small portrait brass of a vicar of Bettws-Cedewain, who died in 1531. The inscription records the building of the tower. This brass was restored to the church in 1868. The following is an Englished version of the inscription: "Pray for the Soul of Sir John ap Meredyth of Powys, formerly Vicar of this Church of Bettws; in whose time the Tower was built, and at different periods three bells were bought, and many other good works done in the said Church : The Vicar himself helping to his utmost. God be merciful to his soul. Amen. Dated in his lifetime in the year of Our Lord one thousand five hundred and thirty-one."

An interesting lecture, entitled, "Some Legends and Ballads of the County of Berks," was given at Reading, last month, before the BERKS ARCHEOLOGICAL AND ARCHITECTURAL SOCIETY, by Mr. John A. Brain. The lecture embraced many stories connected with Reading in the olden time. The combat between Montford and the Earl of Essex on the island below Caversham Bridge; the musical competition, "Summer is y-comen in"; the story of Henry VIII. and the sick abbot; and the amusing story of Cole, the rich clothier, were passed in review; whilst the ballads relating to Archbishop Laud, the "Reading Fight," and "The Berkshire Lady,' were read with great effect. This society has had the honour conferred upon it of receiving the Queen as patron, a letter to that effect, dated October 28, being received from Balmoral, by Rev. P. H. Ditchfield, hon. sec., together with a cheque for £5 as a donation to the society. The society has just attained its jubilee, having been founded originally in the year 1840 as the Berks Ashmolean Society.

tribution to Irish Anthropology," with Illustrations, by William Frazer. "The Unfinished Crosses of Kells," by Rev. John Healy, LL.D. "Statistics of Ornamental Glass Beads in Irish Collections," by Rev. Leonard Hassé. "Description of Old Wooden Houses in Dublin and Drogheda," illustrated by A. Williams. "Fresh Facts about Prehistoric Pottery," by Rev. George R. Buick, M.A. "An attempt to Identify certain Sites on the Hill of Tara, and a Practical Suggestion," by Rev. Denis Hanan, D.D.; and "The Normans in Thomond" (Part III.), by T. Johnson Westropp, M.A. On November 12 the members met at the Chapter-house, St. Mary's Abbey, which was described by Rev. Dr. Stokes. This chapter-house, now used as the store of a seed merchant, is the only complete relic of the buildings of this old Cistercian abbey. St. Andrew's Arch, and other portions of the old city were also visited.

:

:

On November 5 a meeting of the CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY ASSOCIATION OF BRASS COLLECTORS was held, when rubbings of the following brasses were exhibited By Mr. R. H. Russell, Trinity College: Balsham (John Blodwell, and a man in armour), Quy and Girton, Cambridgeshire; Chalfont and Chesham, Buckinghamshire; Laindon Clay, Essex; and Dartmouth, Devon. By Mr. O. Charlton, Caius College Balsham (John de Sleford), Cambridgeshire; Haccombe and Stoke-in-Teignhead, Devonshire; and Bishop Auckland, Durham. By the hon. corresponding sec. (Mr. R. W. M. Lewis, Corpus Christi College): fragments of some brasses in private possession in Norfolkshire, including some portions of the brass of Sir Hugh Hastings, at Elsing, in that county. By the hon. managing sec. (Mr. R. A. S. Macalister, St. John's College): Swaffham Prior, Cambridgeshire; Queen's, New, and Corpus Christi Colleges, St. Michael's and St. Mary Magdalen, Oxford; Abingdon, Oxfordshire; Willingdon, Sussex; Hitchin, Hertfordshire; Hunstanton, Snettisham, North and South Creake, Norfolkshire; and Glasgow Cathedral. A tracing from a brass formerly in Hordwell, Hants, was also exhibited. Particulars of membership in the above association, which is open to all brass-collectors without restriction, may be obtained on application to either secretary.

The third part of this year's transactions of the SHROPSHIRE ARCHEOLOGICAL SOCIETY, recently issued to members, contains a further portion of the late Rev. J. B. Blakeway's History of Shrewsbury Hundred or Liberties; also a paper and the architect's report on the crypt of Old St. Chad's Church, Shrewsbury, recently excavated, with six sheets of illustrations and plans drawn to scale.

Amongst the finds in the crypt was a very perfect Roman stylus, of bronze, five inches in length, several coins and Nuremburg tokens, some wig curlers of pipe-clay, and a number of old bowls of tobacco pipes.

