God, and rule over us, to cause us to keep the way spiritually. This abbot was no other, as appears by a Norman manuscript yet extant, than the renowned Dinoth; and it is clear, not only from this reply to Augustine, but also, from what is related by the Venerable Bede, that the British Church acknowledged no supremacy in the Roman bishop, or any other foreign patriarch. Neither had it any communication with the Roman Church, but was subject, as from the days of Eleutherius, to a metropolitan of its own. The consequence of this resistance to the mandate of Augustine was a most horrible slaughter of the monks of this celebrated monastery, the particulars of which are related in Sammes' Britannia, p. 513. Historians affirm that the first establishment of the Christian faith in this country was first promulgated here about 181 years after the birth of Christ, and the reason stated for its earlier establishment in Britain than in other nations, arose from the devotion, piety, and learning of the Druidical order, who were eminent throughout the island, who decided and judged not only in spiritual, but in civil affairs, and were resorted to as oracles for their profound judgment and skill in questions of the highest concern. Many of their tenetsthat of the immortality of the soul, especially, constituted points of ready admission to that faith, which, besides the great sanctity and holiness it implied, it taught rewards of virtue and punishments of vice upon surer grounds than the heathens had ever inculcated that there was an Almighty Power which strictly examined the actions of all mankind. THE PRIOR'S CROSS, BY HOOK AND CROOK.' Hals in his Parochial History of Cornwall, in reference to the Peverells of Park, in his account of the parish of Egloshoyle, observes Those Peverells are especially memorable here by two crosses of moorstone in the highway set up by them, still extant (circa 1700), and called Peverell's crosses. Not far from them is another moorstone cross, near Mount Charles, called the Prior's Cross, whereon is cut the figure of a hook and crook, in memory of that privilege and freedom granted by him to the poor of Bodmin, for gathering for fireboote and houseboote, such boughs and branches of oak trees in his contiguous wood of Dunmear as they could reach to, or come at with a hook and crook without further damage to the trees thereof. From whence arose the Cornish proverb concerning filching, purloining, or taking another person's goods overmuch, or indirectly, beyond what is allowed them- they will have it by hook or by crook.' Some short time since, while purposely searching for these monuments, I discovered not far from Mount Charles, its original situation, what I believe to be the Prior's Cross, built into a hedge, near the little inn at Washaway. As it is supposed to be unique, an account of it may well be inserted in Current Notes, especially as Mr. Blight, whose recent highly and truthfully illus The stone, the dimensions of which are uncertain from its being partially sunk in the ground, is of the common round-headed form, but in place of the cross which usually occupies the disk, the exposed side shews a fleur-de-lis sans pied carved in relief. That Ha's's explanation of the figure, probably derived from the tradition of the neighbourhood, is incorrect, seems more than likely from the very distant resemblance which the lateral leaflets of the device bear to the woodcutter's implements mentioned, as also from the improbability that the reverent spirit of the age would have permitted such an use of a form of pillar consecrated to a loftier purpose. There would appear to be more truth in the suggestion that the fleur-de-lis is commemorative of the Virgin. Can your readers furnish further instances of the sacred use of the symbol? The derivation of the common proverb which the historian gives is, at least, as good as any that antiquarians have offered, which is, however, saying but little for its value. Your legal readers could, I dare say, supply examples to prove that it is a phrase frequent in deeds conveying grants of common of estovers. Several instances of its use are to be found in connection with the grant that this stone was popularly supposed to refer to, and the production of them here will be of wider interest in illustrating the social insecurity of a not very distant age. My information is derived from the Rev. John Wallis's useful and interesting Bodmin Register. A right of housebote and fireboote, as well as common of pasturage in the Dunmeer wood, was granted to the poor of Bodmin by one of the earlier priors, and this EARLY MERCHANTS' MARKs. liam Allen and Lyonel Duckett, Knights, Aldermen of Appended to a grant from Rowland Hawarde, WilBarne, Thomas Starkey, Richard Martin, and William London; to Edward Osborne,* Woolston Dixie, George Rowe, of four acres of land in Fynsburie field juxta Bonhill, dated March 22, 1583; are the seals and signatures of the grantees. On the seal of Sir Rowland Haywarde are the following armorial bearings-1 and 6. A lion rampant guardant crowned. 2. Two pellets 4. A lion rampant guardant in chief, two mullets. engrailed. 