lation to the bill now in parliament for vesting that estate in the Crown. According to the document proving it, the original frontage towards Henley street must have been considerably greater than it appears to have been at the time of the poet's bequest.

Edward Hawkins, esq. F.S.A. then brought forward the motion of which he had given notice, that a committee of the Society should be appointed to revise its statutes and bye-laws. It had previously been intimated by the Council that no resistance would be offered on their part to this proposition, on the understanding that the proposed revision should not effect the recent alterations in the terms of admission and annual subscription, and that the interval of a fortnight should take place before the members of the committee were appointed. The list proposed by Mr. Hawkins was then delivered in as follows: Edward Hawkins, esq., Sir Fortunatus Dwarris, James Heywood, esq. M.P. Octavius Morgan, esq. M.P. Frederic Ouvry, esq. Capt. W. H. Smyth, R.N., V.P., and William Tite, esq. [These gentlemen were appointed, nearly unanimously, at the meeting of the 16th Dec.]

Dec. 9. Lord Viscount Mahon, Pres. Sir John Boileau, Bart. of Ketteringham Hall, Norfolk; Henry Reeve, esq. of H. M. Privy Council Office; Robert Richardson, esq. of the Middle Temple and Swansea, and David Jardine, esq. barrister-at-law, author of "Criminal Trials," and other works, were elected Fellows of the Society.

The Rev. E. Bradley exhibited, by the hands of Mr. Thoms, a drawing of the monument to Sir Harry Coningsby, in the burial ground of Arley King's, Worcestershire, consisting of a quadrangular pile of hewn square stones, on which are inscribed, LITHOLOGEMA IN QUARE RE

PONITUR SIR HARRY.

The Rev. J. Pemberton Bartlett exhibited two denarii found with many others in the New Forest; they were of Julian the Apostate and Valens, and both of common types.

The Earl of Verulam exhibited a large quadrangular glass vase containing human bones, recently found in Essex, and which has been presented by his lordship to the British Museum.

Joseph Beldam, esq. of the Inner Temble, communicated an account of the crypt at Royston, called the Lady Roesia's Cave, which he has lately examined with great attention. This place was discovered about a century ago by some workmen engaged in fixing a post in the marketplace. Dr. Stukeley at once proceeded to furnish a comment upon the cave and its contents- a mouldering skeleton, which he declared to be that of a woman, and a

series of paintings on the walls. This account was ridiculed by the Rev. Mr. Parkin, and the controversy produced much angry feeling,-everything, in fact, but the truth. Mr. Beldam expressed his conviction that the opinion that this cave was in reality a Roman columbarium (as suggested by Mr. Akerman : see our July number, p. 79) was well grounded, although it was probably really used as a cell or oratory in the middle ages. That a recluse was living in Royston in the early part of the sixteenth century is proved by the churchwardens' books of the parish of Bassingbourn.

Dec. 16. Lord Viscount Mahon, V.P. Sixteen new Fellows were added to the list of the Society, viz.: The Rt. Hon. Lord Henniker; Mark Anthony Lower, of Lewes, schoolmaster, author of The Curiosities of Heraldry, Essays on English Surnames, &c.; Lieut.-Colonel Charles Stepney Cowell, of Hertford-street, May Fair; Charles Mackay, esq. LL.D. author of Songs of the People, the History of Modern Popular Delusions, &c.; Richard Frankum, esq. of Burlington - gardens, surgeon; John Thurnham, M.D. of Devizes; Francis Henry Dickenson, esq. of King's Weston Park, Som. late M.P. for co. Somerset; William Hookham Carpenter, esq. Keeper of the Department of Prints and Drawings in the British Museum, author of "Sir Anthony Van Dyck and his Contemporaries;" William Kell, esq. Town Clerk of Gateshead; William Hylton Longstaffe, esq. of Gateshead, author of a History of Darlington; Joseph Clarke, of Stratford Place, Oxford-street, architect; the Rev. John Collingwood Bruce, M.A. of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, author of "The Roman Wall;" James Crossley, esq. of Manchester, President of the Chetham Society; John Fenwick, esq. solicitor, of Newcastle-upon-Tyne; John Evans, of Nash Mills, Hemelhempsted, paper-manufacturer; and William Smith, esq. of Upper Southwick-street, Treasurer of the Arundel Society.