The Council have also issued to the members a further instalment of the Calendar of Lichfield Wills and Administrations.

Messrs. Acher and Co., foreign booksellers, of 13, Bedford Street, Covent Garden, announce an important work, ed ted by Ernst Curtius and Friedrich Adler, entitled "Olympia," in which is to be comprised the results of the excavations instituted by the German Empire under official direction. The work will consist of hive quarto volumes of text, four folio volumes of plates (23 inches by 17 inches), and an atlas with maps and plans in folio. Those interested in the result of these great excavations should apply for a prospectus of the work. It is expected that Volume IV., with its plates, dealing with the bronze and smaller finds, which is to be first published, will be issued before the close of the year.

A new series of antiquarian works is to be published by Mr. Elliot Stock, under the title of The Camden Library. Among the subjects of the earlier volumes will be The Antiquities of the Exchequer, History of the Old London Theatres, English Domestic Architec ture, and a reprint of Camden's Britannia in handy form. The series will be under the general editorship of Mr. T. F. Ordish, F.S.A. Among the writers of the series are the names of the Hon. Harold Dillon, F.S.A., Mr. W. H. St. John Hope, M.A., the Rev. Dr. Cox, F.S.A., and Mr. G. L. Gomme, F.S.A. *

*

*

Mr. J. W. Linton has ready, for subscribers only, his elaborate work on "The Masters of Wood-Engraving; a history of the art, by exhibition of the choicest works from the earliest times." His examples for

reproduction have been sought in the library and print-room of the British Museum, and are of great rarity and sifted excellence. There is nearly one inserted cut for every page of the 229 pages of text, besides "forty-eight unbacked page-subjects." The ordinary edition is limited to 500 copies, of which one-half are for America. An edition of larger dimensions admits Harvey's Dentatus, and Dürer's Apocalypse and Greater Passion and Triumphal Car of Maximilian; and this is limited to one hundred copies-one-half for America. The price for the small edition ts $50; for the large edition, $100. Subscriptions are receivable by G. P. Putnam and Sons, No. 27, West 23rd Street, New York.

*

We are glad to be able to announce that Mr. Tom C. Smith, whose last work on Ribchester was favourably noticed in November Antiquary, will issue early in the New Year, "Preston Parish Church: Records and Registers. The unusually full and interesting churchwarden's account books, the registers, and minutes of the "Gentlemen and Twenty-Four" of the parish have hitherto been overlooked by the historians of Preston. From these Mr. Smith proposes to give copious extracts. The work will also include a map of the parish, a plan of the interior of the church circa 1650, and various other illustrations. It is to be issued by subscription by Mr. C. W. Whitehead, of Fishergate, Preston, from whom the prospectus can be obtained.

*

A recent search, says the American Bookmaker, in the Connecticut State Library has led to the discovery of several books of a very ancient date. There is a black letter Latin dictionary of the year 1477, soon after the invention of printing from movable types, and fifteen years before Columbus sailed for America. There is a Melancthon book of 1501, and a notable one on logic, a quaint old book which once belonged to Samuel Parris, the Salem minister, in whose house the witchcraft phenomena appeared, and who himself led the persecution. It bears his autograph. The book was printed at Leyden in 1662.

*

Messrs. Eyre and Spottiswoode, in conjunction with the Cambridge University Press, are about to issue a photographic facsimile reproduction of the original manuscript of the Book of Common Prayer, signed by Convocation on December 20, 1661, and attached to the Act of Uniformity. The book consists of 544 PP., written on stout writing-paper. The reproduction is limited to 750 copies, and will be issued at £2 2s. per copy net.

We have much pleasure in again referring to a work now on the eve of publication, which we mentioned in our issue for August. Mr. Weddell has now so satisfactorily traced the origin and continuous possession of "Ye Apothecarie His Book" (the valuable MS. that is being reproduced in facsimile) to the Fairfax family, that he is giving to the printed book the primary title of Arcana Fairfaxiana. We have seen some early sheets and also a specimen of the imitative cover of brown sheepskin, so that we have

the greatest confidence in cordially recommending our curious readers to subscribe. The introduction, besides an account of the manuscript itself, will include an historical sketch and genealogy of the Fairfax family, descriptive notes on the various styles of hand-writing, and "How the MS. was reproduced." The number of copies is limited, and as there will be no further issue, the original lithographic impressions are being destroyed as the work proceeds. publication may be looked for just about Christmas, when, if any copies remain unsubscribed for, the price will be raised from 12s. 6d. to 21s. There will be about 250 pages, fscap. 4to., instead of 180 as originally announced. The publishers are Messrs. Mawson, Swan, and Morgan, Newcastle-on-Tyne.

