PROCEEDINGS AT MEETINGS OF THE INSTITUTE. 187 flio coiii-se of some comments upon this communication, stated that tlio note " probatum est," often found appended to old prescriptions, signified that they had l)een testetl by physicians. Mr. FijRTNiM tlien gave a discourse " On Early Christian Rings," which he illustrated by the exhibition of his collection (printed iu vol. xxviii. p. -00). Mr. SoDEN Smith, in some remarks, gave a general corroboration of Mr. Fortnum's conclusions, and adverted to the difficulty of the question of authenticity in many cases. Mr. Oldfield thought the inscription " for a good child " doubtful, as the preposition seemed to refer to being for good objects or purposes, and not to a pers-on. See vol. xxviii. p. 276. The Rev. W. .1. Loftie also remarked upon some of the specimens shown by Mr. Fortinun, especially the votive rings, which he thought were probably only for statuettes. The Chairman, the Rev. J. 13. Dcane, and others, also added some remarks. antiquities .-.uO itlarftS of 'Hrt eyljibitclf. By Mr. W. J. BKUNnAUD Smith.— Two pieces of armour for the shoulders of a man, of late fourteenth or early fifteenth century work. TJjey came from the armoury at Constantinople, and were of copper plated with gold, ornamented with a pounced pattern. The gold was covered with a thick coat of dirt, similar to that which, a few years ago, disfigured effigies in Westminster Abbey, so that the nature of the metal wis uncertain. — A pistol with wheel lock, the stock inlaid with engi-aved ivory, and the barrel stamped with the ci'owned vipers (the guiire of the Yisconti family) ; Milanese work of the sixteenth century. By Mr. J. A. Sparvel-Bayly. — A small collection of examples of Roman pottery found at the ancient ferry, West Tilbury, Essex. Amongst these relics of Roman occupation on the northern shore of the Thames were two perfect Samiaii jxitera', with the potters' marks, and a small bowl marked — dacmxa. — Mr. Wright gives, in his list of marks on Sam ian ware found in England — dacoimnvs. f. — decvmxi. m. — Mr. Roach Smith mentions the like marks, and also damini. m. — decmi. m. (Roman London, p. 103). — Fragments of a bowl, with figures in relief; three fragments of early potter}', rudely ornamented, possibly of some local manufactoiy ; and three urns, one of them measuring 20 in. in height, of light-coloured ware; the others, of black ware, smaller in dimensions. — A small long-necked vessel of Roman ware. Some notices of similar relics found on the shore of the Thames, near Grays Thuri'ock, Essex, are given in this Journal, vol. xxvi., p. 191. By Sir Jervoise Clerk-Jervoise, Bart. — A second brass coin of Dio- cletian (a.d. 284 — 313), found in a garden at Horndean, Hants. It is a coin of not uncommon type, struck at Treves, with the reverse, a draped female figure, holding in her right hand a pair of scales, a cornucopia in her left, with the Icgentl — sacra mon'et avgg et caess NosTR. — The m. in vioietd resemltles an N. The coin has been gilt, but most [irobably in times comparatively modern. — A copy of a work entitled " La Physique Occulte, on Traitc de la l^aguette Divinatoire, ]»iii* M. Do Vallemont," Amsterdam, lGi)3, 12mo., with illustrations. In this curious work, devoted chiefly to a praise of the Divining Rod as a means of dis- covering springs of water, mines, and hidden trctvsure, as well as robbei-s
