THE above is a view of JOHN HUNTER'S House at Earls Court, Kensington, of which a description by FRANK BUCKLAND, Esq., was given in the last number of "The Antiquary." CORRESPONDENCE. [The Editor will be glad to receive Correspondence on Archao. logical matters, and information of discoveries of antiquities, accompanied with drawings of objects, when of sufficient interest, for illustration.] SUPPOSED SAXON MONUMENTS. TO THE EDITOR OF THE ANTIQUARY. concealed in the ground, is of indefinite shape and length." Four of these round-headed stones are engraved in Vol. II. of the Journal of the British Archæological Association. They appear to be not unlike in shape some of the wayside crosses in the west of England, all of which are of consideraable antiquity, and a few, owing to their rude form and ornament, are considered to be of Saxon workmanship. The circular-headed stones from Bakewell have incised on them various forms of the cross, in some respects similar to those on the wayside crosses to which I have just alluded. Professor Westwood considers the Bakewell stones to be period as that to which he assigns the Adel stones. There are some who fix the date of the Thurnby stones earlier than this, but great care must be taken not to be too sanguine of their Saxon origin. Cannot any similar shaped stones be brought to bear on the question from other English counties, or from Wales? There is a curious monument in the church at Whitchurch, SIR,-In the report of a recent meeting of the Leicester-probably of the eleventh or twelfth century, about the same shire Architectural and Archæological Society, printed in your issue of the 16th of December, is a very interesting paper by Mr. John Hunt, chiefly relating to certain incised stones that had been discovered in taking down the old church at Thurnby. The rarity of stones of the same kind, whose shape can at all warrant the supposition of their being headstones of early date, induces me to call attention to several that were found in Bakewell church, Derbyshire, in 1842, and to which Mr. Hunt has not referred. Like those at Adel, in Yorkshire, they formed a part of the foundations of the church, which was a decorated structure of the fourteenth century. The late Mr. Bateman has described them as of rude workmanship, with generally the same device on both sides. "The top of the stone," he observes, "which would appear about one foot above the turf, is always circular, whilst the lower part, which was Hampshire, on which I would say a few words, not because there is any actual similarity between it and the Thurnby or the Adel stones, but because Mr. C. R. Smith has called it a Saxon sepulchral monument. Like those at Adel, it is a small stone, I foot 10 inches high, 1 foot 9 inches broad, each way; (2) 2 ft. 9in. by 1 ft. 9 in.; (3) 3 ft. by 1 ft. 4 in.; and (4) *The Adel stones have the following dimensions:-(1) to inches only a fragment 1 ft. 6 in. by 1 ft. 5 in. and varying from 7 to 10 inches in thickness. It is also rounded at the top. Mr. Smith relates how that, in company with Mr. J. G. Waller, the well-known ecclesiologist, he visited the church, and the latter gentleman "at once detected the cross upon the nimbus, which decides, with the Book of the Gospels in the left hand, that it is the Saviour under whose protection the tenant of the tomb beneath rested." Like the Thurnby and Adel stones, the back is ornamented as well as the front, and in the present instance, with an elegant foliated design. But on the sides, and carried over the top, is an inscription, which the others fail to have. It simply records the name of the person buried, thus: +HIC CORPVS FRIOBVRGAVE REQVIESCAT IN PACE SEPVLTVM, t I will only add that Mr. Smith considers this monument to be of the ninth century, or the beginning of the tenth, although some are inclined to place it earlier. It has some resemblance to a Roman sepulchral monument, but a glance at the carved figure in front will at once dispel the idea that it belongs to that era. Some of your readers may be glad to be referred to an illustration of this stone, which appeared in the Builder of the 11th of November last. now figures beneath the seat of our coronation chair at Westminster. The prefix "Kil" is not confined