Proceedings of the Association. MAY 10. THE following were elected Associates : Sir Benjamin Hall, bart., M.P., Great Stanhope-street. James Edmeston, esq., Thiberton-square, Islington. William Walton, esq., Carrara. Talbot Pope Dobson, esq., 32, Piccadilly. John Franklin, esq., 2, Thistle-grove, Old Brompton. Thanks were voted for the following presents: From the Cambrian Archæological Society. Archæologia Cambrensis, No. 17. 8vo. Suffolk Archæological Institute. Their Transactions, Part I, Vol. ii. 8vo. Editor. Civil Engineers' Journal for May. 4to. Mr. Patrick exhibited a massive gold betrothal-ring, which was said to have formerly belonged to lord Southampton. It bore the initials H and S, united together by a true lovers' knot, resembling those figured in the Journal, vol. iv, pp. 389-390, where the subject is treated of. This ring belonged to the time of Elizabeth. Mr. Whichcord, jun., F.S.A., produced an early ring, of Oriental make, and a fine spear-head in flint, both lately found at Maidstone. The spearhead was admirably executed, and perfect, measuring eight inches in length. The rev. Thomas Hugo, M.A., F.S.A., exhibited a bronze fibula and ring, belonging to the Roman period; and another antiquity, in bronze, found in April last in Bucklersbury. The latter was conjectured to be of VOL. X. 23 a later time, but, from its imperfect state, there is some difficulty in stating its precise nature. Mr. C. R. Griffiths exhibited an interesting piece of ancient sculpture, which for many years has been lying in the vaults of the workhouse of St. Martin's parish. It is a sepulchral tablet, and represents three figures. Time has much injured its surface; but it presents a specimen of good art, and from its execution, as well as the marble of which it is sculptured, was pronounced by Mr. W. Calder Marshall, R.A., to be Greek. No history could be obtained respecting it; but on the site of the workhouse there was formerly a stoneyard, and it has probably been derived from thence. Mr. M. O'Connor exhibited a collection of antiquities found at different times in Ireland. These having been assigned by the Council to Mr. H. Syer Cuming for examination, that gentleman read a paper descriptive of the principal part, for which see ante, pp. 165-176, and plate 20. Mr. Thomas Gunston exhibited a "rubbing from the Flemish brass of abbot De la Mare. This splendid memorial, measuring nine feet two inches in length, by four feet three inches in breadth, lies within the chantry of abbot Wheathamstede, in the abbey church of St. Alban. The deceased prelate is represented as habited in the chasuble, ornamented about its border, and has a central apparel resembling a pall. Over this is the embroidered amice, arranged loosely about the neck. The alb, richly adorned with orfrey work, is surmounted by a tunic and dalmatic, beneath which appear the fringed ends of the narrow scarf, or stole; and from the left arm depends the maniple. On his head is the mitra preciosa; the hands, which are crossed and point downwards, are covered with jewelled gloves. On his left arm rests his pastoral staff, the head enclosing an Agnus Dei; and his feet, which are encased in rich sandals, rest upon two dragons. The diapered field around the figure consists of small, elaborately foiled compartments, each containing a figure of a dragon; or clustered trefoil, resembling the diaper of the brass of Alan Fleming at Newark. The richly foliated canopy is surmounted by tabernacle work, with representations of our Saviour enthroned, attended by angels holding thuribles and instruments of music. Beyond these, on either side, are seated the apostles St. Peter and St. Paul, and below stand St. Alban and Offa king of Mercia. The sides of the canopy are divided into minor canopied niches, and contain figures of saints. The inscription, in bold Longobardic capitals, runs thus: HIC. JACET. DOMINUS. THOMAS . QVONDAM ABBAS HVIVS MONASTERII. In the centre of the brass fillet, on either side, is a shield, bearing on a bend three eagles displayed; and at the angles are the evangelistic emblems." Mr. J. Clarke exhibited three rubbings of brasses from Easton church, Suffolk, the earliest of which represents a man in armour. No inscription now remains attached to it; but it is that of John Brook, and of the date of A.D. 1426. It has been engraved by Cotman, and is mentioned by Manning in his list of brasses, p. 74. The others were of John Wingfield and Radcliffe Wingfield, also engraved by Cotman. The inscription. of the former reads: "Here lyeth John Wingfelde of Eston, esquyer, one of the sonnes of Thomas Wingfeld, late of greate Dunham, in the county of Norff, esquyer; which said John Wingfeld dyed and was buryed in the moneth of January, and in the yeare of our Lord God 1584": the latter," Here lyeth buried Radcliff Wingfeld, the wyfe of Thomas Wingfeld of Easton, esquier, ye daughter of sir Gilbert Gerrarde, knight, of Bromley Gerrarde in Stafforde shire, sometyme Master of the Rowles, and of dame Anne Gerrarde his wyfe, which saide Radcliff dyed the xviiith daye of July 1601." Mr. Robert Sadd, jun, of Cambridge, sent for exhibition a very early fibula found at Cambridge. It is represented in the annexed wood-cut. He also transmitted another antiquity, of a much later date, found also at Cambridge. It is a badge enamelled on copper. In form it is that of a quatrefoil enclosing a square, in which, on a blue ground, is a lion passant regardant. A semi fleur-de-lis, dimidiated per fess, appears in each semicircle, the ground being red. The animal, flowers, and bordering lines, are black. The badge has a ring for suspension. Mr. C. Baily, F.S.A., made some observations on the uses of such badges, and noticed those which are still to be seen on the effigy of Aylmer de Valence, in Westminster abbey. Mr. O'Connor suggested that the ornament was of an ecclesiastical character, the shape being similar to that of the morse. MAY 24. The following associates were elected : C. Robertson Griffiths, esq., Registrar's Office, St. Martin's. Adam Sim, esq., Cultermains, Lanarkshire. Mr. J. Clarke exhibited a small brass coin of Constantinus Tiberius, found in Suffolk. It is described in Akerman's Catalogue, ii, 407, a.d. 574-582. Mr. Clarke also communicated a few particulars relating to the discovery of mural paintings in Easton church, Suffolk, which are now destroyed. It appears that in 1847, some masons being employed to scrape the walls of Easton church, they brought to light several paintings on the south walls. The first was over the pulpit, and represented a bishop with a mitre on his head and a long staff in his right hand, and a clasp book in his left; he was depicted looking to the east. The second figure was between the two windows towards the gallery, and represented a king with a sceptre in the right hand pointed downwards, and the globe in his left. He appears to have had an arched crown, but this was greatly defaced. The third figure, near the gallery, represented a merry charlatan on horseback, having a deep conical cap and ribbons flying from the top; he held a spear in his right hand, and pointed downwards with his left; the horse was lying on its legs. The fourth and fifth figures were under the preceding, and represented a furious archer, furnished with a long beard and a close cap; he was in the act of discharging an arrow at a well formed and rather aged captive, who stood erect with his hands fastened behind him, and his eyes turned from his enemy and nearly closed. In placing a tablet in the north wall opposite the pulpit in 1831, to the memory of the earl of Rochfort, paintings of the Virgin and Child, the ox and manger, and other figures connected with the Holy Nativity, were brought to light, and it appears probable that the paintings had extended throughout the church. Mr. Thompson produced a much corroded bronze, which had been elegantly enamelled, and represented a bird, the head and legs of which were however wanting. Mr. Pettigrew had no hesitation in stating it to be Egyptian, and that the bird intended to be represented was the ibis, and the figure had probably belonged to an Egyptian standard. It had been discovered among some old brass, and its history therefore is entirely unknown. The rev. Thomas Hugo, F.S.A., exhibited a small bronze Hercules, lately found in New Cannon street; and another belonging to Mr. Bateman, of Youlgrave, Derbyshire, of a more ancient character, found at York, was also shewn. Mr. Pettigrew, F.R.S., F.S.A., communicated the following extract of a letter received by him from Mr. Seymour Kirkup, of Florence, containing some particulars in confirmation of the opinion' generally enter 1 See sir Frederic Madden's introduction to Syr Gawayne; and M. Paulin Paris, Les Manuscrits François de la Bibliothèque du Roi, tom. ii; also the tained as to Gualter Mapes' claim to the authorship of Lancelot du Lac and other mediæval romances. Mr. Kirkup writes: "It is curious that more appears to be known of our heroic history and romance abroad than in England. The romances of Charlemagne are only recent imitations of those of our Arthur, which were the admiration of the earlier ages. I find that Dante cites them no less than seven times. That greatest of poets and scholars of his age (he died in 1321), says: Allegat ergo pro se lingua oil [the French, so called from the word oui] quod propter sui faciliorem ac delectabiliorem vulgaritatem quicquid redactum, sive inventum est ad vulgare prosaicum, suum est: videlicet biblia cum Trojanorum, Romanorumque gestibus compilata, et Arturi regis ambages pulcherrima, et quam plures aliæ historiæ ac doctrinæ.' (De Vulgari Eloquio, i, 10.) It was from them that sir Thomas Malorye collected the materials of his Morte Darthur. The principal one being Lancelot du Lac, written by our Walter Mapes. I have the Paris edition of 1513, in three volumes folio, which makes no mention of that fact, but it is more than once repeated in my noble manuscript in four volumes large folio, without date; but, judging from the writing and miniatures, of the first half of the fifteenth century, finely preserved, and richly bound à la Louis XIV, from the library De la Valière. The passage is as follows: "Quant ils eurent mangie a court si fet le roy auant venir les clercs qui mectoient en esc'pt (écrit) les auantures aux ch'lrs (chevaliers) de leans Et quant bohort eut contees les auantures du Sangraal telles coment il les auoit veues Si les miret en esc'pt et furent gardees en laumaire (l'armoire) de Salebieris (Salisbury) Dont maistre gaultier map les traist pour faire un liure dugraal pour lamour du roy henry son seigneur qui fist listoire translater de latin en franczois Si sen taist le conte que plus nen p'le des auantures du saint graal. Deo gras.' "Then follows: "Cy comence le derrain liure du saintgraal qui sapelle la mort du roy artus Et la destrucion dela table ronde Et commance come agrauain fist entendant auroy artus les amours dela royne geneure et de lancelot Dulac. "Apres ce que maistre gautier map eut traicte des auãtures dusaint graal asses souffisamment si come il luy sembloit si fut auis auroy henry introduction, by Mr. Thos. Wright, to the Latin poems commonly attributed to Walter Mapes, published by the Camden Society in 1841, in which will be found extracts from the inedited Speculum Ecclesiae of Giraldus Cambrensis, giving some particulars relating to Walter Mapes, and of his animosity to the White or Cistercian monks. Mr. Halliwell, in 1847, published, for private circulation only, The Alliterative Romance of the Death of King Arthur, first printed from a MS. in Lincoln cathedral, transcribed about the year 1440. În Mr. Halliwell's preface to this work, and in the introduction to the Thornton Romances, also by Mr. Halliwell, and published by the Camden Society in 1844, much interesting information may be obtained on this subject, and that of early English metrical romances in general. |