specimen is figured in the Collectanea Antiqua, vol. ii., on which is inscribed "Thomas." (Found in the Thames, 1867.) No. 4. Gloves of St. Thomas. In a curious inventory, of the treasures formerly preserved at Canterbury, a list is given of the relics of Thomas à Becket; and we are therein told that in a great round ivory coffer were his gloves, adorned with three orphreys, i.e., three bands of golden embroidery. Three of these signacular gloves have rich orphreys round the tops, jewels on their backs, and episcopal rings on the little finger. The fourth glove holds a purse. No. 5. A Circular Sign, with twisted edge, outside of which are six sets of three pellets; within is the demi-figure of St. Thomas. The saint wears a triangular mitre with pearled edge. 14th century. (Found in the Thames at Queenhithe.) No. 6. Two fragments, of Signs of St. Thomas, on which are figured portions of the knights who slew him, viz:-William Tracy, Reginald de Fitz Urse, Richard de Brito, and Hugh de Morville. No. 7. Two Circular Signs. On the first is depicted the head and shoulders of the saint, mitre on head, and the letters T O on each side of the face. The second circular sign encloses the letter T. No. 8. Two signs. The first is circular, with the bust of the saint; round the margin are the words, Caput Thome. The second is a sign in the shape of the four-leafed shamrock, with the letter T. in the centre. No. 9. Fragment of a sign of the Martyrdom of St. Thomas, on which remains the figure of Edward Grim, Becket's Cross bearer. A similar figure of Grim appears in the painting discovered in St. John's Church, Winchester, in 1853. No. 10. Circular sign, enclosing the head of Saint Thomas; inscribed round the border "Caput Thome." No. 11. Head of Saint Thomas with a triangular mitre. head. Head and bust of Saint Thomas, with mitre on No. 13. Square sign of St. Thomas. Head inside a quatrefoil; jewelled mitre. (Found in the Thames, 1866.) No. 14. Fermail of the 14th century, inscribed " St. Thomas." (Thames, 1867.) No. 15. Two Bells of St. Thomas, inscribed "Campane Thome," The other Pilgrims' Signs in the plate commemorate visits to Shrines of Sir John Schorne and St. Oswald. SIR JOHN SCHORNE. This Saint was in high repute for the cure of ague, many traditionary stories long kept alive his memory, and amongst others that of his knees having become horny by his continued posture of devotion, and of his having upon some important emergency conjured the devil into a boot; a representation of this extraordinary scene was set up in the East window of North Marston Church, Bucks, and on the Well, as seen by Browne Willis, was written Sir John Schorne Conjured the Devil into a Boot. Sir John Schorne seems to have had shrines at Shorne, one mile beyond Cobham Park, and at Marston, near Gravesend. No. 16. Represents Sir John Schorne, as a priest, in gown and cope, standing in a polygonal pulpit, placed beneath a canopy of five pinnacles; on each side of the priest is a figure. On the bottom of the Sign appears to be inscribed, M. A. jo. scorne. No. 17. The two first are fragments of Signs which represent Sir John Schorne in a pulpit; head lost; right hand raised, fore finger pointing upwards, the rest of the fingers closed, the left hand grasps the edge of the pulpit. The third is a square triangular headed Sign in which is depicted a demi-figure of Sir John Schorne, in a pulpit, holding at the left side a boot containing the Devil, at the right side a vase with a tall flower. No. 18. A demi-bust of the Saint, much defaced, in a quatrefoil frame. The other is an oval-shaped Sign, containing, within a roped wreath, the figure of Sir John Schorne, with a rosary at the right side, and a boot with the head of the Devil peeping out. The last four signs relate to St. Oswald, King of Northumbria, who reigned nine years and was killed by King Penda. He was first buried at Barching, in Lincolnshire, his body was removed to Gloucester in A.D. 909. To him is dedicated the Church of Paddlesworth, near Folkestone. THE MEISTER HOMERS, CANTERBURY. BY J. BRIGSTOCKE SHEPPARD. THIS name is the well-known title of a mediæval house, at the east end of the precincts of Christchurch, Canterbury, now the residence of one of the Canons of the Cathedral. All the writers who have described the Cathedral and its surroundings, have felt themselves compelled to meddle with the etymology of this singular name, and all have failed to trace it to even a probable source. One, noticing the "Elms that grew thereby," has fancied a similarity of sound between Meister Homers and Ormeaux. Another, discarding Homers has substituted Honours, believing that Meister Honours would be a likely