ity a ) a . oor *, i 2 FR a Saat Tet ed THE WILTSHIRE Archeological ont Hatueal Aistory MAGAZINE, Publishex unter the Wirection of the Suctety FORMED IN THAT COUNTY, A.D. 1853. VOL. XVII. DEVIZES: H. F. & E. BULL, 4, Sarnt Joun SrREet. - / £)) ~ 1878. DEVIZES + PRINTED BY U. F. & E. BULL, ST. JOHN STREET. CONTENTS OF VOL. XVII. No. XLIX. Account of the Twenty-Third Annual Meeting, at Salisbury.............06 On a Leaden “Bulla” found at Warminster: Communicated by the SAID A ESATO INT A. 5 Vices cantor tro danioyncans «xqimapvensaescgp eine as Amye Robsart: By the Rev. Canon J. HE. Jackson, F.S.A..........cecuee Letters Patent of Edward IV.: Communicated by James Hussey, Esq. _ On the Occurrence of some of the Rarer Species of Birds in the Neigh- bourhood of Salisbury: By the Rev. ArrHur P. Morrss, Vicar of Britford ss : Emme Ree REE eR H REET HE EEE HEHE EES EEE ES HSE O OHHH HOO E HHS E REESE No. L. The Ancient Roof Painting in Salisbury Cathedral: By the Rev. MucGantor ARMETELD, MiuALg HSA. -c.cccsissiereadeencsccedicavacecsvevcvee On the Original Position of the High Altar at Salisbury Cathedral : By the Rev. Canon W. H. Jonzs, M.A., F.S.A., Vicar of Bradford-on- MENS Shoat Ue hay MMT shes oe Ge Cate saicoaw ees oes 8 ona cn _ Stonehenge: the Petrology of its Stones: By Nevin Srory MasKELYNE, rm Dee se Neill va eee abe gacwudeticbadeease. sareiet ctetewevavoees The Bishops of Old Sarum, A.D. 1075—1225: By the Rev. Canon W. H. Jonzs, M.A., F.S.A., Vicar of Bradford-on-AVon......cccccccccceeeue “The Wiltshire Regiment for Wiltshire:” By W. W. Ravenuitt, Esq., M.A., Honorary Secretary of the Wiltshire Society (founded A.D. 1817), Recorder of Andover, &. .......0...0....c.0ccsecscuscesecccnees Memoirs of the Rev. John Wilkinson and George Matcham, Esq.: By Memthe Rey. Canon J.B. Jacwson, FSA. oo... ..ccsccccccccvercecteccecccese Downton and Britford Churches: By C. H. Tatport, Esq. ..........0000- _ Supposed Stone Circle near Abury: By the Rev. A. C. SurrH seen eennenes PAGE 127 129 136 147 161 192 234 238 253 iv CONTENTS OF VOL. XVII. No. LI. Account of the Twenty-Fourth Annual Meeting at Warminster ......... The Vale of Warminster: By the Rev. Canon Jackson, F.S.A. ......... Some Account of the Tavern Signs of Wiltshire and their Origin: By the Rev. A. C. SMITH, Saale Je declenagte nok or one Weetre ce deasas vasonr aera nee “ Abury Notes: By Witt1aM Lone, Esq., "M. AC; HSsAC see ei On the Study of Anglo-Saxon and its Value to the Archzologist: By the Rev. J. Baron, “MLA. Rector of Upton Scudamore ...............008 Architectural Notes on some of the Buildings visited by the Society, during the late Warminster Meeting, August 22nd, 23rd, and 24th, 1877: By (CoH y DAnBOT, PSs agaeateaesse hassces ores anvecs cane “The Wiltshire Regiment for Wiltshire:” By W. W. RavENuILL, Esq., M.A., Honorary Secretary of the Wiltshire Society (founded 1917), Be. sarccee oe Se IT nee is [llustrations. 255 282 306 327 336 347 364 Leaden Bulla found at Warminster, 45. Fuc-simile of letter from Amye (Robsart) Lady Dudley, 61. Fuac-simile of Amye, Lady Dudley’s letter to her Taylor, 66. Ground-plan of Salisbury Cathedral, 138. Elevation at ¢ on plan, 141. Micro- scope sections in illustration of the Petrology of the Stones at Stonehenge, 160. Saxon Arch, Britford Church, Wilts, 248. Museum Building Bund, SUBSCRIPTION LIST. £ Ailesbury, The Bare of 50 Alexander, G. 10 Anstie, T. B. yeeee Awdry, Rev. E. C. eae | Awdry, H. G. irtiay | Awdry, J. W. 1 Awdry, West 1 Baron, Rev. J. 0 Barrey, H. G. 1 Bateson, Sir T. Bart., UZ. P. 25 Bennett, J.Jd., HM. D. af Ades Bleeck, C. 2 Bouverie, TheRt.Hon.E. P. 25 Brewin, R. Brine, J.B. 1 Britton, Mrs. 5) Brown, G. gage ail ditto (second Hah Sa. 0 Brown, H. Ae Butcher, W. H. 3 Bull, H. F. & E. 2 Calley, Major 3 Chamberlaine, Rev. W. js a Cholmeley, Rey. C. H. 0 Clark, Major 5 Clarke, H. M. 2 Clark, R. 3 ditto (second sub.) .., 1 Clarke, W. A. ‘hpsesee Colston, Mrs. L. R. .. 10 Colwell, J. 1 Conolly, C. J. F. 5 Coward, R. 1 Cornthwaite, Rev. F. 1 Crowdy, Rev. A. 1 ditto (second sub.) 1 1 — ditto (third sub.) Bg. Cunnington, W. Jp: 20 ditto (second sub.) ... 10 Cunnington, H. SO. Carried Forward £216 8. e bo wNwoodrcNONCTOrFS a) i = Ve) cooocoOorororOoONrFwoocors coccoosoo™ oqoqoomoococoeooooa i) ooooocooocooooocoooooaoo Brought Forward £216 9 Day, W. .. 11:13 Dixon, S. B. th oth Dodd, ‘S: pri eg! Dowding, Rev. W. .. 010 Edgell, Rev. E. B. 2 2 Estcourt, The Right Hon. T. HS. Sotheron ... 50 0 Everett, Rev. E. Ne 2 2 Kyre, G. B. Soles ale Ewart, Miss M. 5 0 Fitzmaurice, Lord E.,4.P.10 0 Flower, T. B. 5 0 Fowle, Miss a Dey Fuller, J.B. 1200 Fuller, G. P. as AO 10 Goddard, A. L., U.P. 5 0 ditto (second sub, ) 5 0 Goddard, H. N. . 6 0 Goddard, Rey. F. 5 2 30 Goldney, F, H. 5.5 Griffith, C. Darby . 10 0 Grove, Miss Chafyn 20 0 Gwatkin, J. RB. 3.3 Haden, J. P. a. 9 Haleombe, John 5 0 Hall, Capt. Marshall .~2 10 Hamilton, Dean .10 0 ditto (second sub.) ... 5 O Hayward, W. P. . 10 0 Heard, Rev. T. J. ee eee Heneage, G. H. W. . 10 0 ditto (second sub.) 5 0 Heytesbury, Lord PLO (0 Holford, R. S. 8072.0 ditto (second sub.) . 5 0 Hony, Rev. C. W. 2 0 ditto (second sub.) 3.0 Hughes, Rey. J. H. a | Hussey, J. 3 0 Carried Forward £485 12 ooooo QOtl_oooococococoococooococoo ooococooco li MUSEUM BUILDING FUND. Brought Forward £485 1 Jackson, Rey. Canon 20 ditto (second sub.) . 20 ditto (third sub,) wu O Jackson, J. 10 Kemble, Mrs. 2 Kemm, W. C. 2 ditto (second sub.) 1 Kemm, T. 1 Kenrick, Mrs. 2 Knight, Rey. J. 1 Lansdowne,TheMarquis of 50 Gitto (second sub.) ... 10 Leach, R. V. X20 Littlewood, Rey. S. Ad Long, W. (W "rington) ... 5 ditto (second sub.) ... 5 Lowndes, E. C. 2 l2p Lubbock, Sir J., U.P. ... 10 Lucas, C. R. See Lyall, J. +. 20 Mackay, Alexander , £0 Mannings, G. eae McNiven, Rey. C. Hee ditto (second sub.) sp Medlicott, H. E. fe Meek, A. . 20 M eek, A. G. 2 Merewether, H. A., Q. C. 10 Merriman, W. C. roe Merriman, kK. cay oe Meyrick, Rev. E. Se Mullings, R. ane ALO Neeld, Sir John ... 50 Nightingale, J. E. ren tees Nott, W. ree Olivier, Rey, H. A, pad ! J) eae ald ete ee = heer Pie ares. beaeht Wale pag ual to. Ce raitaee TW Sane ‘ Stings Weds fannl titel couples | cogreay mdr: ratiet be sata - —_ “i ox ee UAE 4 rupees. « ed LBA aot a r re . aaa ee as @#eeovsea Sauce i =! ir WOM) “qe cag tare eer ins ~ wey ae: re —. WILTSHIRE MAGAZINE ‘‘ WULTORUM MANIBUS GRANDE LEVATUR ONUS.’’—Ovid. THE TWENTY-THIRD ANNUAL MEETING OF THE Wiltshire Archeological & Natural Wistory Society, HELD AT SALISBURY, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, August 23rd, 2Ath, and 25th, 1876. PRESIDENT OF THE MEETING, Siz Jonn Lupzocx, Bart., M.P., F.R.S., &., &c. > Meeting of the Society this year! was attended bya larger 0 number of Members than on any previous occasion, attracted ubtless in part by the charms of the Cathedral city, and the pro- verbial hospitality of its inhabitants; but still more (as we con- fidently believe), by the desire, worthy of all true Archzologists, to hear what would be said about Stonehenge and our Wiltshire monu- ments of antiquity, by so renowned a leader in the archeological world as Sir John Lubbock, and other gentlemen of note, who were expected to be present. Nor did any return disappointed, for though Stonehenge remains as great a mystery as ever, and is still, as here- tofore, open to the theories of the imaginative; a great many opinions (sometimes contradictory to one another) were delivered, and much very interesting discussion ensued. The Council Chamber having been placed at the disposal of the Society by the kindness of the Mayor, the proceedings began at two o'clock on Wednesday, August 23rd, under the presidency of Sir 1JIn preparing the following account of the Salisbury Meeting the Editor desires to acknowledge the assistance he has derived from the columns of the Sulisbury and Winchester Journal, and the Wiltshire County Mirror. VOL. XVII.—NO. XLIX, B 2 The Twenty-third General Meeting. John Lubbock; who at once called on Rev. A. C. Sura, one of the Secretaries, to read THE REPORT FOR 1876. “The Committee of the Wiltshire Archzological and Natural History Society desires to report to the Members the continued prosperity of the Society, which, during the last twelvemonths, has certainly suffered no diminution ; rather, it may be said, that in one important particular, viz., in the literary department, it has achieved a work of more than ordinary value, on which it has for a long time . had its eye, as shall be more particularly mentioned presently. “This has been a very heavy year of losses of old and valued Members of the Society. On the 6th of January, of this year, died Mr. Sotheron Estcourt, a name honoured in every household in Wilts, and which will long continue to be cherished as that of one who made himself beloved by all classes in the county, and not less esteemed by this Society, whose third president he was, from the year 1859 to 1862, and in which he took a keen and active interest to the time of his decease, and to which he was frequently a liberal donor. Perhaps it will not be out. of place if it is here recorded what may be unknown to many, but should be made known to every Member of the Society, that when part of the famous circle of Avebury was threatened with profanation by the building of villas within the area, and the destruction of some of the stones ; and when — it was rescued from such threatened injury by the public spirit of our now president—Sir John Lubbock—who came forward at the right moment and purchased the land in question (as we mentioned in the report for 1871), Mr. Sotheron Estcourt, who had heard tidings of the intended desecration, but had not heard of the rescue, hastened to write to your Secretary and give him full authority to draw upon him for any sum he (the Secretary) might require in order to purchase the land so threatened, and avert the injury con- templated. This, however, is not the proper place for a memoir of Mr. Estcourt, which will appear in its proper place in the forthcoming number of the Magazine.! On the 19th of January (the same 1The memoir of Mr. Sotheron Estcourt and Mr, Poulett Scrope appeared in the last No. of the Magazine, vol. xvi. p. 340. Report for 1876. 3 month in which we lost Mr. Estcourt) died Mr. Poulett Scrope, the first president of this Society, to whose diligence and zeal in the cause our Society stands in great degree indebted for the position it very early occupied in the county; and to whose kindly support and unceasing interest in its welfare the Society owes a great deal of its present firmly-rooted condition. A memoir of Mr. Scerope will also, it is hoped, appear in the next Magazine. In addition to the loss of these two early presidents of the Society, we have to lament that of several other members who have been subscribers and supporters of the Society from its foundation ; among whom we would mention Mr. Howse, of St. Paul’s Churchyard, London ; Mr. Seymour, of Crowood, Ramsbury; and more recently the Earl of Suffolk and Mr. Tugwell, of Devizes, at whose house the Society has, on more than one occasion, visited the fine collection of British birds (most of them Wiltshire specimens) made by the late Mr. Warriner, of Conock. Although, however, the number of Members who have passed away since last year is considerable, your Committee is happy to add that there has been more than an equal number of admissions to fill up the vacancies. The number of members now on the books, which at the last general meeting was stated to be 340, now amounts to 355. . « Financially, the Society stands much as it did last year. While expending in the prosecution of its objects the whole of its income, it has still a small balance in hand as heretofore, but with the details we need not now trouble you; they will appear in the balance sheet in the next number of the Magazine. “ And now we come to the Magazine, of which three numbers have been issued since last autumn; viz., an ordinary number in December and a double number a month ago, which last contains a full account of Stonehenge and its barrows, the very able work of Mr. William Long, to whom the Committee here desires to express its very warmest thanks, and its sense of the great benefits he has conferred on the Society. For many years past the Committee has felt that it ought to put forth a treatise on Stonehenge which should collect and embody and record all that was known of that world- renowned monument; and for a long period overtures have been B 2 4 The Twenty-third General Meeting. made to Mr.. Long to try and induce that gentleman to do for Stonehenge what he had so admirably done for Avebury. Mr. Long, however, with a generous diffidence which all will appreciate, declined, during Dr. Thurnam’s lifetime, to engage in a work which he modestly thought that able antiquary would better carry out, and it was not until after the lamented death of Dr. Thurnam, that Mr. Long would suffer himself to be persuaded to take Stonehenge in hand. How he has succeeded, how he has made copious use (as he himself tells us in the outset of his work) of Dr. Thurnam’s MSS., which were kindly placed at his disposal by Mrs. Thurnam, how he arranged his materials, collected the scattered notices he has culled from various sources, brought them all within a narrow com- pass, and explained everything in detail, assisting the letterpress with copious illustrations (all of which he has most generously pre- sented to the Society), you can all judge for yourselves. Enough for the Committee to state that since the publication of its magnum opus, to wit Canon Jackson’s Aubrey, the Society’s press has neither been engaged with more valuable material, nor has it published anything of which it is more proud: and when Mr. Long modestly suggested to the Editor of the Magazine that there should be printed on the cover of the Stonehenge number a repudiation of all responsibility on the part of the Society for the opinions contained therein, your Editor felt no hesitation in accepting on the part of the Society any share of responsibility, in hopes that by so doing the Society might at the same time derive some portion of the credit which such a work cannot fail to bring to all who have had any part in it. So far for the literary work of the Society to the present moment, though it should be added that No. 48, concluding volume XVi., is in progress, and will, it is hoped, be in the hands of Members in the course of the autumn ; and with that number will be published an index to the last eight volumes (Canon Jackson having already published an index to the first eight, of which he was Editor) ; and for this last index we shall be indebted to the diligence of one of our local Secretaries, the Rev. W. C. Plenderleath, Rector of Cherhill, who has already prepared, so far as he can prepare, an index of a work which is not yet quite completed. “a. ee a er 2 Report for 1876. 5 With regard to the Museum and Library of the Society at Devizes, thanks to the zeal and activity of the Curators, large and very valuable additions have been made since last year by purchase, not only to the general collections of archzologieal treasures, and the various departments of natural history, more especially in regard to ornithology ; but by means of special subscriptions which they have collected for the purpose, large table-cases, and other fittings have been purchased, which have well nigh completed the furnishing of the Society’s rooms. ‘Tt only remains to add to this report (which has been prolonged to an unusual length, by an unwillingness to pass hurriedly over subjects which deserved to be fully set before the Members) that the work of the Society still craves your united and your individual assistance; that there is a great deal to be done before we can be said to have exhausted our subjects, both in the direction of the archeology and of the natural history of our county ; and that it is the earnest hope of the Committee that your efforts will not be re- laxed, while so much on every side of you invites your careful research, and so many things demand your protection, which, but for your timely interference, would be irreparably injured, if not destroyed.” On the motion of the Bisnop, seconded by the Mayor, the report was adopted. The Rev. A. C. Smiru then begged the attention of the meeting for a few moments while he did justice to two gentlemen who de- served well of the Archeological Society, their good old friend and fellow-worker, Mr. Matcham, whose words had been most unin- tentionally misquoted, and their excellent friend, Mr. Long, the talented author of “Stonehenge and its Barrows,” to whom they felt so deep a debt of gratitude ; and who desired to take the earliest opportunity of correcting an error, into which he had been inadver- tently led. Mr. Smith was sure the meeting would not grudge the time occupied in setting this matter right, which he would do by reading to them a letter he had received from Mr. Long. [This letter was printed in the last number of the Magazine, vol. xvi., page 339.] Tur PrestDENT, in proposing the election of General Secretaries 6 The Twenty-third General Meeting. for the ensuing year, announced that Mr. Cunnington, as he had now left Wiltshire and was residing in London, had expressed a wish to retire from the office of Secretary, which he had held with such benefit to the society for so many years. He was sure the Members would very much regret the loss of his valuable services ; moreover as a geologist he was well known over a far wider area than Wiltshire. While however deploring the loss of Mr. Cunnington’s services, he was glad to put before the meeting the name of Mr. E. T. Stevens as his successor: Mr. Stevens had the greatest sympathy with the work of the Society, and would, he was sure, discharge the duties of the office in a highly satisfactory manner. It would be presumptuous in him if he were to say one word further in commendation of the name of so well known and able a worker in the archeological field. He would content himself, therefore, with simply proposing that the Rev. A. C. Smith, Mr. C. H. Talbot, and Mr. E. T. Stevens be appointed the General Honorary Secretaries for the year. Mr. Cunntnerton felt the greatest possible pleasure in seconding the proposition, Mr. Stevens having always been the very life of the Society in the southern part of the county. His valuable services were also well known, (and everywhere acknowledged and appre- ciated), in connection with the Blackmore and South Wilts Mu- seums. He himself deeply regretted that he was obliged to retire from an office which he had held ever since the Society was estab- lished in 1852; but his removal from Devizes to London necessitated the adoption of such a step. He could not allow the present oppor- tunity to pass without publicly expressing to the Members of the Society his heartfelt thanks for the great kindness, indulgence and assistance which he had invariably received at their hands. He would only add that if he could, in any possible way, although living in London, promote the interests of the Society, they might always rely upon his services. The proposition was unanimously carried. The Rev. A. C. Smith said that they had a number of most ex- cellent Vice-Presidents, but as several losses had been sustained since the last annual meeting, he desired, in order to fill those 2 eae we eee The Twenty-third General Meeting. 