Reviews and Notices of New Books.

The

[Publishers are requested to be so good as always to mark clearly the prices of books sent for review, as these notices are intended to be a practical aid to book-buying readers.]

WELLS WILLS, arranged in Parishes, and annotated. By Frederic William Weaver, M.A. Kegan Paul, Trench, Trübner and Co. Demy 8vo., pp. xii., 234. Price 10s. 6d.

Last month we noticed Bishop Hobhouse's invaluable work on Somersetshire Early Churchwardens' Accounts, and now we have another proof of the industry of our western antiquaries. Mr. Weaver has, with much discriminating labour, made digests of the whole of the wills contained in the first two willbooks at the Wells Registry. Their date is 15281536; they are six hundred in number, and pertain to the parishes of West and North Somerset. Mr. Weaver's industry throws much light upon the condition of Church life just before the Reformation, and amply confirms the interesting conclusions of Bishop Hobhouse. Every parish had its stores, each in the interest of some separate devotion or holy purpose, supported by an associated body, and had its separate balance-sheet, audit-day, and feast-day, and often even its separate wardens, apart from the general or high wardens. Mr. Weaver shows from these wills how numerous these several guilds or fraternities were, even in remote and small country parishes. Thus Cutcombe, with a present population of 564, and Winsford, with a population of 485, had each nine stores; whilst Wootton Courtney, with a population of 278, had six stores. We know each of these parishes, and it is not at all likely that the population has materially dwindled during the past three and a half centuries, for in no case has any special industry died out. These wills also establish that there was in every church an altare animarum, where masses were said for the dead, and where lights were kept burning in their memory. This light for the departed is mentioned for bequest in a large number of these

wills, under the following varied titles: "Allsolen Light," "Alsolen Store," "Lumen Animarum," "Almes Light," "Lumen Elemosinarum," "Dead Light," "Lumen Mortuum," "Lumen Mortuorum," "Lumen Defunctorum," "Lumen pro Defunctis," and "Lumen in Perpetuum."

66

The wills in this volume are well arranged, being placed under the different parishes to which they belong; whilst good indexes add to the value of the book. Brief explanatory notes are given in the margins of any unusual expressions that occur in the wills. These are all that could be desired, and are admirably concise. We could wish, however, that the occasional notes relative to places and sites had been more frequent and fuller. A note tells us that some mounds" are still visible on the site of the chapel of the Holy Saviour in Luccombe parish by the roadside leading to Porlock. But unless the mounds are of recent growth, something more remains. The writer of this notice superintended the uncovering of the whole wall-plan of the foundations of this chapel as long ago as the year 1864. The site is known as "Chapel Gate." Again, there is no note of identification to the chapel of St. Olave, Porlock; but it is situate in the hamlet of Bossington. The walls, and a roof of much beauty, are still (or were recently) standing, and used as a barn. Nor is the introduction, sufficiently comprehensive. It would have been well, for instance, to draw more emphatic attention to the prevailing cult of St. Katharine; if this question had been studied, we believe a probable reason would have been found. But these, after all, are only errors of omission; for what is given us it is difficult to find anything but praise. These pages will prove of much value to the clergy, and to all intelligent residents of the parishes named; whilst every ecclesiologist should certainly possess the book, for he will find in it much of exceptional and novel interest that cannot be met with elsewhere. Mr. William Weaver, though a good antiquary, must be a wicked wag to give his book the alliterative but almost unpronounceable title of Wells Wills. Our greeting to this attractive volume is: Welcome, worthy writings, written with witty wisdom!

F.S.A.