to Ireland and Scotland, for we have several in England ex: qr: Kilbear in Devon; Kilbourne in Derbyshire; Kilburn, Middlesex and Yorkshire. My authorities are: "Cill. in H.S. a cell, a church," p. 73, McAlpine's Gaelic Dic.; Edinburgh, 1866. Note-"H.S." here means a quotation from the Highland Society's dictionary. The Irish form of the word is more properly “Ceall a church, a cell, &c." See O'Reilly's Irish-English Dic. Dublin, 1821. But the same authority gives also: "cillin a little cell." It may interest "KYMRY" to understand that the common patronymic "Kelly" is about equivalent to our own Sexton. A. HALL. January 5th, 1872. THE PREFIX "KIL." TO THE EDITOR OF THE ANTIQUARY. SIR,-There can be no doubt that "Kil" or "Cil" is Scotch Gaelic, but not exclusively so. It is also Welch, Cornu-British, and Irish Gaelic. It is Armorican or Bréton. If this Whitchurch stone is really a Saxon monument, it In Manx it is "Cooyl." It corresponds with Cell, in Enghas far greater artistic merit than the Adel stones, which lish; Kiolos, in Greek; Cella, Latin; Zelle, German; Cel, are merely rudely incised and roughly shaped. Mr. Smith Dutch; Cellule, French; Celle, Danish; and all of these, has had so much experience in examining ancient objects of with the original root, 5 C, which means to hold, contain, this kind, that we should scarcely be justified in hazarding enclose, and from which spring all the words in other an opinion of our own as to its date. There is one common languages having such a signification; as Cloister, English; feature in all these stones that ought not to be overlooked, Kloster, German; Kleio, Greek; Closet, English; Coil, viz., that they are ornamented on both sides, and hence, as English; Close, French, and hundreds of such other pretty Mr. Hunt remarks (vol. I., p. 202), "they were evidently well throughout the universe. intended to stand detached." The word headstones, as applied to any of these objects, is, however, I think, rather inappropriate, and tending more to mislead than to explain. I venture to suggest that memorial stones would be a more applicable term, and, at the same time, undoubtedly expressing their use. January 5th, 1872. E. H. W. DUNKIN. SAMUEL LYSONS, F.S.A., Hon. Canon of Gloucester. "CRAZY JANE." TO THE EDITOR OF THE ANTIQUARY. SIR, On the back of an old song, I see "Crazy Jane," DISCOVERY OF ROMAN ANTIQUITIES AT TO THE EDITOR OF THE ANTIQUARY. When in Dublin I asked for an Irish testament, and was offered the Gaelic version circulated in Scotland, being the We know that the Roman roads through Essex and only edition kept in stock. The native Irish, however, Suffolk passed through Icklingham, and on to Thetford. It have an alphabet of their own, which is found to correspond was, according to some writers, the Roman station of Comwith that in use at the time of Edward the Confessor, the bretonium or Comboritum. Roman coins, tessellated pave last of our Anglo-Saxon monarchs; but, under this pecuments, and even fortifications, have been, from time to time, liarity, the wording is very similar, as may be seen in the following extracts from the first gospel: "Leabhar ginealaich Iosa Criosd, mhic Dhaibhi, mhic Abrahaim." Gaclic. "Leabar geinealung Iosa Criosd, mic Daibi, mic Abraham." Irish. The facts are these: the old inhabitants of Ireland were called Scoti, and about A.D. 503 they effected large settlements in North Britain, then variously known as Albhain or Caledonia ; but has been since better known as the land of the Scoti, or Scotland. This migration or conquest is further evidenced by the alleged transfer of the lia fail or "stone of destiny," from Tara in Meath to Scone in Perthshire, and which, having been carried off by King Edward I. + The third word in this inscription probably stands for Frithburg, a dot within a circle, forming the fourth letter, being equivalent to th. The A and V are ligatured on the stone. met with near Icklingham. At a meeting, in October, 1848, of the British Archaeological Association in London, I remember hearing the same remarks from an able paper by a distinguished archeologist (Mr. J. Adey Repton). My site now occupied by the village of Icklingham. Even the own opinion is that the Roman town of Iciani stood upon the etymology of the present name of Icklingham tends to confirm this, and transmit down to us even part of the Roman "ANCIENT FEASTING." TO THE EDITOR OF THE ANTIQUARY. DEAR SIR.