7 vacancies, to propose a few names for their acceptance as Vice- Presidents ‘of the Society. He would first mention Mr. Goldney, M.P. for Chippenham, who had presided over them for the last three years, and in recognition of his services the least they could do was to elect him a Vice-President. The second name on his list was that of Mr. William Blackmore, the munificent founder of the splendid Museum hard by, to whom the Society felt a special debt of gratitude ; and the third name was that of his friend and colleague for so many years—Mr. Cunnington. The loss of Mr. Cunnington to the Society as Secretary was no common loss: it was not too much to say that he was one of the chief founders of the Society, and but for his exertions, the Society would perhaps never have éome into existence: it was certainly the case that but for his energy and perseverance a museum in connection with the Society would never have been estublished at Devizes. But to himself individually the loss of Mr. Cannington as a colleague was a most severe blow : they had worked together in great harmony and with the greatest cordiality for above twenty years, and he (Mr. Smith) could ill spare his ser- vices. Not however that his work in connection with the Society was ended: Mr. Cunnington would still, he felt sure, do work for the Society in London, and by electing him a Vice-President, they secured him as a member of the Committee. In proposing these gentlemen to be added to the list of Vice-Presidents Mr. Smith begged to move a special and most hearty vote of thanks to Mr. Cunnington for the valuable services which he had rendered to the Society from the day of its inauguration to the present time. - The Rev. Presenpary Writxinson! seconded the proposition most cordially, and spoke in the highest terms of praise of the im- portant work which Mr. Cunnington had done for so many years for the Society ; and he added that he had the authority of Mr. Prestwich for saying that no geologist knew more of the strata of 1 Within ten days of the Salisbury Meeting, throughout which he accompanied the Members, apparently in his usual health, and with his customary vivacity, and the interest he always took in the proceedings, the Rey. John Wilkinson breathed his last, to the great loss and regret of the Society, whose constant friend and supporter he had been from the very first. 8 The Twenty-third General Meeting. the earth in the West of England than did Mr. Cunnington. There was another thing which might be mentioned ; he would remind the meeting that Mr. Cunnington’s grandfather was associated with the late Sir Richard Colt Hoare, in the preparation of his invaluable history of Wiltshire. The resolution having been put, and very warmly received and carried, Mr. Cunnington expressed his thanks in brief but feeling terms. The Committee was then re-appointed, with certain additions : the Local Secretaries and the Treasurer were re-elected ; and then began THE PRESIDENT’S ADDRESS. Sm Joun Lussock said—When your excellent Secretary, Mr. Smith, first communicated to me the wish of your Committee that I should become your President for this year, I must confess that I had some natural hesitation in accepting your very flattering in- vitation. I have so recently become directly connected with the county, there are so many gentlemen well qualified, not only to fill, but to adorn, the office, that I could not but feel doubtful how far the suggestion would be approved by, and advantageous to, the Society. Nevertheless I have long felt so deep an interest in this, the central, and archzologically, the richest district of England, I am always so happy in the sunshine of your glorious downs, or under the shadow of your beautiful cathedral, that I could not refuse myself the pleasure, and, for it is never very difficult to convince one’s self of what one wishes to believe, it seemed to me that the responsibility of the selection would after all in no sense rest upon me. It is indeed always a pleasure to come into Wiltshire, and much more too thanamereidleone. I sometimes think that everyone—at any rate every sehoolmaster and every Member of Parliament—ought to make the tour of the county and visit its principal antiquities, There are still many who go abroad to visit distant antiquities, neglecting those at home, like the “ Wander Witt of Wiltshire,” mentioned by Gibbons in 1670, who, having “ screwed ” himself into. the company of some Roman antiquaries, confessed that he had never seen Stonage, as he calls it, whereupon they kicked him out The President’s Address. 9 of doors, and bad him goe home and see Stonage; and I wish,” adds Gibbons, “all such Aisopicall cocks, as slight these admired stones, and other our domestick monuments (by which they might be ad- monished to eschew some evil and doe some good), and scrape for barley cornes of vanity out of foreign dunghills, might be handled, or rather footed, as he was.” Indeed, it would be difficult to finda pleasanter or more instructive tour. The visitor would begin, per- haps, with Marlborough, pass the large Castle Mound, and coming: soon within sight of the grand hill of Silbury, leave the high-road, and drive, partly up the ancient roadway, into the venerable circle of Abury, perhaps the most interesting of our great national monu- ments. There he would walk round the ancient vallum, he would search out the remaining stones among the cottages and farmsteads, and wonder at the ancient mechanical skill which could have moved such ponderous masses, and at the modern barbarism which could have destroyed such interesting, I might say, almost sacred, monu- ments of the past. From Abury he would pass on across the great wall of Wansdyke, which he would trace on each side of the road, stretching away as far as the eye could reach, and sleep at the ancient eity of Devizes. On Salisbury Plain he would visit Stonehenge, the sanctity of which is attested, not only by its own evidence, but by the tumuli which cluster reverently round it, and which have been described in the last volume of the Archologia, by Dr. Thurnam, whose recent death is so great a loss to science. At Old Sarum he will, I must be forgiven for saying, for the first time come aeross real and written history. Lastly, at Salisbury he will see one of the most beautiful of Cathedrals, and an excellent Museum which we owe to the liberality of Mr. Blackmore, while for the admirable _ arrangement we are indebted to Mr. Stevens. The question natu- - rally arises, ‘To what age do these monuments belong?” ‘‘ When and by whom were Stonehenge and Abury erected?” As regards the latter, history is entirely silent. Stonehenge, with the exception possibly of an allusion in Hecatzus, is unmentioned by any Greek or Roman writer; nor is there any reference to it in Gildas, Nennius, Bede, or in the Saxon Chronicle. Henry of Huntingdon, in the twelfth century, alludes to it with admiration, but expresses no 10 The Twenty-third General Meeting. opinion as to its date or origin. In the same century, Geoffrey of Monmouth, who, in the words of Dr. Guest, “is everywhere found darkening the pure light of our early history,” gave to the world that which some call an historical account of Stonehenge, viz., that: it was erected in the fifth century, to commemorate the treacherous murder of the British by Hengist. The stones are said to have come from Africa, whence they were transported by giants to the plains of Kildare; and from thence by the enchantments of Merlin carried to Salisbury Plain. The question has been well discussed by one of our members, Mr. Long, in his recent work on “ Stonehenge and its Barrows,” in which he has usefully brought together our present information on the subject, and I will therefore only add that, for my own part, I look upon the account given by Geoffrey as altogether mythical. It is remarkable that the source of the small inner stones, which, as Stukeley first pointed out, are of a different material from the others, is still uncertain, but the large ones are certainly “ Sarsen” stones, such as are still shown in many places on the Plain. The best evidence as to the age of Stonehenge seems to me derivable from the contents of the tumuli surrounding it. Within a radius of three miles round Stonehenge there are no less than three hundred tumuli; which is, I need not say, a much larger number than are found anywhere else within an equal area. We can hardly doubt, I think, that these tumuli cluster round the great monument, or, at least, that the same circumstances which led to the erection of Stonehenge on its present site, either directly or “indirectly, led to the remarkable assemblage of tumuli round it. Now, two hundred and fifty of these tumuli were opened by our great antiquary, Sir Richard Colt Hoare, and are described in his “ Ancient Wiltshire.” If these belonged to the past Roman period we should naturally expect to find iron weapons, and, especially knives, coins, well-burnt pottery, and other relics characteristic of the period. Is this so? Not atall. The primary interment was not in any case accompanied by objects of iron, while in no less than thirty-nine cases bronze was present. We have then, I think, strong grounds for referring these monuments to the Bronze Age; and if this be true of Stonehenge, it probably is the case with Abury The President’s Address. 11 also, which seems decidedly more archaic, the stones for instance being rough, while those of Stonehenge are hewn. Now when was the Bronze Age? -And what do archeologists mean by the Bronze Age? I ask this question because, though it has been repeatedly answered, there is still a great misapprehension even in the minds of some who have written on the subject. By the Bronze Age, then We mean a period when the weapons were made almost entirely, and ornaments principally, of bronze; that is to say of copper and tin; gold being rare, iron and silver still more so, or even unknown, as was also the case with coins and glass. Some archeologists, indeed, have considered that the bronze swords and daggers which characterise the Bronze Age are really Roman. This question has been much discussed, and I will not now enlarge on it, but will only say, that in my judgment these arms are not found with Roman remains, and that the Roman weapons were made of iron, the word “ ferrum ” being synonymous with a sword. On this point, I have taken some pains to ascertain the opinions of Italian archeologists. Bronze swords, daggers, &c., occur south of the Alps, the very patterns being in some places identical with those of Northern Europe. But I believe it may be asserted that no object characteristic of the Bronze Age has been found in a Roman tomb; none“have been met with at Pompeii, and those Italian archeologists, whom I have been able to consult, all agree that they are undeniably pre-Roman. If indeed the bronze swords and daggers were of Roman origin, they ought to be more numerous in Italy than in the north. Now what are the facts? The museum of the Royal Irish Academy contains no less than three hundred swords and daggers of bronze. As re- gards other countries, M. Chantre, who has been collecting statistics on the subject, has been good enough to inform me that the French museums contain four hundred and nine, those of Sweden (including poniards) four hundred and eighty, and of Denmark, six hundred, while in Italy he knows of sixty only. These numbers seem to me to militate very strongly against the views of those who would ascribe these weapons to the Romans. When then was the Bronze Age? We know that iron was known in the time of Homer, which seems to have been, as regards the South of Europe, the period of 12 The Twenty-third General Meeting. transition, from the age of iron to that of bronze. Inthe Pentateuch, excluding Deuteronomy (which probably belongs to a much later date) brass, that is to say bronze, is frequently mentioned, while iron is only alluded to four times. Coins were first struck about 900 B.C., as it is generally said, by the Giginetans under Pheidon, King of Argos, though Herodotus ascribes them to the Lydians. It is true that the use of iron may have been known in Southern Europe long before it was introduced in the north. On the whole, however, I am disposed to think that when iron was once discovered, its use would spread somewhat rapidly ; and the similarity of form, of pattern, and of ornaments existing between the bronze arms and implements throughout Europe, seems to negative the idea that bronze was in use for such purposes in the north for any great length of time after it had been replaced by iron in the south. It is how- ever more than probable that many of our smaller Wiltshire tumuli belong to a still earlier period, namely, to the Neolithic, or later Stone Age, though it is not easy to say which of them doso. This is probably also the case with the large chambered tumuli in which as yet no metal has been discovered. As regards the Stone Age, the same word of caution is necessary as in that of bronze. There are still some who deny the very existence of such a period, alleging generally as their reason against this proposed classification that implements and weapons of stone were used in conjunction with those of metal. This, however, no one denies. The characteristic of the Stone Age is not the presence of stone, but the absence of metal ; and if the name were to be a definition, the period would be more correctly designated as non-metallic. That there was indeed a time when stone axes, knives and javelin-heads were used in Europe, and when metal was unknown, cannot I think be for a moment doubted or denied by anyone who has carefully looked into the evidence. These objects of stone, so well described by Mr. Evans in his excellent work on the ancient stone implements of Great Britain, are of the most varied character; mere flakes used as knives, scrapers for preparing skins, axes, adzes, hammers, gouges, chisels, arrow-heads, javelin-heads, swords, picks, awls, slingstones, and many other forms; these too, found not singly or in small numbers, The President’s Address. 