THE SHEPHERDS OF BETHLEHEM'S DOGS.— Was be paid to the "Gray Memorial Fund," Western Branch of the Bank of England, Burlington- Can any of your readers supply me with the names gardens, or may be remitted to the Rev. Vernon of these animals? I fancy Medor was one. Blake, Stoke Poges' Vicarage, near Slough. In it not in Brittany that these traditionary names a summer-house in the rectory garden of Aston, were given to the farm dogs with a view to protect Yorkshire, is a medallion, placed there by Mason them from madness? FULGENCIUS. to his friend and fellow poet, identical with which is the engraving, signed "R. Adcock," &c., which forms the frontispiece to Gray's Works, Aldine edition, 1853. ALICE THORpe. DR. WM. MATHEWS, of Chicago, in his interesting and erudite book, "Hints on Successive Life," has the following:-"A Whig Ministry was hurled from power in England by the spilling of some water on a lady's gown." On what authority does the learned doctor make this statement, and what administration was it? JAS. STANLEY Little. THE SEVEN SACRAMENTS.-I shall be glad to know of the existence in England of representations in stained glass of the Seven Sacraments of the medieval church. I know of the example in Nostell Priory Church. THOMAS NORTH. Leicester. JAMES WATT'S GARRET (ii. 23).—Mr.Thomas Ratcliffe will be glad to hear that the work-room of James Watt at Heathfield Hall, Handsworth, near Birmingham, still remains as the great engineer left it at his death in 1819. A view of the room, from a sketch by Perceival Skelton, is given in Smiles' "Lives of Boulton and Watt, Engineers." The medallion and the bust-carving machine are prominent in the woodcut, and the old lathe near the window, the numerous drawers full of implement, &c., the old cooking-stove, and blacksmith's tools, WIBSEY HOOPEY BEEF-EATERS.-I have heard an old hair trunk, full of his son Gregory's early the inhabitants of Wibsey so termed, and am wishful school books, enable the fortunate visitor to this to learn the origin of the saying? long-locked up room to stand almost in the very presence of James Watt himself. It is to be hoped that this famous room and its contents may remain for ever in the town where Watt's great works were completed, and where his memory was honoured by a fine statue by Alex. Munro only a year or two ago. ESTE. WAGESSUM (ii. 23).—I take this to be nothing more than a lengthened form of waga, which Du Cange explains as "Mensura species, apud Anglos et Scotos." Supposing this to be the correct notion, wagessum, in connection with the fishing ground in question, would refer to its dimensions, a matter of the first importance in any cause where the right of possession was in dispute. YORKSHIREMAN. how freemen are made at Alnwick at the present ALNWICK FREEMEN.-I shall be glad to hear time, and when the practice of riding through Freeman's Well was discontinued? WILLIAM ANDREWS. linger in this dale, particulars of the same would afford pleasure to the writer and many of your readers. Wensleydale, Yorkshire.-Some old customs W. A. HENRY THE VIII.'S VINDICATION.-Lord Her bert, of Cherbury, at the end of his life of King Henry the Eighth, says, that though William Thomas did in great part defend him, in an Italian book, printed anno 1552, it hath not availed. The works of William Thomas, who was clerk of the Privy Council in 1549, were published by A. D'Aubant in 1774, London, 8vo., Almon; and include this defence of King Henry, transcribed, it is said, from the original MSS. in the Cotton Library, and having been never before printed. It is remarkable that D'Aubant makes no mention of the Italian book. I have never seen it, and should be glad to know whether the two versions are the same. The memoir was probably originally written in Italian, and the MS. in the Cotton Library would seem to have been an old translation either of the Italian MS. or of the Italian printed book. EDWARD SOLLY. (SAYING) "SEND TO COVENTRY."-Can any of the numerous correspondents of LONG AGO tell me the origin of the familiar sentence, "We have sent him to Coventry"? It has struck me that it might have originated thus. When Margaret of Anjou had made herself obnoxious to the land, and some other bluish stone of Plutonic citizens of London, on account of the counte- origin, puzzling to geologists. The most impornance and help she gave to foreign merchants, and more especially by reason of the preference she displayed for the cause of an Italian who had quarrelled with an English trader-when Margaret had thus behaved, she found London "too hot" for her, and retired to Coventry. The Londoners' contemptuous remark that they had sent the Anjouites to Coventry might have given rise to this saying. JAS. STANLEY Little. THE FAMILY OF HOOPER.