-In the Antiquary of the 21st Oct., 1871, page 156, is a letter from H. R. Garbutt, giving an account of a feast which was made in 1470; which, although interesting, would have been made doubly so, had your worthy correspondent given the probable values of the articles served up on that occasion. The cost of that feast must have been enormous, and many of your readers would, I am sure, like to know how much of our present money would represent that cost. I am enabled to send you a few particulars of a gluttonous feast made by "Ralf de Born, Priour of St. Augustine's, Cant.:" I have extracted the account from the Chronicon Preciosum, or, an account of English Money, The Price of Corn, and other Commodities, For the last 600 years." London, 1707, pp. 83 to 88. It says: In 1309. Will. Thorn (inter X Scriptoris) in his Chron. p. 201, c. gives us an Account of the Feast which Ralf de Born, Priour of St. Augustine's Cant. : made on his Installation-Day: In which it appears that he paid, very great rates for many particulars of his Bill of Fare, considering the Times. I have given the whole, but computed the price of each particular, that the reader may see a little of the spirit of that age, and also what proportion commodities then bore, to what they do at this day. [1700] And it' will not be amiss to give him the Preface which William Thorn makes to his Bill of Fare. Because (says he) the present Times (1380) may not, by any means, be compared with the foregoing ones, for plenty and abundance of all sorts of Things. I have thought it convenient, to give the following Account of this Feast, not that Posterity might imitate this Costliness, but rather might admire it. And thus it was : "Of Salt, 9 Quarts. Price Xs. 'tis 9 Summas. But 'tis without doubt, a mistake, for Salt was never so low, as Three-Half-pence per Bush: "De Sciphis. M.CCCC. Mugs, I believe, or Wooden Cans, to drink in, or it may be Black Jacks. "Dishes and Platers, (Platellis) or Trenchers "De Scopis et Gachis. Price VIII. IVs. "Of Fish, Cheese, Milk, Onions, &c., Price "The Summ total is, CCLXXXVIII. VIIS. ood, taking in the Presents and Gratuities. At the Feast there were 6000 Guests that sat down at the Tables, and they had 3000 Messes. And therefore instead of quo respondentes (at the end of this Account) I would read Correspondentes; answering to, or setting Opposite to each other. And so there was a Mess to each couple. I observed above, that this Prior paid dear for many Particulars, and if you will compare this Account with the foregoing ones you will find his Corn of such kind, his Beef, and Mutton, and Swans, to be at a high Rate; and so for the Article of Rabbits. I am almost sure there must be a mistake in it, for they could never be so dear (so long ago) as 6d. a-piece." This is an exact copy in every particular of the passage. The book does not contain the name of the author, but only 02 03 07 says "In a Letter to a Student in the University of Oxford; underneath this is written "W. Fleetwood." I am of course referring to my copy of the work. Can any of your correspondents oblige me with any information as to the author? Was he "W. Fleetwood?" 00 06 00 £. s. d. "Of Wheat, 53 Quarters, Price XIX. [So that a Quarter came to 00 07 02 "Of Malt, 58 Quarters, Price XVIII. Xs. [A Quarter, about "Of Wine, 11 Tun, Price XXIIII. [A Tun at or about "Oats for the Guests, as well within, as without the Gates of the City. 20 Quarters, Price IVI. [So that a Quarter came to "For Spice, (pro Speciebus) XXVIII. For CCCI. of Wax, Price VIIII. [So that a Pound came to near "Almonds, D. Price III. XVIIIS. 00 04 00 00 00 06 43, Red Lion Street, E.C. 00 00 01 00 18 00 JOHN JEREMIAH. "BELL BRASSES." TO THE EDITOR OF THE ANTIQUARY. 