13 but by hundreds and thousands, I might say tens of thousands, attest the important part which has been played by stone in the early stages of the development of the human race. For our know- ledge of this period we are mainly indebted, firstly, to the shell- mounds or refuse heaps of Denmark, so well studied by Steenstrup and Worsaae; secondly, to the tumuli or burial mounds; thirdly, to the remains found in caves; and fourthly, to the Swiss lake dwellings, first made known to us by Keller, and after- wards studied with so much zeal and ability by Morlot, Troyon, Desor, Schwab, and other Swiss archeologists. From these sources we get some idea of the conditions of life existing during the Stone Age. The use of pottery was known, but the potter’s wheel does not seem to have been as yet discovered. Man was clothed in skins, but partly also, in all probability, in garments made of flax. His food was derived principally from animals killed in the chase, but he had probably domesticated the ox as well as the goat, the pig and the dog; nor was he altogether ignorant of agri- eulture. Traces of dwellings of this period have been found in various parts of England; and in this county, the curious circular depressions at Stourhead, known as the “ Pen Pits,” perhaps belong to it. These dwellings seem to have consisted of pits sunk into the ground, which were probably covered by a roof consisting of branches of trees, over which again a coating of turf and earth may probably have been placed. The Swiss lake dwellings of this period were constructed on platforms supported on piles driven into the muddy bottom of the lakes, and in some cases still further supported by having stones heaped up round them. In one case a large canoe has been met with, which was evidently wrecked while on its way to one of the lake settlements, loaded with a freight of such stones. It must be admitted, indeed, that our knowledge of the Stone Age is still scanty, fragmentary, and unsatisfactory ; on the other hand, the stone weapons and implements found in Europe so very closely resemble those in use amongst various races of existing savages that they give us vivid, and I think to a great extent accurate, ideas of the mode of life which prevailed at that distant period; distant in- deed it was, according to the ideas of chronology which almost 14 The Twenty-thind General Meeling. universally prevailed until within the last quarter of a century, for we can scarcely doubt that even the later Stone Age goes back to a period more remote than the 6000 years which were traditionally supposed to be the limit of man’s existence on earth. No doubt, indeed, the difficulties of the received chronology had long been felt. Well-marked varieties of the human race are shown by the Egyptian monuments to have existed as early, at any rate, as the fifteenth century before Christ. The antiquity of man is also indicated by the differences of language and by the existence of powerful and flourishing monarchs at a very early period, for the pyramids them- selves are considered by M. Mariette and other high authorities to have been constructed about 4000 years B.C., and even at that early period it would appear that the Sphinx was suffering from age, for we possess a decree by which Cheops provides for its repair. Quitting now the Neolithic, or second Stone Age, we come to the Paleolithic, or first Stone Age. At this period man appears to have been ignorant not only of metals, but of pottery. The stone implements are much ruder, and are simply chipped into form, being never ground or polished. We have no evidence of the existence of any domestic animals, and man probably lived mainly on the produce of the chase, contending for the possession of Europe with animals which now exist only in distant regions, or have become entirely extinct. So unexpected were these facts, so improbable did they appear, that geologists accepted them only after reiterated and incontrovertible proofs. The observations made by Mr. Frere at the beginning of the century were neglected. The researches of MM. Tournal and Christol in the caves of the South of France, now just half-a-century ago—the still more complete investigations of Dr. Schmerling in those of Belgium during the years 1833-34—-searcely raised even a doubt upon the subject. Those of Mr. McEnery in Kent’s cavern attracted little attention ; subsequent observations made there by Mr. Vivian were refused publication on account of the inherent improba- bility of the conclusions to which they pointed. The discoveries of M, Boucher de Perthes were neglected for a quarter of a century, and it is not too much to say that if geologists are open to blame at all for their behaviour with reference to this question it would certainly be | The Président’s Address. 15 | rather for their incredulity—for their blind adherence to traditional ehronology—than for too ready an acceptance of new views. Yet they may well be pardoned for long hesitation before they could bring themselves to believe that man really inhabited Europe at a time when not only the urus and the bison and the reindeer occupied the whole of Europe as far south as the Alps, but when the cave lion, the cave bear, the long-haired rhinoceros, the mammoth, the musk sheep, and the hippopotamus also formed part of the European fauna; when the climate was very different and liable to great oscil- lations; when our rivers had but begun to excavate their valleys, and the whole condition of the country must therefore have been singularly different from what it is now. Gradually, however, the evidence became overwhelming; the statements of Tournal and Christol were confirmed by Lartet and Christy, by De Vibraye and others; those of Schmerling by Dupont; of McEnery by Vivian and Pengelly.; and at length the evidence, well summed up in his work -on “Cave Hunting,” by Mr. Boyd Dawkins, himself a successful worker in this field of research, left no room for doubt. As regards the drift gravels, M. de Perthes not only discovered unmistakable flint implements in the drift gravel of the Somme valley, but he. convinced every one that these implements really belonged to the gravels in which they occurred, and he taught us to find similar im- plements for ourselves in the corresponding strata of the river systems. For the full significance, however, of these facts, we are indebted to the profound geological knowledge of Mr. Prestwich, while Mr. Evans taught us to appreciate the essential characteristics which distinguish the stone implements of the two periods, to which I have ventured to give the names Paleolithic and Neolithic. Charac- teristic remains of the Paleolithic period have been found in this neighbourhood by Dr. Blackmore, Mr. Stevens, Mr. James Brown, » and others. We shall see an interesting series of them when we visit the Museum. Whether man existed in Europe at a still earlier period, in pre-glacial, or even as some suppose in miocene times, is a question still under discussion, and into which I will not now enter. Under any circumstances the antiquity of the human race must be very considerable. This conclusion rests upon three distinct 16 The Twenty-third General Meeting. considerations. The forms of the implements are indeed unlike those which characterise the Neolithic period. But although it is a re- markable fact, and one the significance of which must not be over- — looked, that while on the one hand the forms of the Palzolithic period are entirely wanting in our tumuli; so on the other, the polished implements, the finely-carved spear-heads of the Neolithic period, have never yet been found in the drift gravel. Nevertheless, the antiquity does not depend on these considerations. The three reasons which have induced geologists and antiquaries to ascribe so great an age to these remains are—firstly, the mammalian remains with which they are associated; secondly, and still more, the nature and position of the deposits in which they occur ; lastly, and most of all, the changes of climate which are indicated by the facts. The animal remains which characterise this period are certainly of very great interest. Who would have thought, not many years ago, that the remarkable fauna to which I have just alluded had ever inhabited our valleys and wandered in our forests and over our downs. A striking illustration of this fauna is that discovered in the Cave of Kesserloch, near Thayngen, in Switzerland, recently explored by Mr. Merk, whose memoir has been translated into English by Mr, Lee. Not only, however, is this fauna remarkable from the list of species, but also with reference to their relative abundance. Thus, the Alpine and the field hare were both present, but the former was by far the most abundant. The reindeer, again, was fifty times as numerous as the red deer; but, perhaps, the most surprising case is that of the foxes. About eighty individuals were represented, and of these 45°50 belonged to the Canis fulvus, or North American fox, 20°30 to the Arctic fox (Canis lagopus), which has also been met with in England by Mr Busk under similar circumstances, and will, probably, be found to have been sometimes mistaken for the common fox ; while of the common European fox only two or three could be determined. In other respects the fauna of this ancient period is interesting as tending to connect forms now distinct. Thus, according to Mr. Busk, than whom there is no higher authority on the Pleisto- cene mammalia, some remains of bears found in the bone caves are identical with those of the American grizzly bear, and the ancient. The President’s Address. 17 bison was intermediate between the existing bison of America and theEuropean aurochs. The next consideration on which the antiquity of these remains depends is the nature and position of the river gravels in which they are found. These gravels have evidently been formed and deposited by the rivers themselves where they ran at a higher level, that is to say, before they had excavated their valleys to the present depth. Even at that time the areas of drainage, at least of the principal rivers in question, for instance the Somme, the Seine, the Oise, the Thames, &c., were the same as now. This is proved by the fact that the pebbles which constitute the gravels are always such as might have been derived from the area of drainage. Thus the gravels of the Somme are made up of flint pebbles, the district drained by that river being entirely a chalk area. But if the river during the Paleolithic period had extended only six miles further inland, it would have entered upon an area containing rocks of earlier periods, fragments of which must in such a ease have formed a constituent part of its gravels. This consideration is very important because it shows that the valleys must have been excavated by the present rivers; and even admitting that from the then con- dition of the climate and from other considerations floods of that period may have been both more frequent and more violent; still the excavation of the valleys must have been due to the rainfall of each respective area, and thus not ascribable either to one great cataclysm or to the fact of the rivers having drained larger areas than at present. In many cases the excavation of the valley is even greater than might at first be supposed. The valley of the Somme, for instance, is forty feet deeper in reality than its present form would indicate, the river having filled it up again to that extent. The valley itself is from 200 to 250 feet in depth, and although this affords us no means of making even an approximate calculation as to time, still it is obvious that to excavate a valley, such as that of the Somme, to a depth of 250 feet, and to fill it up to the extent of 30 or 40 feet with sand, silt and peat, must have required a very con- siderable lapse of time. Passing on now to the question of climate, it will be observed that the assemblage of mammalia to which I have already referred, is remarkable in several ways. It is interesting VOL. XVII.—NO, XLIX. c 18 The Twenty-third General Meeting. to find that man co-existed in our woods and valleys—on Salisbury Plain, and on the banks of the Avon—with animals which are now to be found only in remote regions or which are altogether extinct. It is sufficiently surprising to reflect that on this very spot where we are now assembled there once ranged large herds of those strange and gigantic animals; but another most interesting consideration is, that when we come to consider them more closely, we shall see that they constitute in reality two distinct groups. The hippopo- tamus, for instance, and probably the hyena, extended into Great Britain, the porcupine into Belgium, the African elephant into Spain and Sicily, facts all indicating a climate warmer than the present. On the other hand the mammoth and the long-haired rhinoceros, the reindeer and the marmot, the Arctic hare and fox, the ibex, chamois, and the musk-sheep, point decidedly to Arctic conditions. The musk-sheep, indeed, has the most northern range of any known mammal. Passing over for the present those mammalia which seem to indicate a tropical climate, let us consider what may be called the Arctic group, and I may observe in passing that the existence of a very cold climate during the latest geological period had been in- ferred from other considerations, even when our knowledge of the mammalian fauna was much less considerable and consequently less suggestive. Various theories have been suggested to account for the fact that at a period, geologically speaking so recent, the climate of Europe should have been so different from what it is at present, and the best authorities seem now to consider that the true explanation is to be found in astronomical causes. If the plane of the equator coincided exactly with that of the ecliptic every day would be suc- ceeded by a night of equal length. In consequence, however, of the obliquity of the ecliptic, this only happens twice in the year, namely, on the 20th of March, and 23rd of September, which days divide the year into two halves, the day being longer than the night in the spring and summer, and shorter, on the other hand, in autumn and winter. Under existing circumstances then, we have in the northern hemisphere seven days more of summer than of winter, while in the southern hemisphere they have, on the other hand, seven days more of winter than of summer. ‘This, however, has not been, nor will it The President's Address. 19 be always the case; on the contrary, a gradual change is continually taking place during a cycle of 21,000 years. Taken by itself the balance of astronomical authority is not, I think, of opinion that this would greatly influence our climate. The effect, however, which the obliquity of the ecliptic would exercise depends greatly on the de- gree of eccentricity of the earth’s orbit. This is continually changing, and the more elliptical it is the greater the effect produced by the above-mentioned causes. At present the orbit is nearly circular, and consequently the difference of temperature between the two hemispheres is less than usual. Mr. Croll and Mr. Stone have caleulated the eccentricity for the last million of years, and have _~ shown that there are two periods especially, one namely from 850,000 SS eee Se Pe ig es to 750,000 years ago, the other from 200,000 to 100,000 years ago, when the eccentricity of the orbit was far greater than usual, and when, therefore, the difference of temperature between the two hemispheres would also have been unusually great. From 100,000 to 200,000 years ago, then, there was a period when our climate underwent violent oscillations, being for 10,500 years far colder than now, then for a similar period far hotter, then far colder again, and so on for several variations. These alternations of hot and cold periods beautifully explain the difficult problem of how to account for the existence of remains belonging to tropical and to Arctic ani- mals associated together in the same river gravels. It also throws light on the fact, first pointed out by my friend, M. Marlot, that there are in Switzerland geological indications of several periods of extreme cold with others of more genial climate, and Mr. Croll,in his “ Climate and Time,” has shown, from the evidence of two hundred and fifty borings in the Scotch glacial beds, that many of them show evidence of the existence of warm interglacial periods. The antiquity of this period therefore really must be solved by the mathematician and physicist rather than by the antiquary, and it affords us an excellent illustration of the manner in which the different branches of science depend upon one another, and of the fact that the more science ad- vances the more necessary it is that our higher education should be based on a wide foundation. The Bisuor proposed a vote of thanks to Sir John Lubbock for c 2 20 The Twenty-third General Meeting. the very interesting lecture which he had been good enough to give them. For his own part he confessed himself to have been born in what the late Lord Derby termed the “ pre-scientific period,” and the consequence was that a considerable part of what Sir John Lubbock had stated had passed over his mind with much less impression than it would, he trusted, when he had an opportunity of reading it. Those things in which the Members of the Society took so great an interest were of the greatest possible consequence, and he cordially agreed with the concluding portion of Sir John Lubbock’s remarks. But he was an old schoolmaster, and he should like to know what they would all become if the whole cycle of science was to be entered into by students seeking a higher education? What would they become? why, they would become, each one of them, Wiltshire in miniature, highly informed in matters dating from the earliest to the latest times, and knowing all things that man knew or could know. He should be very sorry indeed to say one syllable in disparagement of that not less than sacred and holy work which science was doing for the human race. Every single department of science was precious in the last degree, and he entirely agreed with the sentiments of Sir John Lubbock, as far as his own wretchedly small knowledge of science enabled him to judge, that every depart- ment of science was necessary to the full development of the rest. As long as science was tentative, and made its steps sure and certain as it advanced, let it go on, and might God bless it. It could not be otherwise than beneficial to mankind, not only in the ways in which they could trace, but in the untraceable improvement of the human race which consisted in the attainment of higher stages of knowledge that was precious ; but, more than that, there was not one department of science from which they did not derive great physical, social, and even moral and religious benefit. But above — and beyond all those steps of steady scientific investigation, which he recognised as great steps in the improvement of the human race, there was and must be in the progress of science a glorious capacity of guessing. It was, in point of fact, one of the necessities of science that as it made each step forward it went at once into an infinitude of guesses. But let them not confound the mere guesses Visit to the Cathedral. 