By Mr. Wilson.—Several sculptures in ivory, two diptychs with figures of saints, and a figure of the Good Shepherd, placed on the summit of a kind of rocky pyramid with various devices around the base. It measures nearly 9 inches in height. Several of these singular figures have been brought to England within recent years. A more full description of one exhibited in the museum during the Norwich meeting and brought, as it is believed, from Portugal, may be found in the Museum catalogue. (Norwich volume, p. 45.) Also a chalice of gilt metal, with a silver bowl, and four small nielli around the knop; on the underside of the base is the date 1517 (?) in Arabic numerals. (See woodcut.)
By Mr. Charles Tucker.—Representation of the inscription upon the tenor bell in the church of Bedale, Yorkshire. The characters are majuscules, of the form sometimes termed "Lombardic," the "Gothique arrondi" of French archaeologists, and they are probably of the XIVth century. The inscription forms the following Leonine distich[1]:—
✠ IOU : EGO : CUM : FIAM : CRUCE : CUSTOS : LAVDO : MARIAM :
DIGNA : DEI : LAUDE : MATER : DIGNISSIMA : GAUDE :
The first word seems to be the interjection IO, the greek ἰὼ, which was used as an exclamation of rejoicing, of applause, or of invocation. Sometimes, but rarely, to occurs as a monosyllabic; it is so used by Martial. This couplet may be thus rendered:—lo! when I am made a guardian (or protector) by the cross, (i.e. am consecrated) I praise Mary. thou! worthy of praise divine, most worthy mother, rejoice.
By Mr. Burtt.—An original document of the early part of the XIIth century, being a grant to the monastery of St. Martin des Champs, at Paris, by Peter de Blois, Bishop of Beauvais, and bearing his seal, a remarkable example of the mode of sealing en placard. This grant, unknown apparently to French writers, will be more fully noticed hereafter. It has been purchased for the British Museum.
By Mr. Franks.—An Italian Majolica dish, upon which is represented Phalaris being burnt in the brazen bull. In one corner are introduced the arms of Guidobaldo II., Duke of Urbino. On the reverse is written Perillo, probably erroneously for Phalaris. The date of this fine example is about 1550.
By Mr. C. Desborough Bedford.—A jar of red ware with numerous micaceous particles in its substance, it had originally two handles.—Also, some decorative pavement tiles, of the XIVth century. These relics were found at a considerable depth in the course of recent excavations at Haberdashers' Hall, London.
By Mr. Le Keux.—A green-glazed jar with four little handles or rings round the neck, probably intended for tying down the cover, which as it was said was found closing the mouth of the vessel. it is stated that it had been recently found at Ealing, in preparing the foundations for a new church, and that it was filled with coins, which came into the hands of four labourers engaged in the work. They had absconded, and Mr. Le Keux had endeavoured in vain to ascertain the age of the coins thus discovered.
By Mr. C. Halsted, of Chichester,—Impression from a gold betrothal
- ↑ The stops between each of the words are in the original formed with three points placed perpendicularly.