00 03 021 SIR,-In the churchwarden's accounts of the parish of Ash-next-Sandwich, for the year 1641, is the following entry (Planché's Corner of Kent, p. 195)— [So that a Pound came to above "XXX Ox Carcasses (pro Carcoisis Boum :) Price XXVIII. [Each came to "Of Hogs, C. Price XVII. [So that each Hog came to about Of Muttons, (de Muttonibus) CC. Price XXXI. [Each came to “Of Geese, (de Aucis) M. Price XVII. [Each Goose came to "Of Capons and Hens, D. Price VII. Vs. [Each Fowl came to 00 00 03 What can be the meaning of the term "bell brasses ?" "Of Pullets (de Pulonibus) CCCCLXXIII. To me it is somewhat puzzling, unless it refers to certain Price IIII. XIVS. [Each oo co 01 monumental brasses that were melted down with an old Of Pigs (de Porcellis) CC. Price Vl. bell to make enough metal for a new "third bell, and the [Each Pig at 00 00 об little bell." Thorpe (Registrum Roffense, p. 777) states "De Scentis de Braun, 16. Price III. Vs. that this was actually done at Meopham, in Kent. Writing Each Shield of Brawn (and therefore Mr. Somabout 1769, or a little before, he observes: "Mr. Copeland, ner guesses right, that it should read Scutis) of Meopham, says that within the memory of several old 00 04 00 men now living at Meopham, some of the bells of the church being to be new cast, and there being wanting a sufficient quantity of metal to do it, some persons (one of whom i now living) tore off all the brass inscriptions from came to Of Partrich, Mallards, Bitterns, (Butores) and Larks, XVIIII. "Of Earthen Pots, M. Price XVs. ORIENTATION OF CHURCHES. TO THE EDITOR OF THE ANTIQUARY. SIR,-It is well known that the chancels of our old parish churches, built before the sixteenth century, invariably point towards the east. But there is a great variation as to the exact point of the compass towards which they are oriented, some lying a little north of east, others a little south of east, and not a few north-east or south-east. Chauncy, in his Historical Antiquities of Hertfordshire, gives the following explanation of this ecclesiological feature. He remarks : "One end of every church doth point to such place where the sun did rise at the time the foundation thereof was laid, which is the reason why all churches do not directly point to the east; for if the foundation was laid in June, it pointed to the north-east, where the sun rises at that time of the year; if it was laid in the spring or autumn, it was directed full east; if in winter, south-east; and by the standing of these churches, it is known at what time of the year the foundations were laid." Another opinion is that the orientation was determined by observing the point in the horizon where the sun rose on the saint's day, to whom any particular church about to be built was dedicated. Can any proof of either of these explanations be brought forward from old manuscript records? E. H. W. DUNKIN. Kidbrooke Park Road, Blackheath. January 6th, 1872. PRE-HISTORIC ANTIQUITIES OF N. AMERICA. TO THE EDITOR OF THE ANTIQUARY. SIR,-The discovery of America by the Norsemen, even if it could be disproved, can have nothing to do with the animal-shaped mounds. When the sources of pre-historic information can be examined, materials enough will be found for the connexions between the Old World and the New. One is the ancient connexion of the dark races put forward as an hypothesis, but for which no evidence can be obtained. A curious chain is the linguistic relationship between the Esquimaux and the languages of Northern Asia, and again between India and languages of Northern Asia. This chain will be extended so as to embrace Africa and Australia. Another chapter is the doctrine of the Four Worlds, which, if carefully examined, shows that there was an opportunity for the geographers of Rome, of Greece, and Asia, and their predecessors, to discuss the existence of North and South America. This doctrine, only traditional and hypothetical in the latter schools, was obtained from those more ancient and belonging to a period of civilization when the geography of the world was better known than by the Greeks and Romans, for the names of countries, islands, rivers and towns recorded in the classic geographies are mostly of ancient and uniform type, and the people who ruled from further India to Britain, if not to Scotland, had the opportunity of learning in India, at all events, the traditions of the connexion of its populations with Northern Asia and America. 