The Bishop of Oxford, V.P. exhibited two globular vessels of coloured glass, ornamented with wavy patterns, not long since dug up near Cuddesdon. They will be figured in Mr. Akerman's Remains of Saxon Pagandom.

Mr. Lemon announced that the invitation recently read from the chair with respect to the Society's collection of Proclamations had been very handsomely responded to by William Salt, esq. F.S.A., who has presented a valuable series, which commences exactly where that already in the Society's possession leaves off. Forty earlier Proclamations have also been acquired by an exchange of duplicates negociated with H.M. State Paper Office.

The reading was then commenced of a paper by J. H. Parker, esq. F.S.A., in continuation of his remarks on the Ecclesiastical Architecture of France, already published in the Archæologia. It commences with some very remarkable details respecting the Byzantine edifices of Angoulême, and is accompanied by beautiful drawings. The remainder will be read after the Christmas recess.

ARCHEOLOGICAL INSTITUTE.

Dec. 3. The Hon. Richard Neville, V.P. The attention of the Society having been specially directed, during the meeting at Newcastle, to the inconveniences arising from the existing laws of Treasure-trove, a resolution had been passed at the previous monthly meeting, proposed by Mr. Neville, and seconded by Viscount Strangford, in pursuance of which the President of the Institute, Lord Talbot de Malahide, had requested an interview with the Earl of Derby. Mr. Neville now informed the meeting, that in company with their noble President, and a deputation, including Lord Strangford, Mr. Octavius Morgan, Mr. Wynne, Professor Donaldson, and other members of the Institute, he had attended the interview with the Prime Minister, who had given most courteous attention to the arguments advanced by Lord Talbot in favour of a special inquiry into the laws of Treasure-trove, and the frequent prejudice occasioned thereby. He might further state that Lord Derby had assured the deputation that, although Her Majesty's Ministers would not be disposed to originate any measure on this subject, he did not apprehend that, if any Member of the House of Commons should move for such inquiry, the proposition would be met with adverse feeling on the part of the Government.

In

Mr. Neville then read a memoir on researches carried out during the previous month under his direction in Essex. the immediate neighbourhood of the remarkable Bartlow tumuli, which had produced such interesting antiquities of Roman times, during the excavations carried out by the late Mr. Gage Rokewode, Mr. Neville had brought to light extensive remains of a villa, and many other traces of the Roman occupants of that district. He laid before the meeting plans of the buildings discovered, with various ornaments and objects of Roman workmanship, obtained a few days since. The locality appeared so promising that the works were still continued, and a further report was promised for the next meeting.

M. Gerard Moultrie gave an account of primeval monuments existing in the Isle

of Arran; he produced a fac-simile of an inscription in Runes, which he had found in a cavern in that island, with various figures and designs traced upon the rock. He was desirous to invite attention to the existence of numerous stone circles, stones of memorial, and other vestiges in that Island, hitherto undescribed.

The chief warder of the Portland Prison, Mr. Neale, sent a notice of recent discoveries in the Isle of Portland, which appeared to afford undeniable evidence of its having been occupied in Roman times; and he related several interesting facts in relation to the interments of that period lately examined under his direction.

The Rev. E. Trollope produced drawings of singular sepulchral memorials, of a very early date, found built in materials in the walls of Ranceby Church, Lincolnshire.

The Rev. C. R. Manning reported a recent discovery of certain architectural remains, believed to be of the AngloSaxon age, in Norfolk, Roman materials being also employed in the construction.