21 with the actual discoveries. They must guess; it was the very privilege of science that they must guess, and as it made one step forward it shot onward and seemed to catch a glimpse of something beyond, which, by careful study, it might or might not ultimately make good. But let them keep distinctly before them those two departments of science—the one the steady, onward stepping, every step made sure and certain, and the other equally precious and equally necessary but entirely different department of guessing before they quite knew. They must guess, for imagination was as necessary as scientific accuracy. But he would not at that time say more. He desired, on the part of the audience, to offer their best thanks to Sir John Lubbock for the interesting address which he had given them, which he, for his part, should appreciate more fully when he should be enabled, as he hoped he should, to read it. The Mayor seconded the motion, which was very heartily accepted and endorsed by the meeting. The Rev. H. A. Oxtvier, as one of the Curators of the Museum, then gave an outline of what had been done in the way of developing and arranging the Museum of the Society at Devizes, and expressed the hope that funds would be supplied for its farther enlargement, as well as for making good a deficiency which still existed in con- nection with the recent additions which had been made to it by pur- chase. Mr. E. T. Stevens impressed upon all who intended to take part in the excursions, the importance of punctuality; and the Ven. Arcupgacon Lxar having made a few remarks respecting the pro- posed visit to the Cathedral, the proceedings at the Council House were brought to a close. VISIT TO THE CATHEDRAL. | A large number of Members and their friends assembled at four o’clock at the Close Gate, facing the High Street, where they were met by the Ven. Archdeacon Lear, who most kindly, courteously and patiently conducted the numerous visitors round and through the Cathedral, pointing out all the objects of chief interest, ex- plaining the history, and relating the traditions and legends connected 22 The Twenty-third General Meeting. with that noble building, and calling attention to the chief monuments, with all which no one is more thoroughly acquainted than the Arch- deacon; and it was a real treat, even for those who were familiar with its chief beauties, to be thus guided over our glorious Cathedral. The Archdeacon began by pointing out a figure in a niche of the Close Gate, about which there had been considerable discussion, for whereas some declared it to be an exact likeness of Charles II., others stated it to be undoubtedly a bust of James I.; the truth of the matter however he would leave it to the archzologists to de- termine. The Archdeacon then directed the attention of the company to the splendid view of the sacred edifice from the point to which he bad conducted them, just inside the churchyard: he pointed out the site of the old belfry tower, which was destroyed during Wyatt’s alterations at the latter end of the last century, portions of its foun- dations, owing to the dryness of the summer, being now distinctly visible: and he then explained the history of the construction of the tower and spire. After remarking upon the insecure state of the spire some fourteen years ago, and the steps taken by Sir Gilbert Scott to make it secure, he directed their attention to the little door near the top of the spire called the “ weather door.” Above this, he said, were iron cramps projecting from the spire, by the means of which a man used to go to the top annually, to oil the vane. There was now sufficient oil there for ten or twelve years, but when that period had expired he questioned whether they would find any person as ready and willing to go up as had been the man who for- merly went. The company then proceeded towards the west front. Here the Archdeacon directed attention to the statuary, remarking that in 1865, instead of the statues that they saw before them, there were only six mutilated figures to represent what once were there. The front before them was a theological or Te Deum one, representing the praise that they offered to God in the Te Deum. At the top, in the centre, was our Lord in Majesty, and underneath five tiers of figures. Those in the upper tier represented angels and archangels, the second, Old Testament Saints—David, with his harp, and Moses, with the tables of the law, being particularly discernible: on the _ third tier were New Testament Saints, and descending to the next Visit to the Cathedral. “2S they had on the left-hand side the Doctors of the Church, and on the opposite side Virgins or Martyrs. On the last tier were figures of old English worthies, more especially those of local fame—Bishop Poore, with his Cathedral in his hand, and St. Osmund. The twelve figures over the west window were the gift of a clergyman who for- merly lived in the diocese—Mr. Bicknell. The figure of the blessed Virgin, underneath the poreh—in whose honour the Church is dedi- eated, was pointed out. The name of the bird over the Majesty was a moot question which perhaps some of the archxologists could decide, some considering it a pelican, some a dove, and some an eagle. One of the company asked if the statues which formerly were there represented the same persons now,to which the Ven. Archdeacon replied that Mr. Redfern, whose loss they must all deeply deplore, worked out these figures from what appeared to have been there before. At the present time he was not quite sure whether there were not more figures on the front than there ever were. Entering the sacred edifice by the main entrance, the Archdeacon pointed out the scroll or decorative work over the doorway, and remarked that marble which had been used in the restoration was not’ Purbeck, as it was originally, but Devonshire, the former not being suited to that climate. After describing the architecture of the nave the Archdeacon drew attention to the two remarkable figures, which were brought from Old Sarum, and which are placed on the stone bench beneath the third arch from the west door on the south side of the Church. He observed that the easternmost of these two figures is said to be that of Bishop Roger, who died in 1139, while the other figure is supposed to represent Bishop Joceline, who died in 1184.—The Rev, Canon Jones, of Bradford, said he was of opinion that the figure which was said to be that of Roger was a monument to Joceline, while he be- lieved that the incised slab represented the figure of a later bishop than Joceline. Mr. Jones said that he should further allude to this subject in his paper on “The Bishops of Old Sarum,” which he should read on Thursday evening.—The Archdeacon then continued his description of the monuments, directing particular attention to the effigy said to be that of the Boy Bishop. It was one, he said, of great interest, and upon which archeologists had had great 24 The Twenty-third General Meeting. discussion. He then mentioned the tradition relating to it, that it was: the tomb of a chorister, who died during his elevation, but said he considered that that idea had been swept away. The company then inspected the monument of William Longspee, the first Earl of Salisbury (a natural son of King Henry II. by Fair Rosamond), which, the Archdeacon remarked, was an interesting monument of an interesting man. In answer to a question the Archdeacon said the monuments in the nave were moved there. There were some there originally, but most of them were brought there, which was a sad thing to do, as their whole history was obscured by their removal. The spot where the Hungerford Chapel originally stood was then pointed out, after which attention was called to the way in which the “legs” of the tower bulged out. Standing under the very centre of the spire, the Archdeacon said in 1737 it was thought that the spire was more out of its perpendicular than formerly, and a plumbing was taken. Some years since it was again taken by Mr. Fisher, when it was found that no further deviation had taken place. It now deflected 20 inches to the south-west. The Archdeacon then described the restoration now taking place in the choir, and called particular attention to the restored colouring of the roof, and to the medallions between the groinings, which are as near as possible restorations of the old paintings executed in the latter part of the thirteenth century. In the centre was represented our Blessel Lord “ in Majesty,” and on the west, leading up to him, were prophets, and Old Testament characters; while east of the central figure and towards where the altar would stand, were a number of figures partaking more of a secular character, and representing the months of theyear. There was February, for instance, represented by a person warming himself at a fire: August, by the cutting of corn, finishing up with December, represented by a man killing a pig for his Christmas dinner. He observed that some persons were of opinion that the high altar must originally have been under the representa- tion of the “ Majesty,” and not under the meaner subjects of the months. Sir Gilbert Scott was, however, of a different opinion, and in an elaborate report which he had issued on the subject, had stated the result of his investigations was that the high altar was always Visit to the Cathedral. 25 situated in the middle of the easternmost bay of the choir; that is to say, half of a bay in front of the screen which parted off the lady chapel or ambulatory. The Archdeacon added that the restoration committee had acted on the suggestion of Sir Gilbert, and the re- stored altar would be placed in the position which that eminent architect had suggested. He then referred with much satisfaction to the painting on the westernmost bay on the south side, which had been entirely coloured, as a specimen of what would be done in the other bays provided sufficient money could be obtained for carrying out the colouring.—Mr. J. H. Parxur, of Oxford, expressed his ad- miration of the restored bay and of the colouring in general of the choir, and he sincerely thanked the Dean and Chapter for the noble example which they had set. Mr. Parker further observed that he was decidedly of opinion that the high altar originally stood beneath the “ Majesty,” and he said this from a knowledge of most of the prin- cipal Churches of Europe.—The Archdeacon continued his description of the rest of the Cathedral. The brass plate to the memory of Bishop Wyvil was then pointed out. The cicerone remarked that it was a matter of dispute as to where the screen in the lady chapel came from. The traditional tomb of Bishop Richard Poore, the founder of the Cathedral, was pointed out, and the Ven. Archdeacon Lear remarked thas it was intended to put it in its proper position on the north side of the altar, and as the choir was restored to the memory of Bishop Hamilton he considered that a recumbent figure of him should be placed on the opposite side.—Canon Jonzs took exception to the monument being that of Bishop Poore-—The Hungerford Chapel was then pointed out, the Ven. Archdeacon remarking that it was brought there from the nave by the Bishop and Dean and Chapter of the day, to be used as a seat for the family of Lord Radnor. He (the Archdeacon) trusted that the time would come when it would be removed, at present he need only say that there were certain difficulties in the way. The reredos he mentioned in passing, had been presented by the Earl of Beauchamp, in memory of his.ancestor Bishop Beauchamp. The old glass of the Cathedral was an object of much attention, the Archdeacon remarking that it was thought that a portion of that in the centre came from Old Sarum, The company 26 The Twenty-third General Meeting. then passed into the vestry, where, laid out on a table, was a copy of Magna Charta, 1215, an old and faded vestment, and a “ general Charter of Liberties of King Stephen, 1136.” The former and the ‘latter were enshrined in a small oak case with glass over it. Both were objects of great interest to the company. The copy of Magna Charta is supposed to be a contemporary transcript intrusted to the care of William Longspee, Earl of Salisbury, as one of the witnesses of the original deed. The Chapter House was then in- spected, the Archdeacon remarking that in the year 1854 it was more or less aruin. It had since then been restored to the memory of Bishop Denison. The centre column had been taken out, and rebuilt, and some unsightly iron bars, which used to go from the roof to it, done away with. The restoration had been effected by Mr. Clutton, the colouring by Mr. Hudson, who represented the colour originally there, and the carving by Mr. Phillips. The carving under the vestibule was much admired. The Archdeacon then conducted the party to the cloisters, after which he pointed out the beautiful view obtained from the south-west angle of the cloisters. He added that the cloisters had been in part restored at the expense of the late Bishop Denison.—Mr. Parxsr expressed his regret at the manner in which the painting on the walls of the chapter house was peeling off the stone. He suggested the employment of tea-lead as a sur- face for painting, in order to prevent the effects of the damp, though he acknowledged we had not yet found the right means of protection. He again thanked the Dean and Chapter for what they had done with regard to the colouring of the choir. It was a glorious ex- * ample, and he trusted it would in time be followed in most of the Churches in the land.—The party then passed from the cloisters, and conducted by the Bishop, visited the grounds of the Palace, whence the splendid view of the Cathedral elicited unanimous ad- miration ; and after an expression of cordial thanks to the Archdeacon for the admirable way in which he had acted as their guide, the ~ company dispersed. THE DINNER Took place at the Hamilton Hall, and was well served by the White Hart Hotel Company. Above a hundred of the Members and - bet The Dinner. 27 their friends were present; with Sir John Lubbock in the chair. After the usual loyal toasts, the Prestpent, in proposing the “Bishop and Clergy,” said how very glad they were to see the Bishop of the Diocese among them that day, and they could not regard it but as a great compliment that he had remained in the city, at a time when he proposed going on a well-earned holiday, on purpose to welcome the Society: he was sure they all appreciated that mark of his sympathy with them, and of his interest in arche- ology. They were all very much indebted to the Clergy of the city and neighbourhood, as well as of the Diocese at large, for their co-operation (indeed their Secretary, the Rev. A. C. Smith, was one of that body), but he especially desired to mention the name of the Venerable Archdeacon to whom they were so much indebted for the explanation and description of the Cathedral; and to whom he tendered the best thanks of the Society for the valuable assistance he had kindly rendered them that day. The Ven. Arcupracon Lear, in responding, said it was quite true that the Bishop was ready packed up and would start on the fol- lowing morning, in order to get what he was sure no one would grudge him, a little cessation from labour. Had it not been that he was about to leave Salisbury for a season, nothing would have given him greater pleasure than to have welcomed the Members of the Society to a conversazione at the Palace. As for himself it had been a pleasure to have been toa certain extent a guide to the distinguished company that afternoon, and he would say that the Clergy welcomed the Society to the cathedral city, because, among other reasons, in their Cathedral and Churches in the neighbourhood they were sure that much would be found of importance and interest to the Mem- bers of the Society, and they further weleomed the Members because they trusted that on the morrow they would be told a great deal more about Stonehenge than they at present knew. He hoped their visit would be a pleasant one, and their excursions would be _ - full of interest and profit. In responding to the toast of “the President,” Sir Jounn Lusspock said that though he came among them as a stranger, he had found some warm and kind friends. He regarded the reception they had 28 The Twenty-third General Meeting. given him as one paid to him rather as the President of the Society, and he valued it none the less on that account. Those local societies were performing a very useful and excellent work. Whatever Government was in power, he hoped they would succeed in pre- serving the ancient monuments of the country, of which they were so proud. In what their Society had done, they had set a good example to other counties. It was an example which, fortunately, was very generally followed, and on that very day in a neighbouring © county, a similar association was being formed, and he hoped it would enjoy a prosperous and successful career. Their Society, as he had said, had done a very useful work, and he hoped the good example they had set would be followed widely throughout the country. He had much pleasure now in proposing “ the health of the Mayor of Salisbury,” who had received them with so much good- will and kindness. The prosperity of the Society depended greatly upon the manner in which they were received on the occasions of their visits, and he was sure they all felt with himself, extremely indebted to the city and to the Mayor for the cordial manner in which they had been received on that occasion. The Mayor, (C. H. Ravotirre, Esq.,) said they were indebted to that and other kindred societies for many a good name and family 2 and many valuable historical associations being rescued from oblivion, and there were to be found in the Wiltshire Magazine materials for a most valuable history of the county, for which te as ‘county men were deeply indebted to the Society. The other officers of the Society were duly honoured, and Mr. Tatzor took occasion to deprecate any distinction being recognized between North and South Wilts, more especially in matters per- taining to the Society. Mr. Parker, in proposing “the health of the Secretaries of the Meeting,” said that he had been connected with a good many societies and he had often heard the remark made that they could do no real good without funds. The President of their Society had set a noble example to the whole country, for he had bought a part of Avebury, in order to preserve it. It would be a grand thing if they could put such societies in a position to do similar things. He The Dinner. 