32, St. George's Square, S. W. January 6th, 1872. HYDE CLARKE. DISCOVERING THE TEMPER OF ANY PERSON BY "THE SENSITIVE LEAF." TO THE EDITOR OF THE ANTIQUARY. Sir, Herewith I send you a piece of the "Sensitive Leaf," an article once sold in London as being well calculated to tell the temper of any person in whose hand it is placed. I do not know what its composition consists of, but as you can readily prove, it curls and contorts when placed upon the hand; the warmth, of course, being the sole cause. To show you how the credulous were imposed upon, I send you an exact copy of the leaflet, with the instructions thereon. colour and the fact of its having been in the possession of a I do not know the date of it, but judging from its brown lamented friend for over twenty years (as I am informed), do not think it can be more recent than 1845. I "SENSITIVE LEAF. "The Surprising Phenomenon of Nature. "THE astonishing effects of this most wonderful leaf was discovered by a gentleman of our own country, in his researches after natural philosophy; the power of these leaves, whose virtue never leaves them, are entertaining to a whole company; the delicacies of these exotics are made more pleasing, owing to the different devices that Mr. Cheese embellishes them with. Likewise the manner he improves them by his chemical preparations: mention is made of them in the geography, that if a bird comes near the blossom of this flower, it will close its beautiful leaves. "If you wish to know the temper of any person, you must lay one of the leaves on the palm of the hand, and observe with attention the movement of the leaf, and you will find the temper and disposition of the person; if on the hand of a sanguine person, the leaf rolls itself up quickly, and keeps in constant motion, such a person is fond of music, dancing, &c., in friendship, free and generous, they marry very young and live happy. "If on the hand of a choleric person, the leaf soon runs towards the arm, the party is courageous and brave, don't like to alter their plans, if contradicted they get angry, but soon repent; the women are fickle, they promise well and soon forget, but in love are faithful, and generally accept of the first offer. "If on the hand of a phlegmatic person, the leaf from the hand, such a person is most fond of good eating and drinking, says little but thinks the more; they love a place of worship, because they can sleep soundly during the sermon: if the party goes to the play, it is more to gape at the audience than to see the performance; they will blush in company, if only three or four, and believe they are the subject of dis course. Please to lay them flat after use, and it will preserve the virtue for ycars.- (Mason, printer, 21, Clerkenwell Green.)" The leaves I have are cut into the shapes of a man and woman, and partially coloured. As to their virtue being preserved for many years, you, sir, can vouch for their present "virtue." The name of Mason, the printer of this leaflet, is well known to all collectors of cheap-books and juvenile productions; but I believe he is no more; and his printing establishment in Clerkenwell Green has ceased to exist many years ago. Any of your readers wishing to see my copy, can do so by intimating the same to me. 43, Red Lion Street, E.C. January 6, 1872. JOHN JEREMIAH. FOLK LORE. TO THE EDITOR OF THE ANTIQUARY. SIR,-To dry a letter over a candle or before a fire, instead of using blotting paper, is an unlucky sign. I was told this by a lady friend of mine the other day, while in the act of drying a sheet of paper wet with ink. I beg to send you another mite of lore which may be known, traditionally, to many of your correspondents. An old woman, well-known to me, always keeps a piece of sulphur in her pocket, as a sure preventive against rheumatic JOHN JEREMIAH. attacks. 43, Red Lion Street, E.C. January 6th, 1872. RESTORATION OF ANCIENT CHURCHES. AN ALLEGED CHAIR OF SHAKESPEARE. Mr. GEORGE DAVIS, of Cranbourne Street, and St. Swithin's Lane, has drawn our attention to an ancient chair in his possession, which he states belonged to Shakespeare. In reference to its pedigree he has forwarded to us the following extract from an auctioneer's catalogue, in which the chair is described, and also a newspaper paragraph on the subject. Perhaps some of our readers can supply evidence respecting the genuineness of this chair, which, if it is really Shake spearian, is highly interesting, and should be purchased by the City Corporation or the Trustees of the British Museum, "Extract from catalogue of sale of curiosities by Messrs. Price & Clark, at their rooms, 48, Chancery Lane, on Friday, the 27th of May, 1857. Lot 16-An oak Glaston. bury Chair, which also belonged to Shakespeare, and called the Abbot's Chair.' "Full particulars of this lot can be obtained at the Offices of the Auctioneers." The following is the paragraph alluded to "THE LUMBER TROOP.