ANNALS OF THE Hospital of St. WulSTAN, in the City of Worcester, together with a Chartulary of the said Hospital. By the Rev. F. T. Marsh. Worcester: Humphreys; London: Elliot Stock. 4to., pp. x., 140. Ten engravings. Price 21s. The interesting remains of the Hospital of St. Wulstan, or the Commandery, as it is locally called, are familiar to most of those who have visited the "Faithful City." The writing of its history has evidently been a labour of love to Mr. Marsh, who was a pupil there for some years, when it was used as a college for blind sons of gentlemen. Whether he imbibed there, with his love for the fabric, the strong and uncompromising views which he holds as to the circumstances which led to the dissolution of the house we cannot tell, but we think that the candid reader, whatever his opinions may be, will think that the words "Reformation apostasy' are out of place in a work of historic research, and that the religious

life of the present day is, at any rate, something better than "a hideous pandemonium of snarling

sects.

When, however, we pass from the blemishes of the introduction to the body of the work, we find much that we can honestly praise: much careful research is evident in the chapter on the annals of the hospital; the buildings are well described; Mr. F. S. Bayley's etchings, and Mr. Stoyle's ground plan, add much to the value of the work, and a trustworthy transcript of the original charters, which are in the Bodleian Library, has been given. None of these charters are older than A.D. 1230, but there can be little doubt that the hospital was founded by the great Bishop Wulstan shortly before his death in 1095. Its chief object seems to have been to give shelter to the traveller who arrived from the South at the gates of the city after they were shut for the night. The original foundation consisted of a master, who was afterwards called a preceptor or commander, two chaplains, and some poor brethren, whose number is not stated. They were religious of the order of St. Augustine, and the commander was appointed by the bishop, and was removable by him at pleasure.

The greatest benefactor of the house seems to have been William de Molendinis, or at Mull, as the family was more commonly called, whose mill is still turned by the waters of the Salwarp in the parish of Claines. This worthy, to whose benefactions the sister hospital of St. Oswald, which still survives, also owed much, gave to the brethren in A.D. 1294, "sixty marks and ten pounds sterling," upon payment of which they made him partake of the benefits of all their masses and prayers. A few years later much bitterness of feeling arose between the brethren and the monks of St. Mary's, chiefly about the custody of the famous crozier of St. Wulstan, and the two houses, without counting the cost, entered into a lawsuit, which seems to have been going on in one form or another for one hundred and fifty years. The hospital eventually won the day, especially with regard to the Chapel of Chaddeswick and the great tithes of the parish of Claines, which had formed part of the original endowment of St. Wulstan.

In 1524 Cardinal Wolsey obtained a bull from the Pope authorizing him to suppress this and several other small religious houses, that he might endow Cardinal's College-now called Christ Church-at Oxford; but in consequence of his fall and death the dissolution of the house was delayed, and it was not surrendered to the King till May 20, 1541. Mr. Marsh says that the lands were granted to Christ Church, and that the hospital itself was given to Sir Richard Mauresine by deed bearing date March 15, 32 Henry VIII., who afterwards exchanged it with the King, who then gave it also to Christ Church. Mr. Marsh does not suggest that this Sir Richard Mauresine is identical with Richard Morison, the last preceptor, nor does he mention that the King, by patent dated October 1, 1546, granted the manors of the Hospital (Chaddeswick and Pirie), with the parsonage of Clanes (sic), which his Majesty had by exchange with Richard Morrison, amounting in all to £51 2s., to Christ Church, Oxford.

The only eventful scene of later date which the Commandery has witnessed was at the time of the

battle of Worcester. In a room south of the great staircase Charles held a council of war, and in the same room the Duke of Hamilton died, having been mortally wounded at the close of the battle.

The most interesting part of the structure, which still remains, is the great hall, which is fairly perfect, though it has unfortunately been mutilated by a carriage way having been taken through its western end. It is chiefly of the date of Henry VII., though parts may be earlier. The grand high-pitched open roof is divided into five bays, besides the space over the so-called "minstrel's gallery," the lofty oriel window still contains the greater part of the original diamond panes, every alternate one bearing the motto of the Hospital, "Emanuel," while others show curious representations of animals and birds.

Mr. Marsh is to be congratulated on having made a useful addition to our knowledge of the history of our smaller religious houses.