-Can any reader inform me whether there is any existing pedigree of John Hooper, Bishop of Gloster and Worcester, who died in 1554, or of George Hooper, Bishop of Bath and Wells, who died in 1727, and also whether any of their descendants are still living? I should be glad of any information about their families or descendants. J. H. H. King Henry thE VII.-I have in my possession a very fine old copy of "The Historie of the Reigne of King Henry the Seventh," written by the Right Hon. Francis Lord Verulam Viscount St. Alban's. It was printed in the year 1629, and sold by Philemon Stephens and Christopher Meredith, at the sign of the Golden Lion, in St. Paul's Churchyard. Can any reader of LONG AGO kindly inform me whether the above-named work was first printed in that year, or if not, on what previous date? HENRY C. LOFTS. Research and Discovery. tant of all is, however, the tomb of the Roman there. THOMAS RATCLIFFE. AN INTERESTING DISCOVERY.-At various times buried trees have been made, far below the surface, during recent years curious discoveries of longin that part of Sheffield known as the "Wicker," a name derived from the wicket, here situated, of Sheffield Castle. The most recent discovery is worth recording in LONG AGO. Workmen employed in the early part of last December on the site of the Wicker Railway Station, came upon the trunk of an oak tree, which from being so long embedded in the earth, presented a curious appearance. The trunk is almost half gone to coal. It was found about fifteen feet below the surface. This tree will form a most interesting acquisition to the local museum it is hoped Sheffield will have, as illustrating the process by which forests have been converted into coal measures. T. R. IMPORTANT DISCOVERY OF ROMAN REMAINS AT YORK.-I take the following from the Sheffield Daily Telegraph of January 10, 1874:-"For some months past the North-Eastern Railway Company have been making extensive excavations at York for the purpose of making a new station, and from time to time important discoveries of Roman re- DISCOVERY OF A ROMAN COFFIN.-In excavatmains have been made. Reference was made to ing earth at Box Hall, Milton, near Sittingbourne, some of these in a London newspaper, but in such some labourers have found a Roman coffin, which an imperfect manner that a well-known Malton was found to contain a few bones, a beautifully archæologist and antiquarian has been drawn by twisted wire gold ring, and some wooden squarethe most recent 'find' to make a thorough exami-headed nails, quite perfect. The coffin was in a nation and classify the whole. His account will tolerably good condition. The field in which it be read with interest by all who take a delight in was discovered was formerly a Roman cemetery, antiquity. He says: There are two sepulchral and six or eight coffins-some being very elabomonuments, with inscription; two altars, with sculp-rately ornamented-have been found there.-Sheftures; a mutilated lion, a conical stone, and a field Independent, January 6, 1874. female skull in fragments, with a gold plate inserted AN ANCIENT YEW.-The Kent Herald says that in the palate; and about ten sarcophagi with the other day a yew tree standing close to the covers, but without any lettering; lastly, some ancient palace of Archbishop Cranmer, and upboulder stones embedded in the lidj clay, repre- wards of 500 years old, was destroyed by fire. senting the granite formation of Shap in Westmore-Some schoolboys, it appears, ate their dinner in the large hollow trunk, and a fire which they had lighted W. Vaux, Esq., F.R.S., President, in the chair to warm themselves was left smouldering when they Messrs. J. Kay, and M. F. Wilson, were elected went away. members. The following Continental numismatists DISCOVERY.-A number of stone coffins or cists were elected honorary members :-M. F. Bompois, containing skeletons, evidently those of ancient Britons, in a good state of preservation, have been found in the grounds adjacent to Mill Bank Mansion House, belonging to Mr. Mitchell-Innes, of Ayton Castle.