3. On a saltire engrailed, five fleurs-de-lis. 5. Per fess indented, an eagle displayed. The seal of Sir William Allyn, as the name is so subscribed, Lord Mayor of London, 1571, has his merchant's mark, as here right, so liable to abuse, was, at a later date, a source of quarrel between the prior and the people of the town. A testimonial of the town against the prior, bearing date 1525, states, "that the wood, called Dynmure wood, was ever open and common for all burgesses and inhabitants of Bodmyn till now of late, as well for all manner kind of their beasts to common therein, as to have their burden wood, to bear and carry away upon their backs, of lop, crop, hook, crook, and bagwood, without contradiction, let or disturbance of any manner persons; always reserving and saving to the Prior of Bodmyn and his successors the stems of the trees for their fuel and building," and it goes on to complain that the bailiffs whose duty it was to see that matters should be "indifferently ordered according to good right and conscience," were accustomed, for rewards and money given, to permit certain burgesses and others to carry away on horses the burthen wood to the prejudice of both the Prior and the commonalty. The dispute from hard words came to blows, as is detailed in a petition from the town to Henry VIII., within the period 1529 39, and that document represented that "whereas the said inhabitants Party per pale sable and or, on a fess engrailed, counhave used to have common pasture, with all manner of terchanged, three Talbots passant, gules and of the beasts, and common fuel, in a wood called Dynmure wood, a mile from the said town, that is to say, with-1. A saltire charged with a mullet. On Sir Lyonel Duckett's seal are the arms, quarterly hook and crook, to lop and crop and to carry away upon cushions tasselled. 3. A lion rampant. In Heylin's 2. Three their backs and none other ways," the Prior had caused the said wood to be inclosed, the gates to be locked, and Help to English History, edit. 1773, p. 528, it is said by his bailiffs had beaten, and cruelly obstructed the not so on the seal. 4. A saltire between twelve crosses the lion rampant, is within a bordure engrailed, but it is poor people while attempting to exercise their right of common; and that "the same now Prior hath now of late sold the said wood and made coal there, pretending it to be his several wood, not having regard to the title of common that the said inhabitants have within the said wood." The townspeople may possibly have exceeded their privileges, but they stoutly resented this infringe ment of their rights, and pulled down a hedge that they might daysler use the said ways and common." The Prior, among whose virtues forbearance could not be numbered, assumed an attitude of vengeance, and commanded the friends and servants of the manor of Bodmin to repair to the priory with such weapons as they had. By this means he gathered unto the said priory by estimation to the number of a hundred persons and above, and charged five cart load of ordnance with pellets to shoot into the town, and to destroy the town, and so shot into the town twenty pellets or thereabouts, which unlawful purpose the same Prior had maliciously fulfilled to his power, if by the council and advice of good men he had not been stayed; by reason of which dealings and malicious purpose," saith the petition, "the said poor commons standeth greatly in dread of the said Prior, and were thereby greatly inquieted." 66 This right of common was soon after renounced in consideration of a grant of a leet and frank pledge, for ninety-nine years, at the annual rent of four pounds (the term, at its close, to be renewed for ninety-nine years more), with a licence to build a market house in the town, and to hold a fair or mart at the Berry. THOMAS Q Couch. Bodmin. shewn: 1773, p. 528, the following arms are assigned to Allen second. crosslet. the Inauguration Pageant was written by George Peele. Lee Road, Blackheath. J. J. H. *Sir Edward Osborne, the ancestor from whom are descended the ducal family of Leeds. He was apprenticed to Sir William Hewet, of the Clothworker's Company, Lord Mayor in 1559, one of the most considerable merchants in London, and possessed of an estate of six thousand pounds per annum. Sir William's residence was on London bridge, and his only child Anne having, by the negligence of her nurse, fallen into the Thames from the window of the house upon the bridge, his apprentice Osborne on the instant leaped into the river, and having rescued her with with her hand and fortune. As that was ample, he appears much difficulty and danger, was in after time rewarded to have early relinquished mercantile affairs, although he served Lord Mayor in 1582, the year previous to this grant, and was elected the representative in Parliament for the City of London in 1585. of Roman third brass coins was found at Nunburn- NUNBURNHOLME.