later work, of much careful research, entitled "Royal Progresses in Wales", by Edward Parry, of Chester. The tradition that Charles I fled to Gwydir after the battle of Chester, and remained there for a fortnight, appears to be equally inconsistent with history. The daily movements of the King, both before and after that event, are well known, for they were duly chronicled in the diary of Richard Symons, of Black Notley, co. Essex, who accompanied him. The battle was fought on Rowton Moor on Wednesday, September 24th, 1645; and it is said that the King had a distant view of it from the top of the Phoenix Tower on Chester walls. The following morning, Thursday 25th, he went, escorted by five hundred horse, to Hawarden Castle. In the afternoon of the same day he proceeded to Denbigh Castle. From thence, on Sunday 28th, he rode by Ruthin to Chirk Castle, which he left the following day, and travelled vid Llandisilio, and Llandrinio, co. Montgomery, to Bridgenorth, Lichfield, Newark, and thence on October 17th to Scotland. Proceedings of the Association. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16TH, 1898. C. H. COMPTON, Esq., V.-P., IN THE CHAIR. Mrs. Collier exhibited an unusually fine example of a coin of Magnentius, found in College Green, Worcester; also coins of Charles III of Spain and Louis XIV of France, together with a token of Horne Tooke. -The Rev. H. J. D. Astley, Hon. Sec., exhibited photographs of old engravings of two large family pictures now at Melton Constable, one illustrating "the Combate in Paris betwixt John de Astley and Peter de Masse (or Massye, or Massy), 29 Aug: A°: 1438"; the other "the Combate in Smithfield betwixt the same John de Astley and St Philip Boyle, 30 Jan.: An: 1441". On each side of the two principal pictures are grouped four smaller views of various scenes in the history of the tournaments, the originals of which are not to be found at Melton Constable, and have still to be sought for, if they are in existence. The date of the paintings, from the costumes and other accessories, would appear to have been the sixteenth century. A full description, with illustrations, of these interesting, though not contemporary, pictorial representations of the "sport" of the Middle Ages, will, it is hoped, be published in a future number of the Journal. The paper of the evening was by Mr. A. S. Walker, on "The Screen of Allhallows the Great". The neighbourhood of Thames Street and the river bank might, said Mr. Walker, be called the "cradle of the City", as the earliest place of commerce was at Queenhithe. Ever since the time of the Normans the customs have formed a source of revenue; and here, in 1250, Henry III's brother-Richard, Earl of Cornwall-had jurisdiction over weights. In the Steelyard, the site of which is now occupied by Cannon Street Station, the Hanseatic merchants were established and had their Guildhall, their charter of liberty being granted in 1259. They, however, possessed no chapel, but worshipped in the church of Allhallows the Great. They beautified the church by presenting windows and founding altars, and at length endowed a chapel therein. Edward IV gave to the Hanseatic League the absolute property of the Steelyard; here they erected warehouses and other buildings; but although the League was suppressed in 1560, the Steelyard remained the property of the League until it was purchased for the Cannon Street improvements in 1850. The church was entirely destroyed in the Great Fire in 1666, with the exception of the tower. After the fire, the parishes of Allhallows the Great and Less were united, and the church was rebuilt by Wren, the cost of the fabric being defrayed out of the coal dues, and amounting to £5,640. The parishioners, however, raised a rate for the sum of £500 for the interior fittings. The Master of the Steelyard at that time was Jacob Jacobson, a very rich and benevolent man, who gave £10 to the poor of the parish and rebuilt the Guildhall; he died in 1680. There is a curious legend that the famous screen was made in Hamburg, and was the gift of the Dutch merchants, but Mr. Walker quite disposed of this tradition, for it appears to have been put forward by Malcolm in 1803, 120 years after the rebuilding of the church. It has also been said that Jacob Jacobson gave the screen, but he died in 1680, and the church was not ready to receive any fittings until 1683. The truth seems to be that the parishioners had always desired to have a screen, but they were in want of money, and could not pay for it. Mr. Theodore Jacobson, who had succeeded his brother as Master of the Steelyard, had given the pulpit to the church, and thereupon came forward and presented the screen. An interesting comparison between the screens of Allhallows and of St. Peter's on Cornhill followed. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6TH, 1898. BENJ. WINSTONE, Esq., M.D., IN THE CHAIR. Mr. Earle Way exhibited an interesting collection of antiquities recently discovered, consisting of a Romano-British vase, quite perfect and in fine condition, a food vessel, an urn, several small glass bottles, and the bones of the forearm of a young female, together with a finger-ring and several bronze armlets, which still encircled the bones at the time of discovery. These were all found in Southwark, as were also the following articles: an iron seal of the thirteenth century, made for some private owner for sealing the conveyance of his land, and two curious examples of the toys made in the shape of a cock, which superseded the inhuman use of the living bird in the Shrovetide sport of cock-throwing. Mr. Way also exhibited a British bead and a bone spearhead found in Thames Street. - A paper by Miss Russell, "On the Characters of Wolsey's Inscription now at Oxford compared with Older Ones in Scotland", was read by Dr. W. de Gray Birch, F.S.A. This paper will be published in a subsequent number of the Journal, 1 WEDNESDAY, APRIL 20TH, 1898. C. H. COMPTON, ESQ., V.-P., IN THE CHAIR. Thanks were ordered by the Council to be returned to the respective donors for the following presents to the library : To the Society for "The Smithsonian Institution", 1846-1896, the Royal Institute of British Architects, for "Journal", vol. v, Some further particulars of the ancient font recently discovered at Bassingham, Lincolnshire, were contributed by the rector, the Rev. W. A. Mathews, through Mr. J. T. Irvine, accompanied by an excellent photograph. The font has been thoroughly cleansed and placed where it will no longer be overgrown with shrubs and vegetation. A paper by Mr. G. G. Irvine upon the very curious church and well of St. Doulough, co. Dublin, was read by Mr. Patrick, Hon. Sec. The church is situated about eight miles north-east of Dublin, not far from the battle-field of Clontarf, and at one time was the centre of a considerable village, of which many ruined dwellings remain. There is also a very good plain granite cross of early type at the cross-roads leading to the church. The ground plan of the church is in two divisions, the easternmost being much the larger, vaulted and groined, but without ribs. A modern church adjoins it on the north, from which it is now entered, although there was most probably an external door on that side originally. In a recess formed by one of the windows in the south wall is a very curious staircase leading up to a long room, which runs the whole length of the building, forming an upper floor. The walls of the church are carried up, and make a square tower in the centre, with embattled parapet. The eastern portion of the ground floor is 14 ft. 6 in. to the crown of the vault, but the western portion is in two heights, a priests' chamber occupying the upper part, and rising into the long chamber above, where it forms a raised floor of four steps. There are several stairs leading to various parts of the building and to the tower, and the whole arrangement is quaint in the extreme. The church dates probably from the beginning of the thirteenth century, and is one of a very interesting type of buildings peculiar to Ireland. The well is situated to the north-east of the church, and is in character with it. There is also a curious underground chamber, roofed with a circular barrel vault, and approached by a very narrow flight of steps from the ground level. It was probably the baptistery. This paper will, we hope, be published in a future number of the Journal. - Mr. J. C. Gould drew attention to an ancient cross, a holy well and baptistery, together with an interesting church, at the village of St. Cleer, in Cornwall, and mentioned that in the tower was suspended a ringers' board bearing some quaint lines. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING. C. H. COMPTON, ESQ., V.-P., IN THE CHAIR. The Ballot was declared open, and, after the usual interval, was taken, with the following result : President. THE RIGHT REVEREND THE LORD BISHOP OF PETERBOROUGH. Vice-Presidents. Ex officio-THE DUKE OF NORFOLK, K.G., E.M; THE DUKE OF SUTHERLAND; THE MARQUESS OF BUTE, K. T.; THE MARQUESS OF RIPON, K.G., G.C S.I.; THE EARL OF MOUNT-EDGCUMBE; THE EARL NELSON; THE EARL OF NORTHBROOок, G.C.S.I.; THE EARL OF WINCHELSEA AND NOTTINGHAM; THE LORD BISHOP OF ELY; SIR CHARLES H. ROUSE BOUGHTON, BART.; THE LORD DR. WALTER DE GRAY BIRCH, F.S.A. W. H. COPE, Esq., F.S.A. H. SYER CUMING, Esq., F.S.A. MOSTYN. SIR JOHN EVANS, K.C.B., D.C.L., COLONEL GEORGE LAMBERT, F.S.A. J. S. PHENÉ. Esq., F.S.A., LL.D. |