Mr. Westwood produced a series of admirable fac-similes from Anglo-Saxon MSS. at Lambeth, Lichfield Cathedral, and in the British Museum, and gave an interesting disquisition on the peculiar character of these works of the scribes in the eighth and ninth centuries.

The Rev. F. Warre described the latest results of his explorations at the great hill fortress called Worlebury, on the coast of Somerset, where a large number of primitive habitations have been brought to light (see the review of the Somersetshire Society's Transactions in our present Magazine); recent excavations have produced a large deposit of Roman coins, with other ancient remains.

Amongst antiquities exhibited were rings and ornaments, and drawings of fresco paintings, from the Roman villa opened by Mr. Neville; and other objects of the same age collected in Wiltshire by Rev. E. Wilton. Mr. Duncan brought a large collection of fragments of pottery, coins, decorative pavement tiles, and other ancient relics of various periods, lately found on the site of Kilburn Priory, near London.

Mr. Octavius Morgan contributed a very early example of the table-clock, date about 1525, with other specimens of middle-age workmanship. Several antiquities from Wales were shown by Mr. Wynne; and some ring-fibulæ of pewter, resembling the signs worn by pilgrims to noted shrines, from the remarkable deposit at Hoylake, on the Cheshire coast, by Mr. Robinson. A musket and a caliver, of the time of Sir Philip Sidney, were brought by Mr. Hewitt, who made some interesting re

marks on the earliest forms of fire-arms. These curious examples had been preserved at Penshurst Castle.

BRITISH ARCHEOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION.

Nov. 24. T. J. Pettigrew, esq. V.P. Mr. Baigent exhibited a pilgrim's token of lead, found at Winchester, representing the Coronation of the Blessed Virgin, and supposed to be of the time of Edward III. Mr. Warren exhibited the drawing of an enamelled fibula, which he refers to the Saxon period; Mr. Burkitt a rubbing of a brass of Ethelred King of Wessex, in the chancel of Wimbourne Minster, Dorset. Mr. Lynch exhibited a book of offices of the fourteenth century, having the initial letters illuminated, and the arms of the Earl of Arundel, the Earl of Lancaster, Elizabeth and William de Bohun, the Earl of Salisbury, the Duke of Gloucester, and others, painted within them. Mr. Lott exhibited four tradesmen's weights, recently dug up near Gerard's Hall, of the time of Charles I. bearing a crown surmounting the letter C. Mr. Brewer read a paper on the antiquity of the custom of marking and stamping weights and measures, particularly those of the city of London, and submitted a collection of statutes and other documents on the subject. Mr. Lott illustrated these by several specimens from the city, and Mr. Von Irving made some observations on the weights and measures of Scotland. Mr. Pettigrew exhibited a number of tiles belonging to R. Milward, esq. of Thurgarton Priory; the Rev. Mr. Hugo four spoons and a coin of the time of Elizabeth, found on the site of an ancient house at a place called the Ranglet, near Cooper Fold, in the township of Walton-le-Dale, Lancashire; Mr. Rolfe an ivory drinking-horn, obtained at Mr. Curling's sale at Deal, apparently of the time of Edward IV.; Mr. Gunston exhibited some rubbings from military brasses, to illustrate specimens of chain-mail and basinets.

SOCIETY OF ANTIQUARIES OF NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE.

Dec. 1. At the monthly meeting, William Kell, esq. town clerk of Gateshead, in the chair, Mark Antony Lower, esq. was unanimously elected an honorary member.

