those found in the Roman stations of the North as undeniably medieval.[1] The pipes in Mr. Bernhard Smith's collection bear various makers' marks stamped on the spur, amongst which occur the names and initials, John Roberts—Mich. Brown—Joseph Hughes—Thomas Evans—W. G.—W. S.—C. B.—P. C.—I. H.—within a heart; E. E. and W. B., a hand being in the last two instances placed between the initials. They were found at Much Wenlock. The significance of this symbol appears to be set forth by Fuller, who in his account of the manufacture of pipes, the best being made at Amesbury in Wilts, asserts the superior excellence of "Gauntlet- pipes, which have that mark on their heel," and relates the ingenious defence of a maker who was sued for pirating the mark, and alleged that the thumb of his gauntlet stood differently to the plaintiff's, and the same hand given dexter or sinister in heraldry is a sufficient difference.[2] The tobacco-pipe makers were incorporated in 1619; at a later period they petitioned in vain to become a livery company of the City of London.
By Mr. M. A. Lower.—Impressions from a brass seal of pointed-oval form, presented to Mr. Lower by the Rev. J. Carnegie, of Seaford. In the centre in a circular compartment appears the tonsured head of an ecclesiastic, seen in profile to the left; the spandrels above and below the circle being filled with tracery. The inscription around is as follows: ＋ BENEDICTIO D'NI SVPER CAPVT WALTERI. Date XIVth cent.
By the Rev. Walter Sneyd.—Brass matrix, presented to him by the Duke of Hamilton, by whom it had been found amongst the collections at Hamilton Palace. The device is a demi-figure of St. Catharine, with the head and arms of an ecclesiastic in a suppliant attitude beneath.—LAVEDI SAINT KATERIN' PRAI FOR IO. . . . . . . Pointed-oval, XIVth cent.
By the Hon. W. Fox Strangways.—Impressions from matrices of seals in the possession of Mr. Walrond. Silver matrix of the fraternity of tailors at Exeter. It is of circular form; the work elaborately finished. It represents the Baptist, clad in camel's skin, and holding the agnus; this figure is placed in a quatrefoiled panel, with an escutcheon at each side, each charged with a pair of shears. The inscription is as follows:—
Sigillum commune fraternitatis . sissorum . civitas . exonie.
The handle is attached by a hinge, so as to fall flat on the reverse of the seal, which is of circular form. The ancient guild of tailors has been recently broken up; their documents passed into private hands, and their seal came into the hands of a pawnbroker, by whom it was sold to a working silversmith in the west. The date of this seal may be assigned to 1475, when the corporation of tailors in Exeter obtained a new charter from Edward IV., which gave great offence to the mayor and common council as a supposed infringement on their liberties, and they commenced a suit, which was terminated by the interference of the crown after two years, but the animosity continued for a considerable time.[3]—Seal of
- ↑ See Dr. Bruce's account of Minor Antiquities, "Roman Wall," sec. edit., p. 141, where two of these fairy pipes are represented—one bears the stamp G. C. Dr. Wilson, in his "Prehistoric Annals," seems inclined to assign such pipes to an age long prior to that of Elizabeth and Sir Walter Raleigh. See a "Celtic pipe" figured, p. 679. Compare Brongniart's remarks on pipes of the XVIIth century, "traité des Arts Ceramiques," vol ii., p. 189.
- ↑ Fuller's "Worthies of Wiltshire," Manufactures
- ↑ Jenkyns' "History of Exeter," p. 85.
