heartiest sympathy. The Committee had had the honour of receiving from Lord Northampton a very gratifying acknowledgment.

SIR CHARLES ANDERSON observed, that having been called upon to take the chair on this occasion, he saw with much satisfaction upon the table the volume of their Transactions at the Lincoln meeting, now completed for delivery to the members; and he had the pleasure to announce that the volume devoted to the history and antiquities of his own county would shortly be followed by the delivery of their Transactions at Norwich.

MR. HAWKINS Communicated a memoir on the gold ornaments and various ancient relics of the Roman age recently purchased from Mr. Brumell's cabinet for the British Museum. It is given in this volume (see p. 35).

MR. G. D. BRANDON gave an account of the discovery of Roman remains in Buckinghamshire, at Stone, a village situated three miles from Aylesbury, while excavating for the foundations of the County Lunatic Asylum, now in progress of erection. Urns of various forms, of no uncommon occurrence amongst Romano-British remains, had been found; and a pit containing débris of fictile vessels of the same age, seemingly a fresh example of the singular receptacles, of which many have now been noticed near sites of Roman occupation. The form of this ancient well, or favissa, is shown by the annexed sections. It was sunk through strata of rock and yellow sand alternately, and was cleared out to the depth of about 30 feet, when the work was stopped by the water.

Two of the urns here represented were found in the pit, at a depth of about 30 feet from the surface of the ground. Two others lay at a distance of about 250 feet to the east of the pit, at a depth of 2 feet from the surface; and others were found in a sand-hill, about a quarter of a mile from the spot last named. The two urns found near the surface of the ground contained bones, which had been subjected to cremation, and some coins, of which two were obtained from the workmen engaged in making the excavations. One of them appears to be of the reign of Domitian, the other of Vespasian. In clearing out the pit before alluded to, numerous fragments of pottery were found, of various colours,-black, white, red, and some unbaked pottery; also fragments of bones of large and small animals, promiscuously

distributed. Near to the bottom of the pit, besides the various fragments of pottery, a portion of an ancient shoe and a bucket were found. The whole of these remains were discovered between the 18th of July and the 4th of September, 1850. The pit was sunk as deep as could be accomplished without the aid of pumps, the men having been kept at work until it became unsafe for them to continue their work. Two transverse sections of the pit, showing the description of the strata passed through, are here given.

Sections of a cavity containing Roman remains, found at Stone, co. Bucks.

A saucer-shaped Saxon brooch, found in the vicarage orchard about 1840, was also exhibited by the Rev. J. B. Reade, Vicar of Stone, remarkable on account of its size, its diameter being nearly 3 inches; and it bears the symbol of the cross, with chased lines apparently intended to represent a nimbus. This remarkable type of fibula may have been derived, as Mr. Akerman has suggested, from the nummi scyphati, or cup-shaped money, common after the reign of Basilius II. An engraving of it is given in the Archæologia, vol. xxx., p. 546. Mr. Reade sent with this an iron spear-head and knife, and the skull of a skeleton with which they were found, near Stone, about two years since. The umbo of the shield was found, but had been lost. At the feet was a small urn of dark black ware, sent for examination. These relics appeared to be Saxon.

Several specimens of this kind of fibula have been brought before the Institute, especially those now in Mr. Neville's museum, figured in the Journal of the Archæological Association, vol. v., p. 113,8 and one exhibited by the Cambridge Antiquarian Society, Journal, vol. vi., p. 71.