29 was personally acquainted with the inspectors of monuments in France and Germany, and in both those countries they would find the same difficulties arising from want.of funds. In both these countries they refused to take money out of the treasury for arche- ological purposes, on the ground that it was not just to take money out of the public funds for any such object. Some years ago while in Germany he came upon a very fine old Church that was about to be sold for the value of the materials. He wrote to the inspector of monuments about it, and in his reply he said he had had his eye upon it, but that he could do nothing as he had not been able to get a penny towards purchasing the materials. He asked him (Mr. Parker) to write to the King of Prussia on the subject, but as he did not know the King he could not see his way to write to him, but knowing that the Princess Imperial was Princess Victoria of England, he ventured to write to her upon the subject. The answer was to the effect, “ I have spoken to the King, he has spoken to the minister, the money is paid, and the Church is saved.” He was afraid they would never get the House of Commons to grant money for any such purposes. The work must be done by individuals, and without funds no work could be done. They wanted such an office as that which Sir John Lubbock had proposed in his bill—an office where ancient properties should be registered as national property, and placed under the charge of officers in the districts in which they were situated, and he sincerely hoped that the Secretaries of the Wiltshire Society would not be left without funds. Mr. Stevens, in responding, expressed approval of what Mr. Talbot had stated, and said that they wished to knock down any barrier which might exist between North and South in that as in all other things. He thought that, putting himself as Secretary out of view altogether, they had done a wise thing in appointing a Secretary for South Wilts, because in doing so they had done some- thing that would tend to break down the barrier which had been referred to, and he hoped both ends of the county would be can- vassed, so that the best men should be chosen for conducting the affairs of the Society. The Cuatrman said he did not take quite so gloomy a view of the 30 The Twenty-third General Meeting. House of Commons as Mr. Parker did while referring to the im- portant question of funds. Last year, when the question to which Mr. Parker alluded, came before the House, the Government were newer in office than they were now, and they had so many pressing matters to consider that they had not time to devote particular attention to the subject. When the matter afterwards came before the House most of the Cabinet Ministers were absent, and the excellent Secretary of the Treasury was left with general orders that the bill was not one that they could support. But so strong was the feeling on the subject that no less than nine Conservative mem- bers got up one after the other and gave it a hearty and enthusiastic support. He was unfortunate this year in not getting a good place for his bill, for the progress having been so slow he was precluded from bringing it forward till late. But when he brought it in again he should have the support of a great many members, and he had reason to hope that it would pass next session. He was satisfied, at any rate, of being able to get a good discussion of the details of the measure, and if his own bill was not carried, they had good reason to hope that something of the kind they wanted would be done, and that the Government would favor some bill which would to a great extent meet the objects they had in view. The proceedings at the dinner were terminated by the toast of “the ladies,’ who honoured the meeting throughout with their presence in considerable numbers ; and the company then adjourned to the Blackmore Museum for THE CONVERSAZIONE, where they were hospitably entertained with tea, coffee, and other refreshments, by the liberality of the owners; and where the un- rivalled collection of implements of primitive races was examined, not for the first time, by the Members of the Society ; but who would indeed find many visits insufficient to exhaust the objects of interest deposited there. Soon after eight, the President took the chair, when the following papers and addresses were successively given, but whose titles only are mentioned, as it is hoped they will all appear 2m extenso in the pages of the Magazine: An address “On Second Day’s Proceedings. 81 the Petrology of the Stonehenge Stones,” by N. Story MasKELYNE, Esq., F.R.S., Professor of Mineralogy at Oxford; A paper “ On Certain Local Occurrences of some of our rarer birds,” by the Rev. A. P. Morrzs, Vicar of Britford ; and a paper “ On Amye Robsart,” by the Rev. Canon Jackson, F.S.A., the latter illustrated by many old documents discovered by the Reverend Canon at Longleat, among others, the marriage settlement of Amye Robsart with Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, several letters written by Amye Robsart herself, and other papers of extraordinary interest, which had been freely lent for the occasion by the liberality of the Marquis of Bath. On the motion of the Prusipent, a cordial vote of thanks was passed to Mr. Story Maskelyne, Rev. A. P. Morres, and Canon Jackson, for the valuable papers they had severally contributed ; and with a hearty sense of gratitude to their kind entertainers, the Trustees and Curators of the Blackmore Museum, the meeting dispersed. SECOND DAY, THURSDAY, AUGUST 24x. THE STONEHENGE EXCURSION. A bright and glorious autumnal morning greeted the Members of the Society, when, to the number of something like two hundred, they assembled at a quarter before nine o’clock, in the Market Place; and punctually as the clock struck, the Secretary’s whistle sounded, and Mr. E. T. Stevens, who acted as the “advance guard” of the party, led a long train of carriages en route for Stonehenge ; and not only did Mr. Stevens display in both the excursions the consummate tact and forethought of an able general, keeping his numerous party together, and collecting stragglers, and arriving at each point at the precise time indicated in the programme; but he supplied every ex- cursionist on both days with a most valuable and interesting “ guide” to the several excursions, so that nothing was passed by unheeded. For both these exhaustive guide-books, which he modestly denomi- nated “Jottings,” the Members were indebted to the pen of Mr. E. T. Stevens, than whom indeed no man is more capable of des- cribing clearly, comprehensively, and yet concisely, the objects of 32 The Twenty-third General Meeting. archeological interest with which the routes so richly abounded. That for the Stonehenge excursion was in reality no trifling pamphlet, but a goodly volume, containing no less than 236 pages, and was prefaced by a very excellent map, on which the route and the situ- ation of the different places and objects of interest were clearly shown. For the size of the book, the subjects touched upon, explained, and in some instances discussed, are very numerous, and it was not without skilful exercise of the art of condensation that Mr. Stevens could have succeeded in describing so wide and full a field in so compact a form. After a few concise pages descriptive of the geological features of the route, the writer enlarged upon the con- struction and history of Old Sarum, and as the excursion advanced on the way to Stonehenge, drew attention to the historical associa- tions of Heale House, to Netton, Great Durnford Church, Ogbury Camp, Lake House (with an account of the Rev. E. Duke’s valuable antiquarian collection) , to Amesbury and Vespasian’s Camp, which was followed by a long and able treatment of the subject of “Stonehenge.” The Wiltshire barrows and their contents were discussed at length, and notes were given on the objects of interest to be seen on the return journey by way of Bemerton. The volume was profusely illustrated, and will doubtless be preserved by those Members of the Society who were so fortunate as to be present, as a very able description of a memorable excursion. The excursionists were also furnished with a pamphlet, containing notes on Amesbury Church and Abbey, by Mr. W. C. Kem, in which that gentleman gave a most interesting outline of the remarkable historical associations which belong to this ancient Church and Abbey. The first stoppage made was at “ Old Sarum,” now the “ lone dry hill by the river,” but formerly the city of the Celt, the Roman, the Saxon, the Dane, and the Norman. Here, at the entrance to the principal vallum, an address was delivered by Mr. Roach Surru, F.S.A., who said the company had before them one of the most re- markable monuments of antiquity, not only of this country, but of the North of Europe. Luckily, their study of a series of interesting remains commenced yesterday, when they had the advantage of hearing Sir John Lubbock’s description of those of pre-historic times. The Stonehenge Excursion. 33 They were to-day following in his footsteps. They saw before them the remains of a period so remote that they could hardly contemplate its vastness. They had already seen other portions of those remains in the extraordinary museum which had been founded at Salisbury by Mr. Blackmore, to whom he took that opportunity of expressing his profound thanks for the great assistance which he had thus ren- dered to the science of archexology. In respect to Old Sarum, they were greatly indebted to the history of the late Mr. Hatcher, who devoted to a study of the subject no inconsiderable portion of his life, They were likewise greatly indebted to Mr. John Young Akerman, another Wiltshire archzologist. In examining Old Sarum they advan- ced to a later stage than that which was reached by Sir John Lubbock yesterday. They came on from the verge of pre-historic to historic archeology. Old Sarum was one of a great series of remains which extended throughout this country and France. By whom the originals were formed and established, it was impossible to say. One thing was certain, that when Cesar invaded Britain, some of the mother tribes were easily subdued. And the people were the better ' for it. They might have lost the root of liberty, but they acequired civilization. In this part of Britain the Romans, after having es- tablished towns and formed roads thought it necessary to do some- thing more. Vespasian was sent over from Germany, and his pro- gress from the Isle of Wight to this part of the country had been carefully traced by Mr. Charles Warne, whose work he had the pleasure of commending to their notice. Vespasian took some twenty British towns from the Belgz and Deotriges, of which it was not unlikely that Old Sarum was one. In the fortresses which they formed the Britons were sagacious enough to provide for the pasture of their flocks and herds, as well as for the accommodation of vast numbers of people. They had an instance before them. As to the vallum near which they were standing, it was 106 feet deep, and was one of the greatest in this country. There were some which were more complicated—Maiden Castle, near Dorchester, for instance —but for depth and length this stood before all others. The speaker then proceeded to refer to the citadel, which, he said, was entirely Norman, and was surrounded by a massive wall which could still be VOL, XVII.—NO. XLIX, D 34 The Twenty-third General Meeting. traced. The place must have been almost, if not quite impregnable. When the Romans had taken possession of this part of Britain, they formed numerous straight roads, some of which converged at Old Sarum. It was a matter of surprise, however, to him that he had never been able to find any traces of the Romans at Old Sarum. Dr. Stukeley—one of the most intelligent of antiquaries—had pointed out a fragment of what he believed to have been a Roman wall which formerly extended around the fortress. Sir Richard Colt Hoare did not remark upon it, but they would have an opportunity of seeing it. If part of a Roman castle the question arose whether the Romans might not have been living in juxta-position, and in friendly alliance with the Britons? That was evidently the case in many other parts of Britain. . There was no trace, even in the Salisbury Museum, of a hostile occupation of Old Sarum by the Romans. Was not that a sign of a peaceful alliance, and of the general prosperity of that part of the country? The speaker then referred to the removal of the Cathedral from Old to New Sarum, and expressed his belief that the original stones were used in the erection of the new building. Having visited the citadel the company went to look at the frag- ment of so-called Roman masonry on the north side of the fortress. Mr. Smitx expressed his strong belief that it was Roman: it was certainly unlike Norman and medieval work altogether. He re- pudiated the notion that it was part of a continuous wall, and had no doubt whatever that it was what he had stated. Mr. Parker confessed that he had come to the spot with con- siderable prejudice against the work being Roman, but now that he had seen it he could not help agreeing in Mr. Smith’s opinion that it was really a piece of Roman work. He could not see what else it could be but Roman work. In Norman masonry they had fine joints, while the joints of this wall were very open. It was not Norman, it was pre-Norman, and it might be a Roman round tower. Mr. Stevens stated that the Dean and Chapter and Mr. Marsh, the occupant of the land, had given permission to test whether it was a portion of a rectangular building or a circular wall. As to Mr. Roach Smith’s statement, he would venture to say that there was a good deal of evidence to show that the masonry really formed The Stonehenge Excursion. 