Canonbury being carved with his mark; and in our vol. xiv, p. 352, mention is made of the merchant's mark of Robert Veysy being carved on a cabinet belonging to Mr. J. Clarke of Easton. And in the Gent. Mag., Feb. 1790, p. 116, is a copy of a piece of carved oak from Coventry, representing a shield charged with a cruciformed merchant's mark, with the letters of the owner's name curiously disposed -T. BALE (Thomas Bayly), who was Mayor of Coventry in 1486. In our Journal, vol. ix, p. 118, Pl. 1o, are represented merchants' marks which were incised on the wall of the crypt of Gerard's Hall, three of them exhibiting the 4-shaped device.

Mr. Davis gives instances of the merchant's mark being impaled with the personal coat of arms, of which we have probably an example on the convex surface of the bowl of a silver Apostle spoon described in our Journal, xxiv, p. 395. Here we see two shields suspended by a strap across a billet, the dexter one charged, some suppose with baron and femme, a half-eagle, and wool comb, and above the escutcheon the initials C. H. The second shield is a lozenge, charged with the halfeagle, impaling the letters AT in combination, and above the lozenge are the initials A. C. G. The monogram AT must be a merchant's mark, and it is singular to find such a cognizance impaling family arms. Was AT a wool merchant, and the comb the emblem of his trade? This spoon is of German fabric of the time of our Elizabeth, and bears an effigy of St. Andrew on the top of the handle. The letters AT crossing each other occur as a charge in a shield in Southwold Church, Suffolk; and the same initials in combination are seen in the Fairfold glass, both dating circa 1500.

I would now bring to notice an exceedingly rare and curious seal or stamp which was discovered in 1866, on the site of Gooch & Cousen's warehouse, London Wall. It consists of a truncated cone of wood, full 4 in. in height; and in. below the apex it is bored through to admit a cord. The base of the cone is more ovate than round, being nearly 1 by 1 in.; and on it is deeply cut the device, which may be described as a cross with an

Another example of the impalement of a merchant's mark with personal arms is given in the Gent. Mag., Jan. 1801, p. 25, fig. 5,

arm or pennon declining from its top, in the manner seen in No. 18 which illustrates Mr. Davis's paper. From the end of the horizontal limb of the cross rises a somewhat crooked bar, which may be regarded as having the same signification as the device seen in figures 6 and 12 of Mr. Davis's plate, and between this bar and the perpendicular shaft of the cross is a roundish depression. There is a simplicity about the whole get-up of this object which warrants the belief that it cannot be later than the first half of the fifteenth century. But now comes the question, What was its purpose, and how was it employed? That this is a merchant's or trader's stamp there cannot be a doubt. The great depth of the cutting almost forbids the idea of its application on wax. Was it then employed with ink or some viscid fluid, or was it impressed on clay or dough, and used like the wooden butter-prints of the present day? Mr. Davis has shown. that, as early as the thirteenth century, bakers were compelled to employ a signum "for each sort of bread”. Can this be a baker's signum, the knob at the side of the cross indicating the quality of the bread? This is a query I must leave others more learned than myself to decide.

Now that Mr. Davis has brought the subject of merchants' marks prominently before us, and I have in a humble way attempted to follow in his wake, we may hope to hear more of a matter which is at once replete with interest to the archæologist, the herald, and the genealogist. It is only by gathering and classifying a large number of these ancient trade badges that we can arrive at any certain knowledge respecting the origin of the designs they display. We may conjecture that the cruciferous staff with its streamers may be intended for the flag so often upheld by the Agnus Dei, but it is far more likely to be the mast of a ship with its flying pennon. And is the fancy too wild for entertainment that astrological and talismanic lore may shed a light upon the import of the 2-shaped figure and the crossbearing circle, both of which are significant of the planet Jupiter, whose protecting power was so earnestly invoked in the Middle Ages? Are the resemblances mere chance and accident, or the intentions of cunning artists? Deep study will alone reveal the truth.

ACCOUNT OF THE DISCOVERY

OF PART CF THE

SAXON ABBEY CHURCH OF PETERBOROUGH.

BY J. T. IRVINE, ESQ.

(Read 6 Dec. 1893.)

THESE remains came to light through the following circumstances. The state of the lantern-tower had in 1882 become so very dangerous as to render it evident considerable rebuilding was both an immediate and imperative necessity. The Chapter, however, then hoped it would not require extension beyond removal and reconstruction of the crossings, eastern pillars,' and fractured lantern over. Such removal rendered it, however, evident that the state of the western ones could scarcely be with safety trusted to support the rebuilt work, and J. L. Pearson, Esq., R.A., the Chapter Architect, was therefore requested to survey and report to the Chapter on their actual condition, and the state of their foundations. For such purpose, on Sept. 25, 1883, Mr. Pearson had small excavations made round them, and under the centre of the west arch from crossing to nave; (for here all Norman foundations, however poor their construction or materials may be, are yet everywhere carried across the openings as "sleeper-walls".)

Mr. Pearson's survey commenced by an excavation at the north-east angle of the north-west pier. This opened part of the passage to that vault which Gunton, in his history of the Cathedral, mentions as existing on this north side.

The evidence given by the openings made at the angles

1 Entries of the history of the south-east pillar of crossing :-1592, "In Repar' eccl'ie cath'is ib'm xvj£ xiije. jd.” (Richard Howland Bishop, Thomas Neville Dean.)

1593, "In reparacionib' eccle'ie ib'm ne in colomp'na magna juxta choru' meremio et ferro munienda xlvij£ iiijs. ixd."

1702-3," Mr. Evans, a bill of Expence about y° surveying y pillar i'th Church 0£ 168. 11d." Probably at this time the triforium arches next the pier were built up.