ROMAN INSCRIPTIONS IN BRITAIN, 1888-90. By F. Haverfield, M.A. William Pollard and Co., Exeter. 8vo., pp. 39. Numerous illustrations. This reprint from the just issued number of the journal of the Archæological Institute (noticed elsewhere in these columns) is absolutely invaluable to Romano-British antiquaries. It will be remembered that the late Mr. W. T. Watkin, for some little time before his untimely death, wrote a series of articles year by year, wherein he chronicled the new discoveries of Roman inscriptions made in Britain. These yearly articles were much prized by competent judges both in England and abroad. Mr. Haverfield has now undertaken to continue this work. In this pamphlet are included all the inscriptions which have been found or made public_since the date of Mr. Watkin's last contribution. It is no indignity to the memory of Mr. Watkin's painstaking work to say that Mr. Haverfield's continuation is a decided improvement in style, method, and completeness. The only inscriptions omitted by Messrs. Watkin and Haverfield are the makers' names on pottery. .. 'Of themselves they do not prove the presence of Romans or Romanized natives where they are found, and their real value lies in the light which, when collected together, they throw upon the extent and character of the ancient earthenware trade." We are glad, however, to learn that Mr. Haverfield is collecting potters' marks, and hopes eventually to be able to publish them in connected lists. Probably Mr. Haverfield is aware of the extensive collection made by Rev. Canon Raine, of York. To those who have only paid casual attention to recent Roman discoveries in Britain, it will probably cause no small surprise to learn that Mr. Haverfield is able to enumerate no less than seventy-three inscriptions in a period of little more than two years. They are chiefly on stone, but include three inscriptions on pottery (not makers' marks), one on pewter, one on a silver spoon, several on lead seals, and one on a pig of lead. They have been found at the following places: Bath, Bossens, Caervoran, Carrawburgh, Castor, Chester, Chesterholm, Chesters, Cirencester, Colchester, Goldcliff, Ilkley, Kent, Lincoln, Little Chester, London, Netherby,

Peterborough, Reculver, Richborough, Sandy, Slack, Southcave, Stain crossmoor, Tintagel, Tregeare, Wall (Northumberland), and York.

THE BOOKWORM: an Illustrated Treasury of OldTime Literature. Third Series. Elliot Stock. 8vo., pp. 380. Price 7s. 6d.

The third series of the Bookworm forms an attractive volume, brimful of articles and miscellanea relative to old book-lore. In turning over these attractive pages, we notice a mistaken idea as to the nature of Mr. Gladstone's recently-built receptacle for his wonderful collection of letters and manuscripts. It is described at p. 165 as an octagonal iron tower," a description of this adjunct to his library which will amuse no one more than Mr. Gladstone. But the series of articles, "Bookworms of To-Day," in which this occurs, is a good one, on which their author, Mr. Roberts, is to be congratulated; the modern bookworms treated of are Mr. Joseph Knight, Mr. F. Locker-Sampson, Mr. A. H. Huth, and the Right Hon. W. E. Gladstone, M.P.

THE CHRISTMAS CAROL of CharleS DICKENS IN FACSIMILE, with an Introduction by F. G. Kitton. Elliot Stock. Large 4to., pp. viii., 136. Price 10s. 6d.

The genuine pathos, sparkling humour, and manly tone of Dickens' Christmas Carol won for it a rapid and phenomenal success. Fifteen thousand copies were sold in 1843-4, the season of its conception. Had Charles Dickens written nothing else, this short tale would have immortalized his name in English literature. Soon after its publication, the manuscript of the story was given by Dickens to his old friend and schoolfellow, Mr. Thomas Mitton. In 1875, Mr. Mitton sold it to a London bookseller for £50, from whom it passed to Mr. H. G. Churchill, a collector of autographs. In 1882, Mr. Churchill disposed of it to a Birmingham bookseller, who soon realized £200 from Messrs. Robson and Kerslake, of Coventry Street, London. It was then catalogued by this firm at 300, and was speedily secured at that price by Mr. Stuart M. Samuel, of Kensington Palace Gardens, among whose extensive collection of Dickensiana it still remains. The manuscript, bound in red morocco, consists of sixty-six quarto pages of closely-written matter, every sheet of which has been reproduced in faithful facsimile through a photographic process. At the bottom of the title-page, Charles Dickens has written, "My own and only MS. of the Book." The manuscript has been most carefully revised-every page has numerous corrections, insertions, and erasures; and yet it is wonderfully legible throughout. It is most interesting to puzzle out from these pages the nature of Dickens' corrections. For instance, in the account of the party at the Finniwigs, in stave two of the Carol, Dickens originally wrote: "And there was lemonade and negus and cake, and there was a great piece of cold roast, and there was a great piece of cold boiled, and there were mince pies, and plenty of beer." But apparently this small concession to teetotalers, whom he abhorred, was too much for the