The Newcastle volume of the Archæological Institute, now in progress, formed the subject of a brief conversation, and the members present expressed their determination to promote its success in every possible way. With this view, it was resolved that the Society's woodcuts and copperplates should be placed at the command of the Institute. Mr. T. J. Taylor has acquired, since the reading of his paper on GENT. MAG. VOL. XXXIX,

Mr. H. G. Potter read a paper on his recent excavations at Burdoswald, which have brought to light a fourth gateway, far surpassing the others in style of architecture and finish. The first trace of it was discovered during the last winter, by Mr. Boustead, the farmer on the spot, who came upon one of the piers while digging the foundation of a bull-shed. Mr. Potter, with his brother, subsequently assumed the work of excavation; and the result of their labours may now be seen by visitors. A noble double gateway has been laid bare. One of the gates has been walled-up, not by the Romans themselves, as is proved by the difference of level between the floor of the Roman gate and that on which the barrier now stands. Many circumstances, which presented themselves during the researches at Burdoswald, have led Mr. Potter to believe that this camp was occupied as a town long after the departure of the Romans. The floors, for example, of some of the houses are about four feet above the flagged Roman footpath inside the walls; and the ruins of (apparently) Roman structures form the foundations of later edificeswhich, in their turn, have been destroyed, or suffered to go to ruin, and earth and herbage cover their remains. Gildas and Bede tell us in what manner the Picts and Scots conquered the Britons after the last Roman legion had left the island, and how they ravaged the country, drove the inhabitants before them, and made their habitations like the abodes of wild beasts; and tradition adds, that near Burdoswald (Amboglanna), at a place called "The Gap," the Picts broke through the Wall. The station, it is probable, was reduced to ruins, and so remained until the country became more settled; when, tempted by its commanding position, and the fact of its being traversed by the Maiden Way, some Saxon chief of the name of Oswald may have repaired its walls and gates, and built a town within-the Burgh of Oswald -easily corruptible into Burdoswald, Birdoswald, or (as it is now often called) Bridussel. Here, also, there is reason to suppose, the Danes more recently dwelt. The wreck of Harrows (or Harold's) Castle still survives. Its stones were removed

L

some years ago to build the Hill Head House, now occupied by Mr. Ramshay.

In Mr. Potter's quarto tract on Amboglanna, printed in 1851, is a restoration of the "Decuman Gate," in which he has thrown arches over the gateway; and the truth of the vision which, with learned and sagacious eye, he then imagined has been vindicated by his late discoveries. To one of the piers of the gateway, 84 feet high, the projecting impost is still attached, and the first stone of the arch rests thereon. The voussoir is two feet long, and 15 inches thick at the broad, and 11 at the narrow end. At the outside of the southern tower of the gate, on the ground, was found a broken slab. It appears to have fallen from its place, and to have been fractured by a stone which had aftewards fallen upon it-and which, indeed, was found lying upon it still. This slab bears an inscription which may be thus given (two or three of the letters being conjectural) :

:

SV BMO DIO IV LIO LEG AVG PR PR COH IAEL DC CVI PRAEEST M CL MEN ANDER

TRIB

Mr. Potter extends the inscription as follows:-"Sublimo Dio Julio Legato Augusti Proprætori Cohors Prima Elia Dacorum cui præest Marcus Claudius Menander Tribunus." Julius Severus, the noble Roman whom he supposes to be here named, was proprætor of Britain in the time of Hadrian, and was recalled, as "the most courageous of his generals," to go against the Jews. This was in 132 or 134 A.D.; and it may safely be concluded that about that time was the gate erected by Julius Severus, and the slab inserted in the wall by the first Ælian cohort of the Dacians, over whom Menander was tribune. Mr. Potter, however, does not ascribe the formation of the camp to Hadrian. The gate now laid bare is of a later and superior style of architecture to the camp generally-more highly finished, the work of a more refined age. The camp is of the time, Mr. Potter inclines to think, of Agricola. The suburbium lay without the present gate, and its ruins may still be traced with ease, although covered with vegetation. Mr. Potter expects to find the foundation of a similar gate on the opposite side of the camp; and if so, the number of the gates would be six. Four have been already described; one remains to be excavated; the sixth or Prætorian gate was destroyed some time ago, to form

a barn. Of the four gates that have been exposed, only one gateway has not been walled-up. Stones, it is conjectured, were substituted for soldiers. Mr. Potter's interesting paper concludes with a few remarks on the rude representations of a palm branch and sword, emblems of Peace and War, which are engraven on the inscribed

stone.