-In the autumn of 1855, a parcel | Friery, now built into the wall of the grammar school, at that city, which, as he observes, is a memorial no less beautiful than interesting. It bears a cross of most elegant design, which has on the dexter side of its stem, a sword, and on the sinister side, a Latin legend in two lines + HIC: IACET GRVFVD: IORWERTH: VAP:, cut in relief in sunk labels. Below the woodcut it is described as the coffin slab of Griffith ap Jorworth, Bangor, c. A D. 1320: but Griffith or Griffin ap Yerward was consecrated bishop of Bangor, March 26, 1307, and died in 1309. His successor, Anian Seys, was consecrated Nov. 9, 1309, and died Jan. 26, 1327. Heylin and Beatson place Lewis I., as the successor of bishop Griffith in 1320, which date the Rev. C. Boutell appears to have adopted; but Le Neve omits this Lewis; whilst on the other hand, Heylin and Beatson are silent as to Bishop Seys. : Valerianus, A.D. 254 Salonina Victorinus, A.D. 265-267 Marius, A.D. 267 Tetricus, senior, A.D. 267-272. Tetricus, the younger Barbarous imitations, chiefly of the Claudius Gothicus, A.D. 268-270 Aurelianus, A.D. 270-275 3 318 24 412 4 1270 448 415 326 13 3 Alice Wise, who died at York, Feb. 20, 1751, aged 108, was commonly known by the appellation of Duchess Dalton,' but why does not appear. Her desire was to have as many persons invited to her funeral as she was years old, and that number accordingly formed the cortege of her corpse to the grave.-Ed. DR. HALL.-The Duke of Rutland and other distinguished persons, desirous of presenting to Dr. Spencer T. Hall, author of The Peak and the Plain,' and other works, some appropriate memorial of the esteem and friendship with which they estimate his public usefulness, are liberally aiding a subscription in Derby towards the purchase of a complete set of Models, Diagrams and Apparatus for illustrating, educationally, Lectures on Physiology and the Laws of Health. Robert Pegg, Esq., Mayor of Derby, is the treasurer; and Mr. Llewellyn Jewitt, F.S.A., proprietor of the Derby Telegraph, officiates as honorary secretary. Many distinguished names appear in the list of the committee, and we unequivocally commend their exertions to the consideration of kindly disposed individuals. BANGOR EPISCOPAL MONUMENTS. The Rev. Charles Boutell, in his Christian Monuments in England and Wales, p. 69, figures the monumental slab of Griffith ap Jorworth, a benefactor to Bangor Lhanjestyn is a rectory in Caernarvonshire, in the diocese of Bangor, with a population of about fifteen hundred persons. Our correspondent, ECLECTICUS, seems inclined to suppose this inscription to refer either to Johannes Gilbert, who was appointed bishop of Bangor, Nov. 16, 1372, or to Johannes Clovensis; about both of whom there seems some doubt John Gilbert was translated to Hereford, Sept. 12, 1375, moved to St. David's, May 6, 1389,† and died Lord Treasurer, July 28, 1397. Heylin and Beatson designate Jo. Clovensis suffragan to the Archbishop of Cashell, the successor of Bishop Gilbert, and states that Bishop Swaffham followed him in 1383. Le Neve, however, registers Gilbert's successor at Bangor, John Swaffham, bishop of Clogher, in Ireland, from whence he was translated to this see, Oct. 28, 1376. Can any correspondent supply any facts respecting this John of Llanjestyn? who it would seem was a prelate of some distinction. *The sword would seem to militate against the fact of its being the bishop's memorial; another point of difficulty is the assertion by Malkin, in his South Wales, 1804, 4to. p. 462-On the south side of St. David's cathedral, near the throne, lies bishop Jorwerth in his robes, with his mitre and staff. t In Duncombe's Hereford, the date is July 12, 1389. AMCOTTS GRANT, TEMP. EDWARD THE SIXTH. The following grant of arms to Alexander Amcotts of Astrop, in Lincolnshire, in 1549; the original being in my possession, is worthy of note, as it specifies not only the achievements of the family, but also their quarterings, a circumstance rarely observed in grants of so early a date. The parchment, on three sides has an illuminated border, and the initial letter T richly gilded, has within it, the emblazoned portrait of Garter, habited in the tabard and crown of his office; standing upon a green mound, and his arms extended. The grant, it will be observed, is dated in October, 1549; but Sir Christopher Barker died in January in that year, and Sir Gilbert Dethick was appointed Garter in April, 1549. The arms appear to have been granted by Barker, but the document was not drawn or issued as authority until after his decease. Packwood, Warwickshire. J. FETHERSTON. golde. In ye thyrde quarter gouls, a castell golde, the WARD FAMILY, IPSWICH. St. Clements, Ipswich.-The present rector is Mr. JOHN WARD, brother of Mr. SAMUEL WARD, sometime there Tower preacher. He married Lydia, sister of John Acton, Esq., of Bramford, and widow of Daniel Burrell, Gent. His estate as minister of St. Clements, by his wife, his owne lands and otherwise, viis et modis, is thought worth 400l. per annum. To all and singular parsons these present letters hyrenge or seeinge, Syr CHRISTOFER BARKER, Knight, als Garter Principall Kinge of armes of Englesshemen, Sendethe due and and humble recummendacion and greatinge. Equitee willethe and reason ordeinethe that men vertuous and of noble courage be by theire merytes and good renowne rewarded and had in perpetuall memory for theire good name, and be in all places of honnor and wourshipp among other noble parsons accepted and reputed, by shewinge of certein ensignes and tokens of vtue, honner, and gentelness, to thentente during the Commonwealth period, are the following In some manuscript collections relating to Suffolk, that by theire Insample others shulde the more perseue-memoranda. The descendants of the