85 part of a circular wall, and Mr. Marsh himself had carted hundreds of loads of the material, and had seen enough to satisfy him that there was a circular foundation of about five feet in width, which he judged to be continuous with the portion before them. Mr. Marsz stated that that was so, and that the carting away of material had gone on for ten or fifteen years. Mr. Roaca Sirs expressed himself as still confident that, when the foundations were laid open, his theory would be found to be the correct one. Being unable to settle that knotty point, the archeologists then returned to their carriages and proceeded on their way ; first visiting the interesting old Church of Great Durnford, and then climbing the hill to Ogbury Camp. This earth-work, as stated by Mr. Stevens in his excellent guide, is of very simple construction. It includes an area of about sixty-two acres, and is defended by an earthen bank, about thirty-three feet in height, without an aceom- panying ditch; there is an entrance on the eastern side. Stukeley thus describes it :— On the east side of the river Avon, by Great Durnford, is a very large camp, covering the whole top of a hill, of no determinate figure, as humouring the height it stands on; it is entirely without any ditch, the earth being heaped up very steep in the nature of a parapet, when dug away level at the bottom. I doubt not but this was a camp of the Britons, and perhaps an oppidum, where they retired at night from the pasturage upon the river, with their cattle; within it are many little banks carried straight, and meeting one another at right-angles, square, oblong parallels, and some oblique, as the meres and divisions between ploughed lands ; yet it seems never to have been ploughed ; and there is likewise a small squarish work intrenched, no bigger than a large tent; these seem to me the distinctions and divisions for the several quarters and lodgments of the people within. This camp has an aspect very old; the prominent part of the rampart in many places quite consumed by time, though the steep remains perfect; one being the natural earth, the other fictitious.” Sir Richard Hoare confirms the accuracy of the above description, but considers that the “ small squarish work” is of very recent date, “It is singular,” adds Mr. Stevens, . D2 36 The Twenty-third General Meeting. “that so few relics are to be found in, and near, the camps of this neighbourhood. I have hunted over Ogbury, Chlorus’ Camp, and Old Sarum, with the well-known archeologist, Mr. Evans, whose eye is perhaps the keenest in England for a worked flint, and yet during the entire day we scarcely found a specimen worth taking home.” Mr: Parker, in his address, said he regarded the camp as a British one, because it followed the outlines of the hill, and was not formed in a parallelogram, as Roman camps always were. Descending the steep hill from Ogbury Cam j, and crossing the Avon by a bridge of boats, the archeologists passed by a pleasant and shady walk to Lake House, where they were heartily weleomed and hospitably entertained by the Rev. E. Duke, and where that gentleman’s well-known collection of antiquities attracted universal admiration. But Lake House itself must not be passed by without a word, for with its gabled roof and trimly-kept yew hedges, it is one of the most picturesque objects that lie in the route between Salisbury and Stonehenge, from which latter it is about two miles distant. The estate of Lake was purchased by George Duke, in 1576. The house was built about the middle of Queen Elizabeth’s reign. It is, in fact, a very pure and interesting specimen of Elizabethan architecture. The collection of antiquities is very interesting and valuable generally, but deserves special notice from our Society on account of its local character; and in our eyes perhaps the most important feature in the collection is a series of objects, exhumed by Mr. Duke’s late father, from burial mounds in the immediate neighbourhood, some seventy years ago. They include a number of amber ornaments, which were inspected with much interest, as was also a highly- finished mould of syenite, evidently intended to be used in casting bronze celts. It was found near Nine Mile Water, in the parish of Bulford. At Lake may also be seen a very interesting collection of fossils and minerals; as well as a number of stuffed specimens of mammalia, birds, and fish, killed on the estate. Sir Jonn Lussock having proposed a cordial vote of thanks to Mr. and Mrs. Duke for their kindness and hospitality, the party The Stonehenge Excursion. 37 resumed their journey, stopping at Amesbury to visit the Church and a very interesting temporary Museum, which had been formed by the united exertions of Messrs. Kemm, Edwards, and Zillwood, and then proceeded to Vespasian’s Camp, where, in a spacious tent, an excellent lunch awaited them. At the conclusion of the repast, Sir Jonn Luszock, who presided, said he thought they would all wish that he should be authorised in their name to ask their secretaries to return their thanks, one and all, to Sir Edmund Antrobus, who had done so much to eontribute to their pleasure that day. Thanks to him, they had the opportunity of seeing some of the most beautiful scenes in the county. He desired also to express their thanks for the use of the room in which the temporary museum had been placed ; also to Mr. Edwards, Mr. Kemm, and Mr. Zillwood, who had contributed not a little to the success of the day’s proceedings. Subsequently an address was delivered at one of the most prominent parts of the camp, by Mr. Parxur, who described it as the most perfect Roman camp that he had ever seen. It was a mile-and-a- half round, but they could hardly see anything of it. Mr. Parker spoke at considerable length, and there was some discussion. The company then proceeded to Stonehenge, at which already a very large number of persons were collected, awaiting the arrival of the archeologists; so that the whole area of Stonehenge scarcely sufficed to contain them all. And here first Mr. Parxsr, ascending the so-called “ altar-stone,” said he had been requested to say a few words about those relics of antiquity: he could hardly call them architectural, but they were the first few steps towards it. He saw no reason why the stone circles he saw around him should not be Druidical. Some of the stones were cut, and some were natural Sarsen, secured by tenons and mortices, which indicated some_skill in the working of stone. All that led him to suppose that they could hardly belong to a period before the Britons. They had no reason to suppose that the Britons knew anything about the cutting of stones before the arrival of the Romans. He did not say that those stones were post-Roman, but it was possible that the Romans 38 The Twenty-third General Meeting. lived with the Britons on friendly terms. He was disposed to believe that they belonged to the early Roman period—he did not say to the post-Roman period, Their formation indicated a temple of some kind, and if they looked at Scripture they would find that Gilgal meant an assembly of stones—a place of assembly and inter- ment. Was is not a great and grand central place of worship? Dr. Buckland himself had put it as the Westminster Abbey of the Ancient Britons, and did not the tumuli around them present the earliest evidence of the Britons’ residence amongst the Druids as a religious people? He was certainly prepared to stick to the idea that it was a Druidical temple. It was an early Oriental custom to erect circles of stone for purposes of worship, and that applied to the Israelites themselves. All he could say was that what they saw around them showed that the people who erected Stonehenge were accustomed to work in stone. Sir Jonn Luszock said that Mr. Parker was one of the best archzologists in this or any other country, and if he ventured to differ from some of his opinions, it was really because it was best to state the honest truth in regard to one’s own belief. There was still a great deal of mystery about that venerable erection, and in all probability the mystery would continue to exist. Perhaps that very mystery was one of its greatest attractions. They could not speak positively as to its origin or its purpose; they could only express their opinions and the reasons that induced them to form them, and every one must judge for himself. It had been stated that one great clue to the meaning of the monument was to be found in the tumuli that surrounded it. There were more tumuli around it than were to be found on any corresponding area in the island, and they might fairly conclude that the majority of them belonged to the same period as Stonehenge—though doubtless not in the same year, probably not in the same century. He believed they would all agree that Stone- henge and the tumuli around it represented one aspect of English history, and'that nobody could understand the history of England who had not made the tour of Wiltshire. If the tumuli were Roman they would contain glass, pottery, coins, and objects and weapons of iron. Roman coins were found in hundreds in other places, but not a coin The Stonehenge Excursion. — 39 or a piece of glass or pottery was found in any of these tumuli, That was very strong evidence, if not a proof, that the tamuli belonged to an age when iron was, if not unknown, at any rate very rare. He could not therefore accept the theory which would give the monument to Roman or post-Roman times. There was nothing like it in any part of the world, but there were many stone circles which were developed into something like the idea of Stonehenge. If that were the case, surely it must belong to the same state of things as that which led to the formation of those other stone works. What did the tumuli contain? In all the periods of the world’s history there was a tendency to bury with the dead the instruments and weapons they used, from an idea that in the world to come those articles would be of use. That was still the practice in some places at the present time. In thirty-nine of those tumuli articles of bronze had been found, and therefore he believed that the monument belonged to what was known as the “ Bronze Age.” He did not wish however to dogmatise, and he confessed it was a subject upon which many opinions might legitimately be maintained. Mr. Cunnineron showed a number of stone chips he had just picked up from a rut adjoining, which he stated settled the disputed point as to whether or not the stones were dressed on the spot. The Rev. J. G. Joycr expressed his concurrence with Sir John Lubbock’s views, and the Rev. E. L. Barnwe tt strongly differed from the opinion of Mr. Parker that the stones were a Druidical temple, although he would not himself call it a funereal monu- ment. Mr. Liarvet stated that he had found somewhat similar erections in New Zealand, which were used for the burial of the dead, and suggested that the stones might be upon the site of some great battle, that the great chiefs who fell might have been buried in the tumuli, and that the temple had been erected in their memory. Mr. Srevens then made a few remarks as to the character and forms of several of the stones, and Mr. Masketyne pointed out the several varieties of stone to which he had called attention the previous evening. On leaving Stonehenge the party paid a “ flying visit ” to the old 40 The Twenty-third General Meeting. and new Churches at Bemerton, also to the rectory, the residence of | the late George Herbert, and arrived in Salisbury about half-past seven o’clock—but little later than the time fixed in the programme, having accomplished the entire excursion proposed, as extended and as eventful as it was interesting. SECOND CONVERSAZIONE. This evening the Mayor, with the most liberal hospitality, en- tertained the members of the Society, and many other ladies and gentlemen connected with the city and neighbourhood to the number of three hundred, at the Council Chamber. An excellent supper was laid in the Grand Jury Room; and the proceedings were en- livened during the evening by the performance of a selection of glees and part songs. In the vestibule Mr. J. W. Singer, of Frome, exhibited a choice assortment of medieval church plate, of silver and silver gilt, some of the specimens being enamelled and -others set with precious stones. There was also a number of old watches and chatelaines and a collection of ancient Normandy and other jewellery. At a quarter before nine the chair was taken by Sir Joun Lussock, and the following papers were successively read: by W. ~ W. RaveEnuitt, Esq., on “ Some Memorials of the Wiltshire Regi- ment from its formation, in 1756, to the present time;” by the Rev. H. T. Armrretp, F.S.A., on “The ancient Roof Paintings in the choir of Salisbury Cathedral ;”’ and by the Rev. Canon Jonzs, F.S.A., on “ A few Stray Notices of St. Osmund and his successors, the Bishops of Old Sarum.” All of these papers will appear in the Magazine, and therefore need not be farther alluded to here. At the conclusion of the last paper, after thanking the authors of them, the president said as this was the last occasion of the members being assembled within the city, during this meeting, he would suggest that they should give a hearty and cordial vote of thanks to the Mayor of Salisbury for his kind reception and hospitality. He would also hint to them the propriety of thanking the local honorary secretaries, Mr. Swayne, Mr. Nightingale, and Mr. Stevens, for their excellent generalship, and for the ability with which the ~ Second Conversazione. 41 arrangements had been carried out. To Mr. Stevens especially thanks were due, and he trusted that during the excursions the members all responded to the call of his whistle. The votes of thanks were all carried by acclamation. My. Srevens, in returning thanks, observed that more credit was due to those who had accompanied him than to himself, as they all responded so well to his call. He thanked all for the expression of their goodwill. Rev. A. C. Sutra said that, as that was the last formal meeting of the Society which would be held, they could not separate without thanking Sir John Lubbock for his kindness in coming down and presiding over their gathering. He congratulated the Society on having secured the-services of so competent an archzologist as their President. His name was of European renown, and not only as an archeologist, but. as a naturalist; and he would not have them forget that this was a natural history as well as an archeological society. The services which their president had rendered to ar- cheology and to natural history were manifold, and they could not forget that he was the author of the bill for the preservation of the ancient monuments of the country. Moreover he felt sure that Sir John Lubbock would not relax in his efforts to procure the passing of that measure. Nor had their President contented himself with words: he had also acted up to them; for it should not be forgotten that their President had purchased part of the land on which Avebury stood, and also Silbury Hill, for the purpose of preserving those ancient relics. He begged to propose a vote of thanks to Sir John for taking the chair, and for the admirable address which he had delivered on the previous day. The Prustpent returned thanks for the kind manner in which they had received the mention of his name. He must confess that at first he felt some degree of diffidence and nervousness in taking the chair. They had, however, much enjoyed themselves, and they must all feel that they had had a most pleasant gathering. He would conclude by making one last suggestion, and that was that they should accord a vote of thanks to the general secretaries of the Society, who carried on the work, not only at the meetings, but 42 The Twenty-third General Meeting. throughout the year, as well as conducted the Magazine, the Rev. A. C. Smith, Mr. Cunnington, and Mr. Talbot. The Rev. A. C. Sur briefly acknowledged the compliment. The glee singers then gave some more part-songs, and the pro- ceedings were brought to a close by the singing of the “ National Anthem.” THIRD DAY, FRIDAY, AUGUST 25ru. THE “MOOT” EXCURSION. Again a lovely day for a long excursion, and again each excursionist was furnished with a second guide from the pen of the indefatigable Mr. Stevens, also enriched with a map, wherein that able author gave a series of “ jottings” on objects of historical and antiquarian interest, to be met with on the route to and from the “ Moot” at Downton; special attention being given to that remarkable earth- work. Mr. Stevens too was again in command of the expedition, and led the van. The excursionists, who were not so numerous as on the previous day, left Salisbury punctually at nine, and passing’ through the Close, and along the Coombe Road, made the first halt at Coombe Bissett Church, and thence to Bishopstone Church, where they were cordially welcomed by the Ven. Archdeacon Lear, who, addressing them from the Rectory lawn, in sight of the edifice, called their special attention to its very beautiful, though peculiar, and in some respects unique character. After a careful inspection of this most interesting Church (for which see the remarks of Mr, Talbot further on), Sir John Lubbock, in the name of the Society, proposed a hearty vote of thanks to the Archdeacon, for the kind, ready, and very valuable assistance he had rendered the Society, both in his guidance on the first day over the Cathedral, and for his welcome to Bishopstone. This was cordially endorsed by all present, and then they drove through the valley to Odstock Church, the more interesting features of which were pointed out by Mr. Talbot. Refreshments were hospitably provided by the Rector of Odstock, the Rev. P. E. Miles, for which the President expressed the hearty thanks of the Society; and then they moved onward to Breamore The “ Moot” Excursion. 