YORKSHIRE ARCHITECTURAL SOCIETY.

Oct. 21. The annual meeting of this society took place in the society's room at York, the Ven. Archdeacon Churton in the chair.

Mr. W. H. Dykes, one of the secretaries, read the report of the committee, which congratulated the members on the increased interest now generally taken in the objects of the society; and suggested the propriety of altering the tenth rule, which confines its meetings to the city of York, whereas it seemed desirable that the annual meeting should be held in York, and that two other public meetings should take place in other towns of the county. Two interesting meetings of this character have been held during the past year, one at Leeds, and the other at Thornton Abbey, Lincolnshire, the latter being in connection with the Architectural Society of that county. The committee suggested that meetings during the ensuing year should be held at Richmond and Selby, which towns possessed several attractions and claims upon their attention. They had only one grant to record during the year, viz. 101. towards the rebuilding of the chancel-arch of Ackworth church. Other grants they had been reluctantly compelled to refuse in consequence of the narrowness of their means. Seven papers

on various subjects have been read during the past year. Certain mural paintings having been discovered in Pickering church, Mr. Bevan, the society's artist, has been sent to Pickering, and the results of his labours were exhibited in that room. It was expected that the original paintings would be obliterated, but the question remained for the decision of the Archbishop.

The Rev. R. E. Batty read an interesting paper on Pontefract Castle; after which R. M. Milnes, esq. M.P. for that town, exhibited some original letters connected with its history, viz. several from Sir Thomas Fairfax, Oliver Cromwell, and others, and an order relative to the execution of King Charles I.

Mr. W. H. Dykes then read a paper on the paintings discovered in Pickering church, which are illustrative of the life of our Saviour and the lives of the saints.

By a decree dated on the 2d Dec. "Napoleon, by the grace of God and the national will, Emperor of the French" assumes the name of Napoleon III. thereby recognising the abdication made by the first Napoleon in favour of his son. He has intimated, however, to foreign powers that in assuming this title he has no intention to assert an hereditary claim to the crown; but that, on the contrary, he rests his authority upon the choice of the people, and recognises all that has taken place since 1814.

By a second decree of the same date three generals of division attain the dignity of Marshals of France, viz. Le Roy de Saint Arnaud, Minister of War; Magnan, Commander-in-chief of the army of Paris; and De Castellane, Commander-in-chief of the army of Lyons. The Emperor's civil list is proposed to be fixed at 25 millions of francs, to which will be added the Crown jewels and moveables, with the imperial palaces and the forests, the museums and factories of Sevres, Gobelins, and Beauvais. The revenues from the forests bring three millions. But the

Crown is charged with the sum of 7,225,000f., the estimated expense of keeping the palaces in repair. To the imperial princes a further sum of 1,500,000f. is destined. It is understood that the new Empire will be generally acknowledged by the other Continental powers. Meanwhile, for the first time in the history of the two nations, a visit has been paid to Berlin by the Emperor of Austria, and it is suggested that this visit is meant as a salutary hint to the French that the German great powers remain cordially united for the maintenance of the treaties of 1815, and that any attempt to disturb the arrangements on which the peace of Europe has so long rested would meet with an equally prompt and formidable repulse.

Prome

An important move has been made in prosecution of the Burmese war. was captured on the 9th of October by the force under the command of Commodore Lambert and General Godwin. Very little resistance was made by the Burmese, the British loss only amounting to one man killed and eight wounded. Five thousand Burmese were posted about six miles from Prome, but General Godwin did not wish to attack them until he was reinforced. The Admiral (C. J. Austen, C.B.) had died of cholera, but the troops were particularly healthy. The Burmese General and the ex-Governor of Rangoon have surrendered themselves at the British camp.

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