Lawsam. Wharwell. Newtonlace. Preston Candavar. Bensted. Peniton Mewsey. Hedleye. Romsey. Hertley Maundyt. Alton. Dn an Early Fifth Century African Reliquary. By REV. JOSEPH HIRST. IN July, 1884, at a distance of 8 kilomètres from Aïn-Beida, on the new road to Tebessa, the remains were discovered of an ancient Christian basilica of small size, but of sufficient importance to make it worth while considering whether it should not be removed stone by stone, and re-erected in one of the public squares of the first-named city. The archæological value of the discovery of an early Christian ruin was, however, far eclipsed by that of a reliquary of primitive form, which had evidently been deposited in the foundations of the building at its northern angle. Here some Italian workmen, acting under the direction of the French agent Des Ponts et Chaussées, found, at the depth of mètres, a rectangular stone, measuring 38 centimètres by 33. In the middle of this stone was a deep oval cavity, measuring 30 centimètres by 15, and in this cavity still lay an oval-shaped silver box, which had originally been enclosed in a wooden case, for the remains of the dust from the decayed wood could still be seen, and in it were found two hinges and a clasp, all of silver. This silver box was immediately recognised as a reliquary, and on being taken out it was found to measure 16 centimètres long, 8 wide, and nearly 4 inches in height. The whole surface is worked in relief or repoussé ornament representing figures. On the cover is the effigy of a martyr, as may be argued from the laurel crown which he holds against his breast, just as we see in the case of other figures of apostles and martyrs in early Christian art. Above may be seen the Divine hand coming out of a cloud, directing as it were the crown towards the head of the Broken Plate delivered into the Jewel House saint. 7 Edw. vi.-1 Mary. County and City of Hereford. (Ibid., Bdle. 447, No. 1.) The martyr is clothed in tunic and cloak adorned with double dotted lines. The lines traced on the pallium may denote a woollen or hairy material; the tunic has a border of embroidered laurel leaves. The martyr has sandals, crepida, on his feet, which rest on an eminence, whence flow the four springs of the rivers of Paradise, the quadrifluus amnis of Prudentius. On either side of the figure burns a torch, each fixed upon a spindleshaped, three-footed candlestick. The custom of portraying the deceased faithful or saints between candelabra, or burning candles, was common in Africa and almost peculiar to it. Examples can be found at Naples in the cemetery of St. Gaudioso, and in the catacombs of St. Januarius, and the custom may have been brought thither in the fifth century by the arrival in Campania of the African exiles fleeing from their Vandal persecutors. These candelabra were a symbol of the light of Christian faith, and were an imitation of the custom of lighting candles (cereolaria) before the Book of Imperial decrees, or of bearing lights before the emperors themselves.* On the elliptic sides of the Theca or casket (the cover is convex) are two scenes often reproduced in the mosaics and paintings of the apses of Christian basilicas. On one side is the mystical rock from which flow the four sacred streams, and over it rises the monogram of Christ.† A stag and a hind Pope Nicholas I. reproached the Greek Emperor Michael for retaining this custom to symbolize his double jurisdiction, spiritual and temporal. A lamp was carried before a patriarch to signify his spiritual jurisdiction (Ciampini, Monumenta vetera, chap. xii., pars ii.). Vigilantius, in the fourth century, reproached Christians for their accensi ante tumulos Martyrum cerei as idolatrous; while St. Jerome defends them in his 109th ep. and in his book, Contra Vigilantium. Then, again, Prudentius sings of the catacombs: Auroque nocturnis sacris—Adstare fixos cereos; and St. Paulinus, bishop of Nola, of the martyr's sepulchre : Ast alii pictis accendant lumina ceris. Both poets wrote in the fourth century. For the pagan use of the Chi Rho monogram, as abbreviation for chreston (good, useful), chronos (time), or chrysus (gold), see Liddell and Scott's larger Greek dictionary at the letter X; for the Christian appropriation of the symbol for the sacred name of Christ, see De Rossi, Roma Sotterranea (Ital. ed.), vol. ii., pp. 277, 320 et seq., and in the recentlyissued section of the Bulletino di archeologia cristiana, Series IV., anno v., p. 95 et seq., on some new discoveries made in 1888. The statement made by Mr. Romilly Allen, in his recently published Rhind lectures on Christian Symbolism, that the Chi Rho monogram was used on coins centuries before Constantine, seems liable to some misapprehension. As I understand from Prof. Middleton, the Chi Rho is found in Alexandrine MSS. of the first century of our era as a contraction of a commonly occurring Greek word, not Christ; while the X in a circle is found on Cypriote coins of the sixth century B.C. are represented running to slake their thirst at the sacred stream, the whole scene being shut in by two palm trees, symbolic of Palestine, and of the mystic land of promise beyond the grave. beyond the grave. On the other side eight sheep are seen issuing, on the right and on the left, from two little buildings like temples, sketched on the lesser curve of the ellipse, turning towards the Divine Lamb, which stands in the middle of the field, and behind which rises a Latin-shaped cross. The monogram of Christ is represented in a purely Greek and very primitive form, viz., in that called after Constantine, in which the curve of the Rho is open and unfinished, the ends of the lines being wavy and curled. The sheep represented in this scene are easily recognised as belonging to a race peculiar