MR. YATES, in reference to some conversation at the previous meeting regarding the adjustment of fibulæ, and the use of some kind of tube, called by the Greeks avλos, to receive the acus, made the following observa

8 Exhibited at the Meeting of the Institute, March 1, 1850.-Journal, vol. vii., p. 87.

tions" In the description of the splendid garb of Ulysses, the wrapper, called xλaiva, læna (Odyss., xix., 225), the fibula (Tepón), is said to have been provided with two small tubes (avλoîow didúμoiow), probably for admitting the acus, a contrivance which would secure the woollen cloth from being torn. The Scholiast explains this expression as signifying straight rods, into which the pins are locked: páßdor eveéiai, els as Kataκλειονται ἁι περόναι. The Scholiast, published by Mai, explains it thus: ̓Ανατάτεοι δυοὶ, two extensions before the wrapper; ἐπάνωθεν τῆς πόρπης Enpévous, that is, sewed above the brooch. The meaning of this is obscure. Mr. Yates supposes that the fibula must have been used with two small metal plates formed

with tubes, and sewed on to the two edges of the garment, at the part where they were to be brought together; so

that the acus might be passed through them without risk of injury to the texture. The annexed woodcut will illustrate the mode in which Mr. Yates suggests that this adjustment might be effected.

DR. THURNAM offered some observations on a collection of Norwegian relics in his possession, which were laid before the meeting on this occasion. These objects were obtained by Dr. Thurnam in the course of a visit to Norway during the autumn of last year. They were all reported to have been taken from tumuli in the south east division of that country; some of them being presented by peasant proprietors, who had themselves dug them out of tumuli on their own farms. Others were the gift of a distinguished archaeologist at Christiana. They consist of a remarkably fine sword, an axe, spear-head, knives, umbo of a shield, and a spur of iron; a large and fine tortoise-shaped fibula,' in two portions, with fragments of other ornaments, of bronze; a few glass beads, fragments of peculiarly ornamented pottery, and the tooth of a bear.

64

Dr. Thurnam gave also the following account of several interesting objects (of which drawings were exhibited) from a large Anglo-Saxon tumular cemetery near Driffield, E.R. Yorkshire. This tumulus, previously in part examined, was more fully explored by the Yorkshire Antiquarian Club, in the summer of 1849. The objects found consist of spear-heads, knives of various sizes, scissors, umbones, handles, and other parts of the tire of shields, with other articles of unknown use ;-iron fibulæ, of cruciform and circular shape, and other ornaments of bronze; pendants of crystal and beads of amber, glass, and vitrified paste,-some of the latter of curious and beautiful manufacture. Remains of fictile vases were also found. This entire collection of Anglo-Saxon remains, hitherto so rarely found within the limits of the Northumbrian kingdom, is deposited in the Museum of the Yorkshire Philosophical Society, at York.'

""

MR. T. HUDSON TURNER read the first portion of his researches relative to the Order of Knights Templars, comprising some new facts and observations on their history and establishment in England.

The REV. WILLIAM GUNNER gave a selection of curious extracts from the Bursarial Rolls of Winchester College. (See p. 79 in this volume.)

The REV. WILLIAM DYKE communicated a parchment roll of Prayers to

Compare the fine fibula of this type, communicated by Mr. W. Hylton Longstaffe, Arch. Journal, vol. v., p. 220.

VOL. VIII.

the Virgin, preserved in the library of Jesus College, Oxford. It appears to have belonged to Margaret of Anjou, whose portrait and armorial bearings are introduced amongst the illuminated enrichments of this interesting specimen of calligraphy. The entire roll measures 5 ft. 7 in. by 9 in. wide, a considerable portion being left blank. It does not appear by what means it was deposited amongst the MSS. of Jesus College; it bears the numbers 93 and 2114-93, with this endorsement, in the writing of Antony à Wood, "The picture within drawne was made for Margaret of Anjou, wife of Hen. 6th of England, as it appeares by the armes joyning to it. 1681.A. Bosco." At the upper end is the sacred monogram, I.H.S. elaborately illuminated and flourished; beneath this is a sort of wheel, in the centre of which is portrayed the Virgin and child; thence proceed seven radiations, each formed by a line of writing in gold, a salutation or ejaculation to the Virgin, so arranged, that the initial of each forms also the initial of one of seven sentences composing the circumference of the wheel. Immediately below this, the queen is portrayed kneeling at a prayer-stool, covered with cloth of gold, and supporting an open book and her sceptre. (See woodcut.)