-Sheffield Independent. Restorations. Oxford, as the place of mintage. Mr. Evans read a paper, communicated by Mr. R. W. CochranPatrick, giving an account of a recent large find of silver sterlings, in Ayrshire, chiefly consisting of pennies of Edward I. and II. of England, and Alexander III., and Robert Bruce of Scotland. Mr. Stanley Lane Poole read a paper, by himself, "On some Inedited Arabic Coins in the British M. A. Heiss, Dr. J. Friedlaender, Dr. A. von Sallet, and Dr. F. Imhoof-Blumer. Mr. John Evans exhibited, on behalf of Mr. F. G. Lloyd, a silver dollar, one of a limited number struck in September last by the insurgents in Carthagena. On the obverse is the inscription, "Cartagena sitiado por los Centralistas," and "Setiembre, 1873," within a beaded circle, in the centre. The reverse has, SWANSCOMBE.-Thanks to the generous liberality "Revolucion cinco pesetas," with the word "Cantoof Professor Erasmus Wilson, F.S.A., the nave and nal" in the centre. Mr. Webster exhibited an tower of the ancient and historical parish church of unique gold stater of Eukratides, and some gold Swanscombe, Kent, are now undergoing a complete coins of Diodotus and Antiochus III. The presibut thoroughly conservative restoration. The dent read a communication from Mr. J. Parker architect is J. Bignell, Esq. (of Sir Gilbert Scott's "On the Coins of King Alfred, bearing the word office), and the contractor, Mr. W. Gumbell, of ORSNAFORDA," which is generally taken to signify Dartford. During the work a capital Saxon window has been discovered and opened on the south side of the tower, the Roman bricks of which it is formed requiring only re-pointing. In the wall of the north aisle, close to the inner porch door, the ancient stoop has been found. The window at the east end of the north aisle, which had been filled up some years since, is now opened out, and the original tracery, in a perfect state of preservation, exposed to view. On the north and south sides of the chancel arch facing west, two Norman arches SOCIETY OF BIBLICAL ARCHEOLOGY.-January 6. have been found, the soffits of which have been-Dr. Birch, K.R., F.S.A., &c., President, in the richly painted, containing figures of S. S. Peter and chair. Sixteen members were elected. This being Paul (to whom the church is dedicated), in fact, the anniversary meeting, the president gave some the whole edifice shows evidence of having been particulars of the society's present state and proone mass of colour, the painting being of a superior spects, remarking that the number of members had order, but unfortunately much too decayed to admit increased by seventy-two during the past year; of restoration. Above the rispond caps of the and also paying tribute to the memory of deceased chancel arch are the holes in which the rood beam members. The following were then duly elected rested; the doorway and stone steps leading to the as the officers of the society for the present year : rood loft have been found in the south aisle; nearly President, Samuel Birch, Esq., LL.D., K.R., the whole of the early English screen (circa 1250), remains. It is a matter of regret that no trace of the shrine of St. Hildeforth, formerly contained in this church, has been discovered. A number of coins, including Roman, have been found beneath the floor. Meetings of Societies. J. A. S. B. ROYAL SOCIETY OF LITERATURE.-December 18. -C. Clark, Esq., in the chair. J. Fergusson, Esq., was elected a honorary member. Mr. W. de Gray Birch read a paper "On the Great Seals of King Stephen," explaining and determining the dates of the years of his reign in which the several different seals were used. Dr. Leitner gave an account of the customs and languages of some little-known Indian races, dwelling north of Kashmir. NUMISMATIC SOCIETY.-December 18.-W. S. Museum, including a gold coin of a hitherto unknown King of Karman." F.S.A., &c. Vice-Presidents, Rev. Canon The president then read a translation with annota- The circumstances attending his introduction to tions of "The Sallier Papyrus, containing the Wars Dr. Samuel Johnson were detailed at length, of Rameses Meriamun with the Khita (Hittites)," together with anecdotes of Boswell's life in communicated by Professor Lushington. He said London, his Continental travels, his marriage, that this papyrus contains perhaps the most vivid and principally his friendship with Dr. Johnson. picture of a pre-Homeric battle extant: the king The tour to the Hebrides was described, together himself, the chief actor, frequently speaking in the with Boswell's various professsional and literary first person, and describing how he fought alone, work, which culminated in his “Life of Johnson," when surrounded by enemies. The two finest occupying him eight years. His death occurred passages, the prayer of Rameses to his father Amun, in 1795, at the age of fifty-five. A cordial vote and the defeat of the Hittites, possess peculiar of thanks was returned to Dr. Rogers for his inbeauty, in addition to the interest attaching itself teresting paper. to a people who, about 1200 B.C., were formidable BRITISH ARCHEOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION.-Jan. enemies to the Egyptians themselves. The Sallier 14.-H. Syer Cuming, Esq., V. P., in the chair. text was supplemented by a fragment from the The Honorary Secretary, Mr. E. Roberts, notified Raifet Collection, and the value of the whole trans- the thanks of the Council for presents received, lation was enhanced by philological notes. Mr. and announced the election of two members, Cull made some remarks upon this paper, object- stating also that most satisfactory arrangements ing to the words used in translating the military had been made for the preparation of a general terms. The Rev. Basil Cooper considered that index to the first twenty-five volumes of the Pindar was the author of the account just read, Journal of the Association. Mr. T. Morgan then which was in his opinion a poem, and he also read a very interesting paper "On the Druids doubted whether the Khita were the Hittites of according to the Greek and Roman Writers," in the Bible. A second paper was communicated by which he had brought together every passage Mr. H. Fox Talbot, F.R.S., “On some Illustrations describing the Druids which occurred in the of the Book of Daniel from the Assyrian Inscriptions." The author here produced corroborative evidence of the use of the extreme forms of punishment by a Fiery Furnace and the Lions' Den, as related by Daniel; giving an instance (amongst others) from the Annals of Assurbanipal, who states that having conquered his brother Saulmugina, he executed him by throwing him into a burning fiery furnace, together with many of his adherents, about the seventh century B.C. He also instanced the Assyrian custom of changing the names of foreigners into Chaldean names, similar to the case of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, in the Bible. Mr. Cull made some remarks on the subject of this paper at its conclusion. ancient authors, quoting Cæsar, Strabo, Diodorus Siculus, Tacitus, Pliny, Ammianus Marcellinus, Lucan, Pomponius Mela, and others. Mr. E. Roberts exhibited the following objects, recently exhumed at Blackfriars :-Roman horse-shoe,. Roman pliers, two links of chain and fastening, also Roman; a British bone skate, bone pin, iron shears, hasp of a box, buckle, hinges, needles, several mediæval iron keys, iron ornament from the front of a casket, with keyhole, a crimpingiron, the haft of a dagger, the blade of a plug bayonet, temp. James II., the beam of a gipsire of the sixteenth century, bone buttons in process of manufacture, several tiles of the fourteenth century, from a church, and a SOCIETY OF ANTIQUARIES.-January 8.-C. S. balance of the seventeenth century. Mr. Roberts Percival, Esq., LL.D., V. P., in the chair. A also showed two small bronze figures, date third resolution was passed conveying to the president, century, one being specially curious and rare as Earl Stanhope, the sympathy of the Fellows of the exhibiting a reduced copy of the Venus de Medicis. Society on the death of Lady Stanhope. The The chairman gave some valuable explanations following gentlemen were then duly elected Fellows of these objects, as well as of the following anti(no papers being read at a meeting for ballot):-quities, lent by Mrs. Baily. They were all disMessrs. E. W. Ashbee, W. M. Fawcett, C. P. Le Cornu, E. MacCulloch, J. H. Cooke, W. H. L. Shadwell, and Dr. W. Stokes. covered in London during 1873, and comprised a Roman tessera lusoria, or die for gaming, of bone; a Roman fibula of rare type, having an ROYAL HISTORICAL SOCIETY.-January 12.- open framework, formed of aurichalcum or goldenGeorge Harris, Esq., F.S.A., in the chair. The coloured bronze wire, and nearly three inches Rev. Dr. Charles Rogers, secretary, read a paper long; a Roman bronze ornament representing a entitled, “Original Materials for a Life of James calathus or basket, filled with fruit, and perhaps Boswell, with notices of his Contemporaries." formerly attached to the bar of a tripod; a semiHe said that the time had arrived for correcting circular bronze ansa or handle of a Roman vessel; much misapprehension as to the character of two ornamental pieces of bronze, anciently formBoswell, and proceeded to trace the pedigree, ing part of the mounting of an early German and touch on the early life of the biographer. sword-sheath; and a copper-gilt ear-ring of the 64 "The Antiquary." seventeenth century. The Rev. S. M. Mayhew Buddhism from its own sacred books, he was not sent for exhibition an early sixteenth century led to differ much from the Bishop in his estimate iron stirrup, of a rare type, found in the Temple of it." Gardens last December. The Chairman read an interesting paper "On St. Mary's Church, Letheringham, Suffolk," describing the architectural features of the church, and its monumental effigies, from notes and sketches contributed by Mr. H. Watling. He also called attention to the recent shameful desecration of the church, and the spoliation of the monuments of the Wingfield and Naunton families, &c. Mr. Gordon M. Hills, honorary treasurer, read a paper by Mr. Llewellynn Jewitt, "On Sheffield Traders' Tokens." NUMISMATIC SOCIETY.