-On Friday last, the properties and arms of the Ancient and Honourable Lumber Troop were sold by Messrs. Price and Clark, at their sale rooms, in Chancery Lane. To the antiquarian this sale offered a rich treat; amongst the various articles of interest were the original laws of the society on parchment, portraits of the most eminent members, the silver charge goblet, the military chest, a collection of royal and celebrated autographs, with the flags and banners of the troop. The most interesting lot, however, was the celebrated Abbot's chair. This antique relic belonged to the unfortunate, and last, Abbot of Glastonbury, Richard Whiting, a man of great learning and courage, who, resisting the order of Henry the Eighth to deliver up the property of the monastery, was charged with embezzling some of the plate, and by the king sen tenced to be hanged. This victim of an arbitrary and tyrannical monarch was executed on Tor Hill, Glastonbury, in 1539. The chair, which is an old Glastonbury oak chair, subsequently became the property of our immortal Bard MEARE, GLASTONBURY.-The ancient parish church is Shakespeare, and was afterwards purchased at Stratford-onunder restoration, the large west window, of three lights and Avon, by Mr. S. Ireland, father of the notorious W. H. very elegant tracery, having just been restored as to its stone-Ireland, forger of the Shakesperian MSS. We understand work, and stained glass inserted-" Our Saviour Blessing contributed to the sale by Mr. Huggins, of Portugal-street. the chair was not the property of the Lumber Troop, but was Little Children," and "The Good Samaritan," "The Holy We hope the fortunate possessor will now contrive for this Thorn" (in memory of the legend of St. Joseph of Arima- relic of the Bard of Avon, to find its last resting place at thea landing on his errand of mercy in these parts), the work being designed and carried out con amore by Mr. C. Shakespeare's house, Stratford, where its interest and value A. Gibbs, of Marylebone Road, London. will be considerably enhanced, through the various associations by which it would be surrounded.” FARNINGHAM.-The old church at this place has undergone careful restoration by Mr. Ewan Christian, architect. HADLEIGH.-The ancient church of Hadleigh was lately re-opened, after complete restoration. The architect was Mr. J. Drayton Wyatt, of Holloway. The wood-carving was executed by Mr. John Spurgeon, of Stowmarket. OVERTON, NORTH WALES.-This ancient parish church has recently undergone thorough alteration and repair, under the charge of Messrs. H. M. Teulon and Cronk, of London. THE LIVINGSTONE EXPEDITION.-We have read Mr. Bates' letter on the appointment of a leader for the above expedition, and highly approve the selection of a military man to the post. Calling to mind the several gentlemen qualified for this undertaking-who would probably volunteer their services to the enterprise-and without trespassing upon the province of the Royal Geographical Society in the matter, we think it advantageous that its choice should fall upon Captain Burton or Mr. Joyce Perceval, as both are from the Indian School, possess an ample knowledge of Africa and its languages, are good descriptive writers, and are physically fitted for this difficult expedition. WE have to announce that a new Journal entitled L'Indépendance Orientale, which will be printed both in French and English, will shortly appear in London. The mission of this Journal will be the independence of all the depressed nationalities of Turkey, as well as revealing that nation in her true condition. We commend the perusal of this literary offspring to the consideration of all who have invested in the stock of the Turkish Empire. REVIEWS. Bewick's Select Fables, with a Life of Esop and an Essay |