રહી

A. WAY.DEL

UTTINC. S

Margaret of Anjou. From a MS. at Jesus College, Oxford.

Her gown is blue, her mantle purple with white fur. Her hair auburn, and dishevelled she kneels on a pavement of green Flanders' tiles. Before her appear two kneeling angels in red garments, their blue and scarlet wings upraised: they are the supporters of an escutcheon of the royal achievement-France and England, quarterly, impaling these six quarterings1, Hungary; 2, Naples; 3, Jerusalem; 4, Anjou; 5, Bar; 6, Lorrain.' There is no crown above the shield. It may deserve notice that the queen wears two rings on each finger except the least, placed on the middle as

1 An interesting example of the arms of Margaret is seen in the Book of Romances, presented to her by Talbot. (Roy. MS., 15 E. VI.) They are there on a banner, held by an antelope.

well as the third joint of the fingers; a fashion possibly introduced by her, and shown in the curious portrait of this queen on the tapestry at Coventry, given by Mr. Shaw, in his beautiful "Dresses and Decorations,' from an excellent drawing executed by the late Mr. Bradley.

The arms of Margaret appear in the windows at Ockwells House, supported by an antelope and a golden eagle, the latter being taken from the achievement of her father, René, Duke of Anjou, who used as supporters two golden eagles; and the arms upon her great seal, described in Harl. MS., 1178, f. 29, as cited in Willement's Regal Heraldry, had the antelope and eagle as supporters. In the great hall at Croydon Palace there was a royal achievement attributed to the times of Henry VI., having two angels as supporters; and they occur likewise on the lower part of the gateway at Eton College.

Menestrier, in his Treatise entitled "Usage des Armoiries," (Paris, 1673, p. 216,) remarks, that it had been erroneously supposed that it was the privilege of the kings of France and personages of the blood royal only, unless by their special concession to certain favoured persons, to introduce angels as the supporters of their arms. He observes, that a great number of examples may be cited of the general use of such supporters-" particulièrement dans les eglises, où la pieté des fideles, laissant des monumens de ses bienfaits accompagnez de ses armoiries, pour en conserver le souvenir, a fait scrupule assez long-temps d'y mettre des animaux, des sauvages, et des figures fabuleuses ou monstrueuses. Ainsi on verra souvent qu'une mesme maison qui a des lions, des aigles, des dragons ou des sauvages pour supports, a des anges dans les eglises." These remarks may serve to illustrate the substitution of angels for the usual supporters which appear with the arms of Margaret; it may be attributed to their being here found in connexion with an object of a sacred character.

MR. ASHURST MAJENDIE laid before the Society the project of restoration of the Round Church at Little Maplestead, Essex, observing that the late Marquis of Northampton had taken great interest in the undertaking, and that to his valuable suggestions the Committee of Management had been much indebted in preparing a modified plan of restoration on a more moderate scale than had been originally contemplated. He hoped that the proposed efforts for the preservation of this interesting fabric would be regarded with approbation by all those who take interest in Architectural

monuments.

Antiquities and Works of Art Exhibited.

BY MR. BRACKSTONE.-Three bronze celts in perfect preservation, found in June, 1849, between Towton and Ulleskelf, in Yorkshire, at a depth of about 5 ft. One of them is a good example of the type with a stop-ridge and lateral loop. (Compare fig. H. in Mr. Du Noyer's Classification, Archaeol. Journ., vol. iv., p. 5.) Another is a socketed celt with the loop. (Ibid. page 6.)

By M. PULSKI.-A selection of exquisite drawings representing antiquities of various classes, especially rings and antique various ornaments of gold, and oriental bronzes. Amongst the objects designated as fibulæ he produced a remarkable type, formed of a long bronze wire closely coiled up in a flat spiral form, and resembling, seemingly, a bronze

2 See Ducarel's Croydon, pl. v., p. 66; Willement's Regal Heraldry, p. 35.