to Tunis, which is noted for its bushy tails. The little buildings, or latticed chapels, in their construction, remind us of an iron lantern made in the shape of an ark or basilica, open on all sides, a rare monument of Christian archæology peculiar to Africa. Both the scenes of the vertical bands of the casket and the effigy on the cover are encircled by an ornamental border of palm leaves in relief, which runs in a triple row round the box. The custom of placing under altars silver chasses containing the relics of martyrs or saints, is recorded by the ecclesiastical writers of the fourth century. They have been found at Metz, at Rimini, at Grado in Illyria, at St. Zeno near Trent, and also at Rome in the foundations of the original altar of the basilica of the Holy Apostles. These boxes, called in Latin capselle, and the relics of the saints laid under altars, were known in Africa under the name of Memoria. There was generally a little opening before the reliquary, called fenestella confessionis, which allowed the faithful to put in handkerchiefs or objects of devotion in order to receive therefrom a blessing. Commendatore J. B. De Rossi, who has treated of this African reliquary at great length, attributes the silver box, here described, if not to the earliest years, at least to the first thirty years of the fifth century.* The * De Rossi has treated of this African silver reliquary-brought by Cardinal Lavigerie, on one of his recent journeys to Rome, and presented by him to the Pope-in his Bulletino di archeologia cristiana (now figure of the martyr drawn in good proportions, the folds of the drapery well treated, the embroidery of the tunic and cloak simple and free from all trace of the exaggeration of Byzantine influence, denote a style of art belonging to that early date, and not yet in full decline. Moreover the absence of any nimbus round the head of the saint, or of the Divine Lamb, the occurrence of the monogram of Christ on the holy mount (this is the first such example known), and its very form, as well as other details, are circumstances which all tend to confirm this date. Even the technical execution of the work seems more delicate in character than that on the similar objects found at Grado, one of which has been assigned to the fifth century, and the other to the middle of the sixth century of our era. The King's Confessors. By REV. C. F. R. PALMER. (Continued from p. 161, vol. xxii. ) F. RICHARD DE WINKLEY. Being a doctor of theology and professor of Sacred Scripture, F. Richard de Winkley taught in the schools before he was called to the English court. He became provincial of his Order, and was chaplain, and then confessor, to Edward III., whom he served, too, as a skilful diplomatist. In 1337 he went over sea, on the king's affairs, with the Bishop of Lincoln, the Earls of Salisbury and Huntingdon, and Sir William Trussel, Sir Reginald de Cobham, and Sir Nicholas de la Bache, knights, and had for his expenses, May 6, £6 13s. 4d., for which he had to account in the exchequer. In the same year a commission was appointed, con much belated owing to the more important occupations of the author), Nos. 1 and 2, sixth year of the 4th series (1888-9), p. 68; but especially in the splendid monograph, La capsella argentea africana offerta al Sommo Pontefice Leone X111. dall' Emo, Sig. Card. Lavigerie, Rome, 1889, 36 pp., imperial folio, illustrated, which is now attracting the attention of the foreign reviews, as La Rassegna Nazionale, Florence, October 16, 1890, from which latter periodical the descriptive portion of this article has been compiled. sisting of the Bishop of Lincoln, the Earls of Northampton and Suffolk, Sir John Darcy (steward of the royal household), Winkley (provincial), John de Ufford (canon of London), Master Paul de Montfiore, John de Montgomery, knight, and Master John Wauwayn (canon of Darlington). These proctors, or commissioners, were deputed, October 3rd, to treat with the King of France on the grave questions between the King of England and him; to treat with nobles for their friendship, and with others concerning the staple of wool abroad; and, October 7, to treat with David, King of Scotland, for a truce, and even for a final peace. Any three of these commissioners were to act, the bishop or an earl being one of them. The provincial was engaged in the French affairs, and had to go to various parts over sea, and he received for travelling, October 17, 1338, an exchequer tally for £20. The royal gift of a cask of wine to him, evidently for the use of the altar, cost the king, February 19, 1339-40, 66s. 8d., at Ghent. In 1337 Edward III. took on himself the title of King of France, and in the following year began his terrible wars to enforce his claim. The general chapter of the Order met, May 16, 1339, at Clermont-Ferrand, and as it was thus held within his enemy's domain, the king withdrew the gift of £20, which it was customary for England to offer on such occasions. In the meantime, Winkley was put out of office as provincial by the master-general of the Order, F. Hugues de Vanssemain, a Frenchman; and the general chapter of 1339 appointed a vicargeneral till the canonical election of another provincial was made. The king was indignant. that his chaplain should be thus removed, in an unusual manner, whilst honourably employed in royal and public affairs, wherein was nothing unlawful or against the honour of the Order; and when Winkley had to go to the general chapter, celebrated June 4, etc., 1340, at Milan, wrote to the mastergeneral to that effect, April 20, and said, moreover, that it was an act of contempt towards himself, done to please his enemies, which would not have happened if the master had duly weighed the favours and graces which the royal house had showered |