman gave many instances of early in the chair. Fifteen new members were elected. edifices which were undoubtedly built before that The papers read were "On the Coincidence of period, such as the bell tower of Earl's Barton, the History of Ezra with the first part of the Northamptonshire, the monastery of WearHistory of Nehemiah," by the Rev. Daniel mouth, built by Benedict Biscop, the churches Haigh, M.A.; and two papers by the Rev. J. of Wilfrid, at Hexam, &c. Sir Gilbert Scott M. Rodwell, M.A., "On an Assyrian Patera, remarked that he was fully convinced of the with an inscription in Hebrew characters," and correctness of Mr. Freeman's conclusions, and "Some remarks upon a passage in the Pœnulus said that he was well acquainted with many preof Plautus." Norman buildings in this country, which he SOCIETY OF ANTIQUARIES.-February 6.-A. could scarcely imagine any one could assign to W. Franks, Esq., Director, S.A., in the chair. a period subsequent to their invasion. Mr. Mr. Edwin Freshfield exhibited two curious Dickenson, Mr. Ferrey, and Mr. Waller, disPersian or Armenian paintings on boards, which cussed some points in the church under conhad once been the covers of a book. A paper of sideration, and Mr. J. T. Irvine contributed much historical interest was communicated by several exact and beautiful drawings of the Mr. H. Godwin "On Donnington Castle," near building and its details. Newbury in Berkshire. He detailed all its pos- BRITISH ARCHEOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION. sessors from the founder to the present owner, February 12.-The greater number of this evenand gave a lucid sketch of the history of the ing's exhibitions were Roman and mediæval recastle, mentioning the connection of the Chaucer mains from the recer excavations in the city family with it, and describing the memorable of London, contributed by Mr. J. W. Baily, Mr. sieges it sustained during the Civil Wars of the J. W. Grover, Mr. E. Roberts, and Mr. Cecil seventeenth century. Brent. Among the most noticeable were: a ROYAL ARCHEOLOGICAL INSTITUTE.-Febru- portion of a Roman conduit pipe of lead, circular ary 7-Sir J. Sibbald D. Scott, Bart., Vice- in form, with a seam where the sheet metal was President, in the chair. The chairman exhibited joined; a Roman mortar; a Roman olla of una small collection of Roman and mediæval re- usual type; and a cup of Samian ware, shown mains, chiefly pottery, found in the recent by Mr. E. Roberts. Iron spurs, fragments of London excavations. The Rev. C. W. Bingham Samian ware, spear-head, key, armlet, and exhibited a bronze brooch, probably ninth cen- knives, by Mr. J. W. Grover. A Roman snaffletury, found in King's County, Ireland. The Rev. A. C. Smith, Roman dice of bronze, lately found at Wans, Wiltshire. The Rev. R. H. Soden Smith, Roman key finger rings. The Rev. J. E. Waldy, a sword, probably temp. Charles I. The Rev. E. Venable, a steel thumb ring lined with gold, recently found at Lincoln. Mr. Spurrell, two flint implements from Erith Marsh, Kent. Mr. J. H. Mathews, two bracelets formed of gold coins of the reigns of Henry VIII., Edward VI., and Elizabeth, and lately found at Malpas, Cheshire. Mr. C. D. E. Fortnum read a paper "On a Roman key-like finger-ring of gold, and a Bi-cephalic Signet of the same metal," both in the possession of A. W. Franks. Mr. Fortnum also exhibited, in connection with his paper, a series of Roman key-rings in gold and bronze from his own collection. Mr. E. A. Freeman, author of "The History of the Norman Conquest," gave a most interesting discourse "On an early Church at Bradford-onAvon." He avowed his entire belief in the evidence of William of Malmesbury, who stated it to have been built in the eighth century, and proceeded to controvert, at some length, the opinion held by many antiquaries, that the Anglo-Saxons could not, and did not, build in

bit (orea) of iron; a pair of bronze branches of a bit; a stirrup and chain to suspend it; a fine iron prick spur, plated with silver, of the eleventh century; a late Roman bronze staple or doorhandle (ansa osti); an iron door-handle of the flamboyant period; two iron candlesticks and the saucer of a lamp, of the sixteenth century; and two portions (the forked iron head and ferrule) of a Roman implement used in boating, allied to the contus, sent by Mr. J. W. Baily. Mr. Philips, Mr. G. R. Wright, Mr. Grover, and the chairman made some remarks upon these objects. Mr. Charles Edward Davis sent for exhibition an exquisite and valuable portrait of Charles I., entirely worked by the needle in silk. Dr. Kendrick forwarded a curious silk reel in a bottle, made about the end of the seventeenth century, also a portion of a set of hieroglyphic conversation cards dated 1784, and forty-five French pictorial playing cards, with the pips formed of faces. Mr. H. Syer Cuming ably explained all these objects in detail, and exhibited from his own collection a hieroglyphic Bible, and three sheets of pictorial cards. The chairman also exhibited three manuscript valentines of the last century, the property of Dr. Kendrick, and read some entertaining and valuable remarks