Wards are now rantly enforce themselfes to use theire tyme in honorable located in America, and are very wealthy. wourkes and vertuous dedes to purchase and gette the renowne of aucient noblesse, not oonly for themselfes, but allso for the heyrs and posteritee of them discended, accordinge to theire demerytes and valyant actes, to be taken forthe and reputed amonges all, nobles and gentels, and all be yt that ALEXANDER AMCOTTES, of Astroppe, in the Countie of Lyncolne, ys descended of honneste lignaige, and allso, his auncestors and predecessours hathe longe contynued in nobilitee and beringe armes laufull and conuenient, yett nevertheless he beinge incertein thereof hathe heretofore erred frome the same, the whiche I the said Garter perceyuenge after aduertisment and due proofe of the same to hym made, he knowlegeng his saide error in the premisses, hathe requyred and Instantly desyred me the saide Garter to ratefy and conferme unto hym, and allso to regester in my recordes, the true armes and blason of his saide auncestors, and therefore I the foresaide Garter, by vertue, power, and auctoritee to myne office of principall Kinge of armes annexed and attributed by the Kinge our Souerain Lorde, I haue appointed and cöfermed unto ye saide ALEXANDER AMCOTTES, these armes and creste with thappurtenaunces hereafter followenge, viz.: Berethe Syluer, a castell betwene iii cuppes asure. In the secunde quarter, syluer, iiii barres goullys ouer all a lyon Rampant Sabulles crowned armed and langed A later edition states-There is since a handsome monument of alabaster against the wall, set up by Thomas Essington, Esq., and Anne, his wife, to preserve the memory of John Ward, minister there. Mæ Sm Conditur in isto Sacrario quod exuerat mortale ipso cognomine laudatus quod et præstitit Cineres piissimæ (quam præmiserat bienni Arms Niger, a Maltese cross or. THE CROSS OR SWORD AT AUCHENDRANE. Traditionally, the cross or sword, cut upon a large grey granite boulder stone here, measuring from head to point forty-one inches, and transversely fifteen inches, is said to represent the sword of Sir William Wallace, the shape of which here shewn, was cut into the stone by his followers to commemorate one of his successful raids between the years 1291 and 1297, against the soldiers of Edward the First of England, who were then in garrison in the neighbouring town of Ayr. On the other hand, the author of the Description of Carrick, one of the districts of Ayrshire, who lived towards the close of the seventeenth century, and whose treatise is appended to Pitcairn's reprint of the History of the Kennedies, Edinb. 1830, states-Upon the descent of Brown Carrick Hill, near to the mains of Blairstowne, is a big whinstone, upon which is the dull figure of a crosse, alledged to have been done by some venerable churchman, who did mediate a peace between the Kings of the Picts and the Scots, and to give the more authority to his proposals, did in their sight, by laying a crosse upon the stone, imprint that figure thereon.' Which, therefore, of these stories is the most credible and the most deserving of belief? Hereabouts we prefer the first. Is it a cross or a sword that is represented on the large granite boulder stone? and in either case, does it commemorate Wallace, or the peace between the Picts and the Scots? Possibly some of your numerous readers may be able to solve and settle this difficulty. The stone is now enclosed within a wall, in order to its preservation. Auchendrane, Ayr, Oct. 9. E. C. In May last, at a meeting of the British Archæological Association, Captain Tupper exhibited the head of a hammer, carved in ivory, having the arms of the Merchant Taylors' Company, London, on one end; and the other inscribed-The guift of Thomas Roberts, 1679. A portion of the handle of black wood remained in the socket. The origin of the Presidential Hammer, as a symbol of authority, is supposed, as it was then stated, to be sought for in the Mjölner of the mighty Thor. LINES TO A FAIR STOIC. The couplet quoted in Current Notes, p. 78, appears to admit of a closer translation than either there quoted, e. g. Si, nisi quæ forma poterit te digna videri Nulla futura tua est; nulla futura tua est. Which I would render If, save the form in beauty worthy thee, None shall be thine; thine none shall ever be. Oct. 6. W. S. On reading the couplet, and the translations, in Current Notes, p. 78, it appeared to me that none of them were sufficiently close to the original. To the following attempt you are welcome: If none, but one, whose form seems worthy thee, Shall be thine own; none thine will ever be. Oct. 8. T. P. M. H. REMARKABLE EPITAPHS IN LESLIE, FIFESHIRE. To the memory of GEORGE ARCHER, aged 63, and his wife, AGNES WALKER, aged 69. Both died in the month of May, 1711. Here lyes within this earthen ark, His bow is now a harp, his song His consort Walker went along To walk with Christ in white. Upon a marble tablet is the following - To his commands he ne'er said no, His days and years they were spun out At last a period came about It being the 24th day of May, To heaven we hope did fix. On the same tablet, later was added Here lyes the dust of Charles Brown, And of his years being twenty-three; He dyed upon the Yorkshire cost; We hope his soul in heaven rests now. |