name for the lodgings in which entertainment was given to the most distinguished visitors to the Priory. The riddle now appears to be solved by means of four documents, in the Charta Antiquæ Cantuar., which, hitherto, have escaped notice. The first (W. 186) is a receipt given by the Prior, acknowledging that he has received some title deeds for safe custody : "Omnibus X'pi fidelibus &c. Rogerus de Sc Alphego, Prior Ecclesie X'pi Cantuar. &c. salutem in Domino. Nouerit universitas vestra nos respexisse et recepisse cartam Theobaldi de Hulles, per quam infeodauit Magistrum Omerum de Cantuaria, cujus tenor est talis: "Sciant presentes et futuri quod Ego Theobaldus de Helles dedi concessi et hac presenti carta confirmaui Magistro Omero de Cantuaria totam terram quam habui in parochia de Esse &c. &c. reddendo inde annuatim michi et heredibus meis ipse et heredes sui sive assignati unum par cyrotecarum precii unius denarii. Actum Anno domini MCC sexagesimo primo." "Quam quidem cartam restituemus dicto Magistro Omero vel heredibus suis quandocunque voluerit eam habere et sibi viderit expedire. In cujus rei testimonium sigillum nostrum presentibus duximus apponendum. Dat. Anno D'ni MCC sexagesimo primo mense Marcii." From this it is clear that in the middle of the thirteenth century there was a Master (Meister) Omer (Homer) living in Canterbury; a man owning landed property, and therefore possessing influence; a man, too, of some social standing, being on friendly terms with my Lord Prior of Christ Church. In Dart's Canterbury Cathedral (fol. 194) there is a statement, which, although not verified by a reference to any authority, seems to contain some particle of truth. It is that Stephen de Vincenna, a foreign, and probably a non-resident Archdeacon of Canterbury, "in 1250 preferred Roger de Elham, and afterwards Master Omer, to the same place." This statement, although its exact meaning is not quite evident, seems to imply that the non-resident Archdeacon exercised his jurisdiction by means of a resident Vice-Archdeacon, and that Master Omer once filled the office. In this case he must have been a dignified secular priest, and therefore, as was usual, designated by the title of Magister, a title which has invariably accompanied his name for six hundred years. Monks and the Regular clergy were distinguished by the designation "Dom." (Dominus.) The argument is carried on another step by an entry in one of the Monastic registers, compiled about the year 1307, by Prior Henry of Eastry. Reg. I. (olim G. 9) fo. 449. "Certa loca ubi littere et instrumenta diversa reponuntur : In studio superiori Prioris in dormitorio sunt hec: Hanapar cum instrumentis paucis de intronizacione Archiepiscoporum et aliis. Ligamen A cum bullis diversorum. ¶ Ligamen B cum copiis diversorum. ¶ Caphinus quadratus. In desca Prioris in studio inferiori : In scrinio depicto. In secretario Prioris. In sacco lineo. Pixides in cista longa nova in Camera Capellani. In desca in studio Dom. R. Prioris inferiori in dormitorio In desca Prioris in CAMERA MAGISTRI HOMERII. Master Homer, then, lived within the Precincts of Christ Church. He had a camera in which the Prior kept his desk, containing valuable papers. Possibly the camera was only one room, in his house, answering to his "Office;" for it is clear that a secular person would not have rooms assigned to him in the Monastery, if he were not officially connected with the management of the business of the Prior and Chapter. The writer feels sure that he has met with a deed, in which Master Homer is represented as acting as Attorney for the Convent, and receiving, in their name, seisin of lands, but the reference has escaped him, and the deed, like an unstamped agreement in the present day, cannot be propounded as evidence. The next document which relates to this old mansion is the will of John de Bokyngham, once Bishop of Lincoln, who was translated by the Pope to the comparatively poor See of Lichfield. Bishop Buckingham, disgusted with what he considered his degradation, retired from the world, apparently indulging himself in Monastic seclusion, without hampering himself with the Monastic habit. The foot of his will reads thus: W. 220. "Datum sub sigillo meo infra Prioratum Ecclesie Cantuariensis in quodam manso Wlgariter Meister Omers nuncupato nono die Mensis Februarii Anno Domini Millesimo cccmo nonagesimo octavo." Here, then, is the camera grown into a mansum, in which the retired Bishop makes his will just before his death. The mansum was still, a hundred and forty years after its first appearance in the Charte Antiquæ, known as "Master Homer's" (sc. Mansum Magistri Homeri, a genitive singular, and not a plural). |