by himself, on these, probably, the oldest speci- were prominent leaders in those sanguinary mens known. struggles with the Saracens, the details of which SOCIETY OF ANTIQUARIES.-February 13.- occupy such a prominent place in early English A. W. Franks, Esq., Director, in the chair. Mr. history. It has suffered considerably by the Morris C. Jones exhibited a very fine circular corroding hand of time, and probably from the flint knife. Mr. F. W. Burton, a flint javelin footsteps of many passing generations; still it head, and two stone concretions. Sir Henry possesses a local interest of no insignificant Dryden forwarded a bronze spear-head, a green kind. The material is the new red sandstone, stone celt, and a Limoges châsse or pyx of the common in our neighbourhood.- Whitehaven thirteenth century. The Rev. W. Collings Lukis Herald, Dec. 14, 1872. exhibited and described a wooden cup painted in imitation of china, a stone gouge, a flint blade, a mould for casting buckles, and a stone implement found at Carnac. The Rev. Assherton Pownall exhibited a medal of General Fairfax, found on the battle-field of Naseby, and the medal of Gregory XIII. struck upon the occasion of the massacre of the Huguenots in 1572. Mr. C. H. Woodward exhibited a purple glass chalice, one the property of Queen Elizabeth. Mr. T. A. Gardiner sent a bronze bowl of the twelfth century, found in the Severn in 1824. Mr. R. H. Wood forwarded for exhibition four miscellaneous deeds with seals.

MR. HENRY W. HENFREY, author of a " Guide to English Coins," has in preparation an exhaustive work on the Medallic History of Oliver Cromwell and the Protectorate, including some accounts of the life and works of Thomas Simon, the celebrated medallist. Collectors are therefore requested to favour him with short descriptions of any coins, medals, or tokens with the head of Oliver Cromwell, which they may happen to possess, no matter in what metal or how common. Notes of Cromwellian Seals will also be thankfully received. All communications should be addressed, 75, Victoria-street, Westminster, S.W., and will be carefully acknowledged.

NUMISMATIC SOCIETY.-February 20.-W. S. W. Vaux, Esq., President, in the chair. Two NORTHUMBERLAND HOUSE.-The doom of new members were elected. Mr. Roach Smith Northumberland House is sealed at last. The sent for exhibition two gold coins, one of Augus- duke has agreed to sell it for £500,000, and a tus and the other of Cunobeline, found together great street, flush with Cockspur-street, will run in Kent. Mr. J. E. Price exhibited some coins through it down to the Embankment. Accordof Philip of Tours found in Cheapside. Mr. ing to the rate books of St. Martin, the mansion Augustus Brown forwarded a medal of Admiral was built in 1605 by Henry Howard, Earl of Vernon. Mr. Richard Hoblyn exhibited a six- Northampton, from whom it passed to the Earls pence of William III., of 1697, with a singular of Suffolk, and received the name of Suffolk bust. Mr. Henry W. Henfrey exhibited an un- House, It came to the Percy family by the published Chinese coin of Kea-king, made for marriage of Elizabeth, daughter of the second the use of the Mohammedan tribes of Soun- Earl of Suffolk, to Algernon Percy, tenth Earl garia. Mr. W. S. W. Vaux read a paper, by of Northumberland, in 1642. On this the himself, "On an unique tetradrachm of the Illustrated London News remarks: "NorthumberBactrian King, Platon." Mr. John Evans read land House is to be destroyed, and the lion of a paper by Mr. T. J. Arnold, "On a Coin of the Percy will soon cease to look down upon the Antoninus Pius," and another by Mr. R. W. lions which Sir Edwin Landseer designed for Cochran Patrick in continuation of his series of Nelson, but which are now understood to be "Notes on the Annals of the Coinage of Scot- legitimate seats of honour for the patrons of mob land." meetings. People do not find their way to the noble Embankment, and so the duke's grand house must be thrown down. It would be childish in these days to indulge in the slightest sentimental regret at anything done in the interest of railway vans. We must imitate the stoicism of the gods of Olympus. In one of the late Mr. A'Beckett's capital burlesques, Photon, an apology is offered to Apollo by de Jupiter, about to throw the bolt

Stems.