43 House, where they were welcomed by Sir Edward Hulse, who con- ducted them through the house, and explained many of the interesting works of art and other articles of antiquarian value which it contains. After enjoying the hospitality of Sir Edward, the party made a brief visit to the extremely interesting and quaint little Church of Breamore, which adjoins the house, and a hearty vote of thanks having been awarded to Sir Edward, for his hospitality and kindness, the journey was resumed, and about four o’clock “The Moot” was reached by the archeologists. Adjoining the house of Mr. Squarey, who gave the party a cordial welcome, a spacious marquee was erected, in which an excellent luncheon awaited them. After this the “ Moot” was thoroughly explored; and though numerous and contradictory to one another were many of the opinions expressed, and Mr. Stoprr, of Taunton, read a paper in support of his view - that it was a Norman castle; (to which however the President demurred, and most of the archeclogists agreed with him ;) all ac- knowledged that it was an earthwork of no ordinary dimensions, and a place of considerable interest; and all joined in the vote of thanks which Sir John Lubbock proposed to Mr. and Mrs. Squarey, for the cordiality with which they had received them, and pointed out the remarkable features of this intricate earth-work ; which, whether a fortification, or place of assembly, should undoubtedly rank amongst our most remarkable monuments of antiquity in Wiltshire, and is well worthy of the veneration and respect with which happily its present owners regard it. A visit to the fine Church of Downton, and the very interesting Church of Britford, with its remarkable arches, apparently of Roman material, if not actual Roman work ; and an inspection of the admirable, though small, collection of birds, at the house of the Rev. A. P. Morres, brought the proceedings of the meeting to a close; and we cannot but congratulate the Society on this, the fullest attended, and perhaps the most interesting and enjoyable of all the annual gatherings of that body ; while we feel bound to add that it was to the admirable arrangements, the tact and forethought and generalship of Mr. E. T. Stevens, that the success of the meeting was mainly due. 44 ON A Heaven “ Bulla,” found at Carminster. Communicated by the Rey. JouHn Baron, M.A. Wii HAVE the pleasure of recording the particulars of a Bulla eo \ entrusted to me for inspection and illustration by my friend and neighbour, Mr. H. P. Jones, of Portway House, Warminster. It was found on the 3rd of March, 1871, beneath a terrace nine feet high, which runs along the garden-front of Portway House, and lying upon the face of an old road or path which, previously to the formation of the terrace, appears to have run in a direction from south-east to north-west, that is, at right angles to the present house and terrace. It seems probable that the Bulla may have been shot down upon this spot together with the earth brought thither to form the terrace. By the term Bulla is here meant, not the classical Bulla, or hollow ball of gold, which was worn by Roman youths as a mark of patrician rank, but the ecclesiastical Bulla, or seal of lead, having on one side the name of the reigning Pope, and, on the other, the heads of St. Paul and St. Peter, which was attached to each of those solemn letters of the Pope, and which, from the attachment of such a seal, came to be called, in Latin, “ Bullae,” and in English, ** Pope’s Bulls.” The Warminster Bulla is in good preservation, and, in general features, is like others which I have seen described, and several of various dates which I have personally inspected in the Musée Cluny, at Paris, numbered in the catalogue, 2507. It is about the size and thickness of an old-fashioned penny-piece, and, in the part of the edge at the foot of the inscription on the obverse, and under the chins of the heads on the reverse, are two pin-holes, about the eighth of an inch apart, through which have passed the strings by which the seal was attached to its document. It is said that in “ Bulls of On a Leaden “ Bulla,’ found at Warminster. 45 Grace” the leaden seal was attached by silken cords, but in Bulls of Justice by hempen strings. There are some interesting notices of Bullae, both classical and ecclesiastical, in Notes and Queries. Leaden Bulla found at Warminster. The inscription on the obverse of the Warminster Bulla is BONIFATIUS PP VIII. The F. is of that peculiar form which prevailed in England in the fifteenth century, having a front stroke like the trunk of an elephant. It is worthy of remark that T stands in the place of the C of the modern spelling of the name. Some perhaps may think this an evidence that “tius” as well as “ejus” was pronounced by the Italians of the time nearly like “tshus,” but it may also indicate that the name Bonifacius being derivable from bonus, good, and facio, I do, or fari, to speak, may mean, speaker of good words, (e.g., in documents authenticated by the seal,) as well as “ doer of good deeds,” the ordinary interpretation. On the reverse the heads of St. Paul and St. Peter are each surrounded by a beaded line for a nimbus. St. Paul is represented on the left with a pointed beard, and is distinguished by the superscription SPA., as an abbreviation for Sanctus Paulus: St. Peter has a short round-shaped beard, and has above his head the letters SPE., an abbreviation for Sanctus Petrus. The lead is somewhat battered where the two pin-holes are visible, and at the opposite edge. This may have been purposely done in the endeavour to secure the suspending strings, or it may be the result of accident. - Pope Boniface the Ninth was elected A.D. 1889, and died at Rome, A.D. 1404. 46 On a Leaden “ Bulla,’ found at Warminster. It would be interesting to ascertain whether, in a collection of Papal Bulls, eg., Bullarium Magnum Romanum, or elsewhere, any Bull of Pope Boniface the Ninth is extant, which could be locally connected with Warminster, or the immediate neighbourhood. Sir Richard Colt Hoare, in his Hundred of Mere, quotes a Bull of this Pope granted to the Priory of Maiden Bradley. The name of the town Warminster is usually supposed to mean the minster or monastery on the river Ware, which flows past the parish Church of St. Denys. A “ Nunnery” formerly stood nearly on the site of the present Manor House, near the said Church, and Sir Richard Colt Hoare mentions that, when this nunnery was taken down, about 1790, some old coins were found and a curious figure of a pilgrim, of which he gives an engraving. Possibly some of the earth for the formation of the above-mentioned terrace, at the bottom of which the Bulla was found, may have been carted from the site of the old Nunnery. The sloping path on the side of Warminster Down is still called “ Nun’s Path.” Unfortunately there is no mention of the Warminster Monastery or Nunnery in Dugdale’s Monasticon, or Bishop Tanner’s Notitia Monastica. I have been favoured by the Rev. Prebendary Clerk, of Kingston Deverill, with the sight of a beautiful silver coin of Pope Sixtus the Fourth, elected A.D. 1471, died 1484. This coin has on the reverse two highly-finished full-length figures of St. Paul and St. Peter, in the same relative positions as the heads on the Bulla, and the same distinction is observed in the shape of their beards. I beg to send for the use of the Society; a fac-simile, in lead, of the Warminster Bulla, with a photogram of obverse and reverse, and also a photogram of the said coin as an illustration. JoHn Baron. Upton Scudamore Rectory, 22nd August, 1876. 47 Ampe Aobsart. By the Rev. Canon J. E. Jackson, F.S.A.* story of “Amye Robsart,” having observed upon former occasions, as now on this, that our Annual Meetings are honoured by the presence of many ladies: and though no one of them has hitherto stood boldly forward on the .platform to demand “ Woman’s archa- ological Rights,” still those rights exist, and should not be neglected. If the ladies are so kind as to listen to our more substantial disser- tations, it is simply just, that they should be presented in turn with variety of entertainment agreeable to lighter appetites. But how is Amye Robsart possibly to be connected with the archeology of Wiltshire? In the first place: her story is certainly archxological, because it is very obscure ; besides being to a certain extent of national interest, ‘occupying as it does a rather conspicuous place in the domestic history of the reign of Queen Elizabeth. In the next, though, strictly speaking, it belongs to Berkshire, and has been investigated with much pains by antiquaries of that county, it is nevertheless open to elucidation from any other quarter, If then we have found any thing in our county of Wilts, to throw a little light upon it, Berkshire neighbours will not object : nor will a Wiltshire audience. I do not pretend to clear up the mystery entirely: but certainly am able to tell something about it, which nobody ever knew before. Some of the ladies present will very likely not thank me for any new discovery, preferring to abide by established illusions. Not that they would feel any real pleasure in riveting a fearful crime on Lord Robert Dudley’s memory: but “Amye Robsart” is so touching, so pathetic a story as it stands, hs HAVE chosen for the subject of my paper this evening the * Read at the Meeting of the Wiltshire Archeological Society, at ree Wednesday evening, 23rd August, 1876, 48 Amye Robsart. that they do not like to be robbed of it, Of the more horrible part, as commonly believed, it has indeed been long since deprived, and the more we can arrive at the real facts the better: because, though Great Britain is in itself very small, it is, in its name and influence, one of the most important countries in the world. Its history will be read more and more, as our language spreads: so that it seems only a duty on the part of those who have the means, to put our historical characters into as respectable a form as possible. This may, partly, be done by using secret history to remove the false impressions produced by historical novels. “ Amy Robsart” has obtained a world-wide celebrity, in Sir Walter Scott’s novel of “ Kenilworth.” To say a word against so extraordinary a man may seem presumptuous: nevertheless it has been said, both of him and others, that historical novels are mortal foes to history, and most assuredly, never did any work of that kind so utterly confuse and contradict facts as does Sir Walter’s“ Kenilworth.” It has also been stated that some of his most famous novels are losing their popularity ; because, after the pleasing impression with which they were at first received has passed away, and Time has revealed that they are untrue and impossible, they naturally fall ito some discredit. In our earlier days we devour such things. After- wards, they become indigestible, simply because ,the history is so grossly perverted as to become almost ridiculous. You may say, “ Well, but it is only a story, a novel,” and that “ novel-writers are not tied to strict veracity.” The answer is, “If your per- sonages and events are altogether fictitious, it does not in the least signify what they do or say; but if they are conspicaous figures in our national history, and they are made to say and do things which they not only never did, but which it is absolutely impossible that they ever could have done, and if the style is attractive and the in- cidents striking, this will leave upon the public mind, both at home and abroad, an impression which perhaps will never be effaced. Such misrepresentation is surely to be regretted.” “ Kenilworth” has been translated into many foreign languages, and probably every person who has read it, has ever afterwards lived under the fullest belief, not only that Amye Robsart died in the horrible manner a By the Rev. Canon J. E. Jackson, P.S.A. 49 , described, but that her death was directly sanctioned, at any rate connived at, by her husband, then Lord Robert Dudley, afterwards the celebrated Earl of Leicester. I must just refresh your memory with one or two circumstances. On the death of King Edward VI., 6th July, 1553, John Dudley, first, Earl of Warwick, and then Duke of Northumberland, tried to put his own family on the throne by bringing forward: Lady Jane Grey, whom he had married to one of his sons, Lord Guilford Dudley. Lord Robert Dudley was another of his sons : and Lord Robert was not only concerned in that plot, but is generally believed to have inherited his father’s ambition, and to have had an eye to the throne himself as the husband of Queen Elizabeth. Having this object in view he was charged by certain writers with having stopped at nothing ; with having contrived poisonings, assassinations, and every kind of villainy. “If,” says an author of later times (Dr. Drake) “ he was guilty of half of what ‘memoirs’ charge him with, or even what foreign historians mention, he must have been master of greater cunning than any minister that this nation ever produced, either before or since, not only to have defended himself, but to have maintained his power and greatness to the last, under such an accumu- lation of guilt and envy.” Now I am under no sort of obligation, and am in no way con- cerned to be the champion of Robert Dudley, the celebrated Earl of Leicester, against all comers: and whether other accusations against him are true or false, does not come within the range of the present paper. It simply deals with some fresh evidence in ove particular case, as supplied by certain documents at Longleat, which by the Marquis of Bath’s kind permission are now lying on the table, open to your inspection.! Before we believe any of the stories in circulation against Lord Robert Dudley it is only fair to ask, Who were the authors of those stories? As a general answer, they were his enemies in politics or in religion. This is clear from the fact of so many atrocities being raked together and put forth in all the bitterness that language could ? These will be found printed in the Appendix to this paper. VOL. XVII.—NO. XLIX, E 50 Amye Robsart. supply. To keep to my point; what are the authorities upon which Sir Walter Scott based his popular novel of Kenilworth? He tells us himself. The first is Mickle’s very beautiful ballad, which begins: ‘¢ The dews of summer night did fall, The Moon, sweet Regent of the sky, Silver’d the walls of Cumnor Hall, And many an oak that grew thereby.” His other authority (as stated by himself, at the end of the novel, when first published) was “ Ashmole’s Antiquities of Berkshire :” and, he adds, “ the story is alluded to in many other works which treat of Leicester’s history.” As Sir Walter says nothing about having taken any trouble to inquire into the truth or probability of it, I suppose he believed it to be true. In a later edition of Sir ‘Walter’s novels there is a preface to Kenilworth, written by I know not whom, but it would seem by himself, in which (his novel having from the first encountered some censure) he qualifies the matter thus: “If we can trust ‘Ashmole’s Antiquities of Berkshire’ there was but too much ground for the tradition which charges Leicester with the murder of his wife.” He then gives Ashmole’s narrative at length.t Ashmole’s so-called “ Antiquities of Berkshire” is one of the most meagre of publications: he died 1692, one hundred and thirty-two years after Amye Robsart’s death. His book was not published by himself, and consists of very little more than notes of epitaphs in Berkshire Churches which he had visited, and which notes were found among his papers, and were printed after his death. Among them was also found the story of Amye’s death: but it had been merely copied from another authority. That other authority was a much older one called “ Leicester’s Commonwealth.” This was one of the most virulent compilations that ever was put together, and 1 Several writers upon this Cumnor story, copying one from another, have named our old Wiltshire friend, John Aubrey, as the author of the tale which Ashmole copied. I have not been able to find a single word about it in Aubrey’s MSS. He has preserved many anecdotes and “on dits” of his own day: and many that came down to him by tradition ; but for this he is not answerable— so far as I know. By the Rev. Canon J. E. Jackson, F.8.A. 51 was written, it was said, by Father Parsons, the Jesuit: at least if not by himself, by himself and company. It was circulated only in MS. for many years, but upon being printed in 1584, four years before Dudley’s death, was publicly proclaimed by the Privy Council to be an infamous and scandalous libel. . Such (to trace things to their source) is the authority on which “ Kenilworth” is founded. To recapitulate, for a moment or two, the outlines of the novel. Dudley, having married Amye Rebsart early in life, afterwards finds the marriage inconvenient, so puts her away under vigilant and designing villains, Tony Foster and Varney, who understood that they were to get rid of her somehow. But, says this most veracious historical novel, after she became “ Countess of Leicester,” hearing of Queen Elizabeth’s visit to Kenilworth Castle, and the splendid entertainment going on there, all significant of Dudley’s future nuptials with the Queen, the “ Countess of Leicester ”’ escapes from Cumnor, arrives in a sort of disguise at Kenilworth Castle, and has a touching interview with the Queen, who falls into a furious passion upon finding that the Earl of Leicester was married. It is not worth while to go into detail, but Amye is persuaded by Leicester to return to Cumnor, he promising to come and see her as soon as the Revels are over. So to Cumnor poor Amye returns, attended by the two villains, who presently dispose of her in the horrible manner with which the tale concludes. She is shut up in an isolated tower, which is approached only by a narrow drawbridge. Midway in the floor of the drawbridge is a trap-door, so contrived that the first person who should step upon it would be precipitated into what the novelist describes as a “sable gulph, an abyss dark as pitch and profoundly deep.” After a certain time the villain Varney, pre- tending to arrive as the expected husband, rides into the court-yard, dismounts, gives the husband’s peculiar call—a whistle—Amye rushes out, steps on the trap-door—and all is over. ‘ Look down into the vault,” says Varney to Foster, “what seest thou?” “I see only a heap of white clothes, like a snow-drift,” said Foster, “Oh God! she moves her arm!” “ Hurl something down upon her. Thy gold chest, Tony, it is a heavy one.” A more thrilling narrative never was penned. Founded upon this E2 52 Amye Robsart. tale we have had several kinds of public spectacles. There was the melodrama of “ Amy Robsart,” performed for a whole season before thousands upon thousands. It has been, I am told, repeated at the Polytechnic, in Dissolving views! ‘There is also a French play, for the edification of our neighbours, to teach them, I suppose, the facts of English History. Now, spectacles of this kind, got up with every sort of effective dramatic scenery, make an impression upon the sight-seeing mind which is never forgotten. If 100,000 people saw the interview between Amye Robsart and Queen Elizabeth re- presented on the London stage, upon the authority of the great Sir Walter Scott; well—I am sorry to undeceive them—but most certain it is, that they shed their tears, and paid their money, all for nothing: for no such interview ever took place. But against 100,000 who “ saw it and paid for it,’ what chance or opportunity has Truth to put in a word ? Sir Walter Scott’s gross anachronisms, 7.