lup.

Item. Anulus minor cum saphiro nigro qui vocatur

Item.

Item.

Anulus cum parvo saphiro nigro qui vocatur lup.
Anulus cum saphiro quadrato aquoso.

Item. Anulus cum lapide oblongo qui vocatur Turkoyse.

Item. Anulus j. cum viridi cornelin sculpto rotundo.
Item. Anulus j. parvus cum smaragdine triangulato.
Item. Anulus j. cum chalcedonio oblongo.

Item. Lapides ejusdem in auro situati,
Saphirus unus oblongus qui vocatur loup.
Item. Onichinus unus oblongus.

Item. Crapodinus unus in auro.

Item. Cornelinus unus sculptus et oblongus in auro. Item. Crux aurea, cum tribus garnettis, quatuor pe

rulis, et duobus granis saphiri.

Item. Firmacula iij. parva vetera, unde ij. cum parvis gemmis et j. cum nigro saphiro.

Item. Lapides ejusdem cum argento,

Lapis in forma piri.

Item. Jaspis unus rotundus.

Item. Unus peridot oblongus.

Item. Una prama rotunda in argento deaurato.

Item. Crapodinus j. in argento.

Item. j. Camau cum medietate hominis.

Item. Lapis j. niger quadratus.

Item. j. Anulus argenteus cum garnettis.

Item. Os album rotundum in argento.

Item. Lapis R. de Weynchepe oblongus cum cornelino rubeo et capite hominis.

There are probably further treasures belonging to the Shrine mentioned under the other heads of the Inventory. Thus among the chasubles is that of sir John Plukenet, knight, of purple cloth with golden pine-apples, and a large orfrey before and behind, bequeathed to the Shrine of Saint Thomas. Among six chalices of solid gold, one is described as,

Calix aureus ad feretrum, cum viridi amalio in nodo pedis.

Among the murrhine cups, was one called the Cup of Saint Thomas, lined with silver gilt, and having a chased foot. Another of the six golden chalices was that offered by Philip king of France; and among the Cuppæ ad Corpus Domini, was one of gold offered by Louis king of France. Among the morses or clasps of copes, were six also called "of the king of France," silver, gilt and enamelled, three with imagery undescribed, and the other three having the crucifix on the right side, and the annunciation on the left. Thus it appears that the French monarchs made frequent offerings to Saint Thomas of Canterbury and it will be observed that Erasmus remarks that several of the jewels of the Shrine were the gift of sovereign princes.

Amongst other Shrines of English saints, the most celebrated were those of Edward the Confessor at West

minster, Edmund at Bury in Suffolk, Alban at the town named after him, and Cuthbert at Durham.

The CONFESSOR was not canonized until the pontificate of Alexander III. Thereupon king Henry the Third prepared a precious shrine, to which the body of the saint was translated at midnight on the 15th Oct. 1163. Afterwards, on king Henry the Third rebuilding the church, the original shrine was either inclosed or succeeded by the remarkable erection of Italian mosaic which has been suffered to remain to our own days. It is said to have been surmounted by another of fine gold and precious stones, so curiously wrought, that the workmanship even exceeded the material. Among the treasures of this shrine was an image of the blessed Virgin in ivory, offered by archbishop Becket, who had promoted the Confessor's canonization.

The shrine of SAINT EDMUND in Bury was also of two parts, or stages, which seems to have been the usual arrangement—the lower of stone, and the upper of wood, incased with gold plate. An illumination of Lydgate's Life of St. Edmund, in the MS. Harl. 2278, represents the young devotee, king Henry the Sixth, kneeling before this shrine, in 1433. It is engraved in the new edition of the Monasticon, and in the Gentleman's Magazine for September 1822.

The shrine of SAINT ALBAN was renewed in costly goldsmith's work by abbat Simon towards the close of the twelfth century. On the two sides were figures in

relief representing the life of the blessed martyr; at the head, towards the east, the crucifix, with Mary and John; and in the front, towards the west, an image of the blessed Virgin, sitting on a throne, and holding her divine Infant in her lap. On both sides of the roof the order of the saint's martyrdom was represented. At the four corners were open turrets, with marvellous bosses of crystal. Within this sumptuous external covering, the older shrine was contained. It is said that the (inner) shrine of saint Alban is now preserved in the church of Saint Mauritius, belonging to the Theresian convent at Cologne. (See Matthew Paris; Newcome's History of St. Alban's, pp. 63 and 75; and Messrs. Bucklers' Architectural History of the Church, 1847, pp. 47, 168.)

The Shrine of SAINT CUTHBERT at Durham is fully described in the curious account of that church written by one who remembered it in its state before the Reformation. It" was exalted with most curious workmanship of fine and costly green marble, all limned and gilt with gold, having four seats or places convenient under the shrine for the pilgrims or lame men sitting on their knees to lean and rest on, at the time of their devout offerings and fervent prayers to God and holy Saint Cuthbert for his miraculous relief and succour; which being never wanting, made the shrine to be so richly invested that it was estimated to be one of the most sumptuous monuments in England, so great were the offerings and jewels bestowed upon it, and no less the miracles that were

done by it." There was a wainscot covering, let up and down by means of a pulley and rope, which at the same time set six silver bells in motion, in order to attract the attention of persons in distant parts of the church. The cover was gilt; on the north and south sides were painted "four lively images," on the east end our Saviour sitting on a rainbow, to give judgment, and on the west end the Virgin and our Saviour on his knee. The cover had a carved crest of dragons and other beasts; its inside was varnished of a fine sanguine colour, to be more perspicuous to the beholders, and when closed down it was locked at every corner.

Within the Feretory or Chapel of the Shrine, both on the north and south, were Almeryes for the Relics: made of wainscot, finely painted and gilt with little images and at the same time that the shrine was uncovered, these almeryes were also opened for exhibition. (See more minute particulars in the Rites and Monuments of the Monasticall Church of Durham, Surtees Society's edition, 1842, pp. 3 et seq.)

The vice-prior of Durham was also keeper of the Feretory. "His office was that, when any man of honour or worship were disposed to make their prayers to God and to Saint Cuthbert, or to offer anything to his sacred Shrine, if they requested to have it drawn, then straitway the Clerk of the Feretory did give intelligence to his master, and then the said master did bring the keys, giving them to the clerk to open the locks of the Shrine.