ANCIENT RELIC.-An ancient tombstone has been presented by the Rev. Irton Fell, of Ambleside, through Mr. Dirome, to Mr. J. R. Wallace, for the Cumberland Museum. It was removed from Irton Church to the hall many years ago for greater safety, while some alterations were being made upon the sacred edifice. It is without inscription, but the sculptured cross and sword are unquestionable indications that it had been placed over some Knight Templar of the ancient Irton family, more than one of whom

Let Northumberland House go; and now let us Wales. The principality, there is no doubt, is take the map and observe how very sadly St. a rich field for the antiquarian, and a Welsh Paul's Cathedral interferes with the stream of Society would probably be instrumental in coltraffic between Cheapside and Ludgate-hill. We lecting a vast mass of interesting and important have heard that the railway vans often lose as facts which are now unrecorded. It is proposed much as five minutes in going round the church- to fix the yearly subscriptions as low as 6s., and yard. Surely in this enlightened age the interests in return to give a quarterly journal of the transof trade should dominate the fancies of tradition." actions of the society; and we should think MR. T. E. BUCKLEY, B.A., Trinity College, the promoters, who hope to obtain between Cambridge, being about to proceed to Natal and 1,000 and 1,500 members at the outset, would some other parts of Africa, partly for the pur- not be disappointed. Of course the work must pose of collecting specimens in natural history, be taken up cordially by energetic volunteers in especially skeletons of some of the larger mam- the towns and villages of Wales; and then the mals, the Council of the Senate recommends society will soon be an accomplished fact. We that a sum of £200 be granted from the Worts' should add that honorary members subscribing Travelling Bachelors' Fund towards defraying more than the sum already named, will be the expenses of that expedition, with the under- warmly welcomed. standing that specimens be sent to the University, and that they be accompanied by reports which may hereafter be published.

MARINE DEPOSITS IN SICILY.-The following is an extract from a very interesting memoir by Signor Mottura, of the Geological Survey of AN ANCIENT NEWSPAPER.-A Berkshire paper Italy, entitled "Sulla formazione terziaria nella has marked the completion of its 150th year zona solfifera della Sicilia," and published in the in a novel manner. With a recent edition" Memorie del R. Comitato Geologico d'Italia,” of the Reading Mercury were re-issued copies of vol. i., 1871 :-The fossils contained in the that journal published February 1, 1723, 150 Eocene and Lower and Middle Miocene rocks. years ago. The fac simile is in itself a curiosity, and illustrates the surprisingly diminutive size of newspapers a century and a-half ago, the dimensions of its pages not exceeding 9 in. by 7 in.

prove these beds to be of marine origin. The Upper Miocene is mainly a lacustrine formation, whilst the Pliocene, again, is marine. It seems that at the end of the Eocene epoch elevations took place, forming a part of the old Eocene ocean into an inland sea, like the Caspian Sea, for instance, which was gradually evaporated.

A NEW ANTHROPOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION is being formed. Captain R. F. Burton and Dr. Carter Blake are amongst the promoters. With the sediment brought down into it mechaGraphic.

nically were deposited successively the various salts contained in solution in the sea water in the inverse order of their solubility. The first deposits were ferruginous, then carbonate of lime was precipitated, after that gypsum, and finally rock salt. These beds were then covered by ordinary marine deposits, as the sea seems to have again entered the inland basin. Perhaps the area was depressed, or it is possible that, owing to the extent of the evaporation, it already lay much below the general sea level, and on the removal by some means of the barrier, the sea flowed in once more. In some places elevation must have occurred, as pebbles derived from the Eocene and Lower Miocene rocks are found in the Middle Miocene beds.

OUR attention has been called to a Welsh Antiquarian Society which, we hope we may say, is in course of formation. A paper on the subject was read at the Portmadoc Eisteddfod, and a statement has since appeared, signed by the Rev. D. Silvan Evans (Hirlas), Rector of Llan-ym-Mawddwy, the Rev. John Peters (Ioan Pedr), the Rev. Richard Parry (Gwalchmai), and other well-known Welshmen, in which the objects and claims of the society are set forth. The fact that "there is a considerable quantity of antiquarian knowledge in Wales uncollected, in the shape of folk-lore, ancient names of places, and other topographical information, together with numerous traditional legends floating from age to age in the common language of the At the end of the Middle Miocene period the people, that might be more advantageously brought together, chronicled, and explained by a Welsh Society than by any other," is given as one reason for proposing its formation; and it is added that such a society would be a useful auxiliary to the active English societies already in operation; and further, that it is very desirable archæological information should be more generally disseminated amongst the people of

area was raised and lakes were formed, in which were deposited the different rocks named in the above list. The tripoli, siliceous limestone, sulphur rock and gypsum are proved to have been deposited in lakes, because they contain no marine fossils, and plenty of remains of fish belonging to lacustrine species.-Journal of the Society of Arts.

JOHNSONIAN RELICS.-We have now to chroni