-Jan. 15.-John Evans, Esq., F.R.S., in the chair. Captain J. S. Swann was elected a member. After the announcement of presents received, the Chairman exhibited a cast of a third brass coin of Tranquillina, of a new type, probably minted at Anchiale. The coin was found in a tomb on the shore of the Bay of Burga. Mr. Barclay V. Head, honorary secretary, then read a valuable and exhaustive paper which he had prepared "On the coins of Syracuse," exhibiting, at the same time, a collection of casts and electrotypes of the pieces referred to. The chairman, Mr. Percy Gardner, and other gentlemen made some remarks on the paper, testifying to its interest and importance; and the meeting closed with a cordial vote of thanks to Mr. Head. VOLUME IV., now ready, price 6s. Title and Index to Volume IV., post free, for 2 d. Subscribers requiring back numbers to complete their sets, can obtain them from E. W. ALLEN, II, Ave Maria Lane, London, E. C. Covers for binding Vol. I. may be had at the Office, Price 2s. the fact that the privileges of the half-penny newspaper postage are not extended to monthly publications, and that, each copy of that journal being far in excess of the weight allowed to be carried at the lowest rate by the book post, the inland postage of a Single Number of LONG AGO is ONE PENNY. The Publisher of LONG AGO desires to call attention to The paper is registered at the Post Office "FOR TRANSMISSION ABROAD," and all copies posted for places out of newspapers. To Correspondents. that permission to print their names greatly enhances the value GENERAL NOTICE.-In a work of this description, we naturally rely much upon the spirit of literary reciprocity, and it is authenticated by the name particularly essential that all articles, notes, &c., should be and address of the writersprivately, if they prefer it-but we need scarcely remind them of their communications. WE CANNOT PRINT ANY ARTICLES Sine nomine, homo non est; and though satisfied if the nomen is enSENT ANONYMOUSLY, but shall strictly adhere to the principletrusted to our private keeping, shall always be better pleased if allowed to print it. VICTORIA (PHILOSOPHICAL) INSTITUTE.BUDDHISM.-A paper on Buddhism was read by the kingdom are therefore on the same footing as other Bishop P. C. Claughton, at a rather crowded meeting of the Victoria (Philosophical) Institute, held January 19, at the House of the Society of Arts. The proceedings of the evening were commenced by announcing the election of several new members, after which letters of apology were read from the Bishops of St. David's, Peterborough, Hereford, and others; and Professors E. H. Palmer, Bright, Westcott, Swainson, Max-Müller (from whom a communication was afterwards read), and others. Bishop Claughton commenced by considering Buddhism--which was rather a system of philosophy than a religion-as it existed in Ceylon in the present day; after which he proceeded to examine the theory of Buddhism as taught by its priests, and showed that, whilst it inculcated a system of morality, that system had no sufficient principle or motive; and although, as a system, it was not comparable to the Christian religion, yet all who had studied its recognised books would grant that it was the best outside that religion. He concluded by showing that the natural results of its teaching were to foster superstition. The discussion was commenced by the reading a letter from Professor Max-Müller, in which he stated that, "judging Whilst taking every care of Manuscripts, we cannot be answerable for their loss or injury in transmission, The Editor particularly requests that no communica tions, replies, &c., be sent to the private addresses of contributors unless specially solicited by the writers. Books Wanted. "Feasts, Fairs, and Wakes," by C. Burslem. (By William Andrews, 26, Wilberforce-street, Hall.) Street, in the Parish of St. Bride, City of London February 2, 1974. Printed and Published for the Proprietor by F. ARNOLD, 86, Fleet |