¢., his confusion and mis- placing of dates, events, and persons, were of course immediately noticed by critics at the time of the publication of his novel: and since that time, several writers, especially Mr. Bartlett, of Abingdon, the late Mr. Pettigrew, a well-known archeologist, and still later, Mr. Adlard, of New York, have pointed out a great many ex- aggerations and false statements in the received account of Amye’s death ; and have defended Dudley against the charge of causing her to be murdered. But whilst thousands see the false history on the stage, not one in a thousand ever hears of the correction. Mr. Pettigrew’s paper on the subject was read before the British Archzo- logical Society, in 1859, and was printed separately. In his account, as well as in the others, are some points, on which I can now supply a little information that is quite new. I will therefore briefly touch upon a few points in the story, just to shew the difference between the current belief and the real facts. My proofs are the documents now lying on the table. 1.—Tue Marrtiace. Owing to the confusion of romance and history the real facts are scarcely distinct. I have been asked, “ Was Amye the lawful wife of Lord Robert Dudley?” Of that there is no doubt. She was By the Rev. Canon J. E. Jackson, F.S.A. 53 the only daughter and heir (her brother Arthur, mentioned afterwards being illegitimate) of Sir John Robsart, a knight of Norfolk, of lineage older than that of the Dudley family.' Her mother, Lady Robsart, had been married before, to a Mr. Appleyard, of a very old Norwich family : and by him she had a son John Appleyard, Amye’s half-brother, whose name I beg you to bear in mind. Robert Dudley, «Esquyer,” and Amye were married when quite young (she about 18, and he about 19 years of age) in A.D. 1550, fourth year of King Edward VI. The proofs of their marriage are these. There is among the Records in London a settlement on the dady’s side, by Sir John Robsart, the father, dated 15th May 1550. There is at Longleat a deed of settlement on the husband’s side: which document I now produce (Appendix I.). It is dated 24th May, 1550: and runs thus: “Between John, Earl of Warwick, K.G., of the one part, and Sir John Robsart, Kt., on the other part: witnesseth that they are fully agreed that a marriage shortly after the ensealing hereof, shall be had and solemnized between Robert Duddeley, Esq., one of the younger sons of the said Erle, and Amye Robsart, daughter and heir apparaunte to the said Sir John Robsart, if the said Robarte and Amye will thereunto condiscend and agree : ” and then continues, about lands, &c. These two documents were settlements, in May, 1550, on the intended marriage. The marriage itself took place on 4th June, 1550, at Sheen, in Surrey, in the presence of the Court: and King Edward VI., then only eleven years old, who kept a little diary (now preserved in the British Museum), mentions it, and has ‘also added a peculiar performance among the festivities ‘of the oc- ecasion, which seems to have particularly taken his juvenile fancy. ©1550. June 4. Sir Robert Dudeley, third sonne to th’ Erle of Warwick, maried S. Jon. Robsartes daughter, after wich mariage, ther were certain gentlemen that did strive who shuld first take away a goose’s head which was hanged alive on two cross posts.” The marriage was therefore not in any way clandestine, but public and ‘notorious as possible. 1 She is believed to have been born at Stansfield Hall, Norfolk, a house which belonged to her father, and which some years ago obtained a horrible notoriety from being the scene of the murder of the Jermyn Family by Rush. 54 Amye Robsart. There are at Longleat several documents dated after the marriage in which they are both mentioned : but I did not think it necessary to bring them all. One only is here, being a grant of the manor of Hemsby, near Yarmouth, in Norfolk, by his father, John, then Duke of Northumberland, to his son, Lord Robert Dudley, and “the Lady Amie his wife.” (Appendix II). Their married life lasted rather more than ten years, from 4th June, 1550, to 8th September, 1560. The few particulars of it recovered from these papers will be mentioned presently. We return to the difference between the received story and the real facts. 2.—AMYE NEVER AT KENILWORTH. It was mentioned just now that thousands of worthy sight-seers have paid their money and shed their tears, over the touching in- terview between the “Countess of Leicester ’’ and Queen Elizabeth atKenilworth—all for nothing : simply because no such interview ever took place—except at Covent Garden Theatre. The reason is, that Kenilworth Castle where the Earl received the Queen, did not belong to him at all during Amye’s life. She died 1560. The Queen gave Kenilworth to “Lord Robert” in June 1563. Sir Walter Scott might have easily known that from Warwickshire county history. The original Letters Patent, dated 20th June, 1563, by which the Queen gave it, are at Longleat : a very fine deed illuminated with a portrait of Queen Elizabeth and flowered border, but it is very large and long, and beyond the limits of a carpet bag. I have however brought an equally sufficient evidence: which is the Original Warrant from the Queen to deliver to Dudley possession of the Castle. (Appendix VIL.) This is an interesting document: being Queen Elizabeth’s authority to six gentlemen, named, to go to Kenilworth, and take possession on behalf of Lord Robert. The formal delivery is endorsed, dated 29th June, and it is attested by the signatures of no less than sixty-- four witnesses. One may easily conceive that half the town of Kenilworth would pour out, with the laudable desire of seeing their fine old castle handed over to the great favourite of the day. But where was Amye? She had been in her grave nearly three years, since September, 1560. By the Rev. Canon J. EF. Jackson, F.8.A. 55 8.—AmyE NEVER “Countess or LEICESTER.” © For the same reason, she never was, as Scott calls her, ‘ Coun- tess of Leicester :”? Dudley not having been created Earl of Leicester until after the grant of Kenilworth Castle. The patent of creation is dated 29th September, 1563, rather more than three years after her death. During her life he was “ Sir R. Dudley, Kt., commonly ealled Lord Robert;” and she “ Amye, Dame or Lady, Dudley.” 4.—Sim Ricuarp VARNEY. I come next to speak of the delusion about “ Varney,” one of the leading “ villains” of the novel. In the melodrama of “ Amy Rob- sart,” this worthy appears in the costume of a brigand, wrapped up in the regulation bandit cloak, with his arms folded, and a most sinister countenance duly provided with dark eye-brows and piercing eyes. He is placed at a further corner of the stage, scowling askance at his poor victim, as if he were thirsting for the moment to spring, like a tiger, upon her. It must be exquisitely ridiculous to any person knowing the truth to sit and see such nonsense. An arche- ologist, looking round upon the spectators, would sigh with pity for the hundreds of simple folk who watch the proceedings with the deepest interest, not having the slightest idea that they are gulled and misled by the whole representation. Well, but what is the real history of Varney, the scowling brigand in the regulation cloak ? The late Mr. Pettigrew, in the pamphlet to which I have referred, says: “ Of Sir Richard Varney I can ascertain no particulars. He is mentioned, in no measured terms, as an instigator to baseness, as the chief prompter to the murderous design, and as having been left with a manservant, an underling, and Anthony Foster, to effect the diabolical business. We know nothing of Varney, save the mention of him in Ashmole’s narrative, drawn by the Jesuit in ‘ Leicester’s Commonwealth, and by the very important part he is made to play in the novel of Kenilworth. His name does not occur in any au- thentic documents connected with Sir Robert Dudley or Amye Robsart, nor, indeed, does he appear to have had any real existence.” } - 1The italics are so marked by myself 56 Amye Robsart. Here Mr. Pettigrew was at fault. I discovered among the papers at Longleat a letter dated from Warwick, 20th April, 1560 (six months before Amye’s death), addressed “ To the Rt. honourable and my verry good lorde, the lorde Robert Dudley, Mr. of th’ horses to the Quene’s Majestie at Court,” signed “ Ricnarp VERNEY.” The name, of course, caught my attention; and the next thing was to find out, if possible, something about the writer. The letter itself was of the common kind from one friend and gentleman to another; referring to the loss of some favourite hawks of Dudley’s which had been entrusted’ to the care of one of the writer’s ser- vants, and which had been unfortunately mismanaged. So there was nothing to help me in the letter itself. But luckily the sea/, not in wax but on wafer, was preserved, and the device was an antelope with long horns. On examining it closely with a glass, I observed that the animal’s ¢a7/ ended not with the usual single tuft of hair, but in a tripartite finish, something like a fleur-de-lis. The letter being dated from Warwick, I immediately turned to Dugdale’s History of that county, and found on reference to the name of Verney, an engraved plate of a monumental coat of arms, the two supporters to which were two antelopes with the peculiar tripartite caudal finish. At Longleat is a parchment deed signed by the same Richard Verney,where the seal is preserved in wax, and presents the same peculiarity. This identified the family of the writer of the letter, who, in short, turned out to be Sir Richard Verney, of Compton Verney, in Warwickshire, a family now represeuted, and place occupied by his descendant, Lord Wil- loughby de Broke. Lord Robert Dudley himself was a Warwickshire man. He had already property in that county (before Kenilworth was given to him), from his father: and Sir Richard Verney was a neighbour and friend, of whom I am not able to discover any thing but what is perfectly respectable. For example, I produce a letter to Lord Robert Dudley, Master of the Queen’s Horse, from Sir Ambrose Cave, one of the Queen’s Ministers, and M.P. for Co. Warwick, written 16th July, 1559, a year before Amye’s death. Certain commissioners were wanted for the county:: and Sir Ambrose, writing in the name of the Council, says: “ And whereas for the execution of the charge committed unto us we resolved of certain By the Rev. Canon J. E. Jackson, F.S.A. 57 gentlemen to be officers unto us as Mr. Fisher for one who cannot well take it upon him, in whose stead Sir Richard Varney a gentle- man meet to serve in that behalf, wold willingly endeavour himself + for Warwickshire, if it plese you to appoint or require him by your letters to take the chardge upon him. Thus leaving to trouble your Ldship any further at this tyme I commit you to God who send you increase of honour. Your good Lordships to command, Ambrose Cave.” This is scarcely the vein in which a Minister of State would write about a brigand in a cloak, waiting to stain his hands in a miserable murder. In tie novel you will recollect, that Varney is disposed of in a manner that is no doubt highly satisfactory to the reader. He is found next morning dead in his cell: having swallowed a dose of poison. That of course was, what it should have been, but not as it was. For behold, next year, 1561 (the year after her death), this same scowling brigand in the cloak, who had been found dead in his cell, is filling the dignified office of Her Majesty’s High Sheriff for the county of Warwick. He survived the “ poison ” seven years, dying 26th July, 1567. 4.—Tony Foster. I have now another character to introduce, with whom you are no doubt most accurately acquainted by the help of Sir Walter Scott. What is your opinion, Ladies, of Tony Foster? He is described as a cruel hard-hearted miserly curmudgeon, so clumsily built as to border on deformity. He also has keen dark eyes and rugged brows, with a most unprepossessing countenance, is dressed in leather, 1 « To endeavour himself for ;” %.¢., to consider himself bound, to undertake for. So in the Prayer Book, collect for Second Sunday after Easter, ‘‘ also daily endeavour ourselves:” in the Preface to the Confirmation service, ‘‘ they will evermore endeavour themselves,” and in the Ordination service, ‘‘I will en- deavour myself so to do.” In all these instances in the Prayer Book the words are often read with a pause between ‘‘ endeavour” and ‘‘ themselves,” as if the meaning were that they would—‘' themselves, do their best,” &c. The mistake isa very pardonable one, the modern use of the word endeavour being simply ‘*to try.” Nor is there in the English translation of the Bible any other sense of the word. It is in the Prayer Book only that the obsolete use is retained. 58 Amye Robsart. with a long knife on one side and a cutlass on the other: in short, a compound of jailer, hangman and butcher. He too, meets with his reward in a way that is quite charming. ‘ When the alarm was given, the murderers fled and Tony wholly disappeared. Many years afterwards, in making some researches about Cumnor Hall, the eldest son and heir [who, by the way, never existed] discovered a secret passage closed by an iron door, descending to a cell: in which they found an iron chest containing a quantity of gold, and a human skeleton stretched above it. The fate of Anthony Foster was now manifest. He had fled to this place of concealment, for- getting the key of the spring-lock : and being barred from escape, he had there perished miserably. The groans and screams which had been heard were not wholly imaginary, but were those of this wretch who in his agony, was crying for relief and succour.” So half the world believes to this day. Now for the real facts. — Anthony Forster, or Forrester, Esq., was of an old Shropshire family, settled in Berkshire. His wife was Ann, neice of Lord Williams of Thame, Lord High Chamberlain in the reign of Philip and Mary. Mr. Forster rented Cumnor Hall of the Owen family, to whom it belonged, and was tenant of it at the time of Amye Robsart’s death, but purchased it soon after. His children all died. He was highly esteemed as a most honest gentleman, by his neigh- bours at Abingdon. He was sometimes sent for by the University of Oxford to assist in settling matters of controversy. He was a cultivator of the fine arts, a musician, a builder, a planter, and to- wards the close of his life was returned to Parliament for the Borough of Abingdon. In Cumnor Church there is a large brass plate to his memory, a rubbing of which I now exhibit. It has, from the accompaniment of coats of arms all the marks of gentility. He had always been a personal friend of Lord Robert Dudley’s and when Dudley was promoted to great honour, Mr. Forster was not only the principal receiver of his income, but was one of the chief controllers of the expense of a very stately and magnificent establishment. For with all his magnificence, the Earl of Leicester’s household and other expenses were kept in the most precise and careful. manner, At Longleat, there are some of the Inventories of his furniture, By the Rev. Canon J. EB. Jackson, F.8.A. 59 dresses, &c., in large folio volumes, beautifully written. All bills were duly examined, and payments registered. Among many of similar kind I show one which is simply a butcher’s account : but it is drawn out almost with the solemnity of a State paper, and signed by five of the household officers. (Appendix, VIII.) The Earl was remarkable for his costly wardrobe. The practise was, for the materials to be supplied to the taylor, or embroiderer, by the mercer or other tradesman. The orders to the tradesmen were all issued by the chief officer of the wardrobe: and I now exhibit to you out of a box at Longleat a bundle of such orders, filed exactly as they were left by Mr. Forster. (Appendix,IX.) Every one of these is signed by Anthony Forster, in the year 1566, 2.¢., six years after the said Tony had been starved to death and had been found in the very uncomfortable position of a skeleton stretched upon an iron chest in a secret cell at Cumnor Hall. I have also an original letter (Appendia, X.) from the Earl of Leicester to A. Forster, relating to furniture at Kenilworth Castle: containing special orders about costly hangings for the dining- chamber, specifying the very width;and height ; with directions for - sufficient store of spicery and fireworks against “ my chiefest day :” also instructions for a banqueting room to be got up quickly, with peremptory orders for all to be on the alert. It ends: “ So fare you well, Antony; in much haste, your loving Master, R. Leycester.” I thought at first this letter referred to the preparations for the great reception of Queen Elizabeth ; but that was in 1575: and A. Forster had died in 1569. It refers to a visit of Sir Nicholas Bacon, the Lord Keeper of the Great Seal. The precise year is not important, but whenever it was, here we have our skeleton Tony alive and well, and clothing his bare bones with the good things of Kenilworth Castle, several years after, to our great satisfaction, we had heard him screaming himself to death in the dungeon at Cumnor Hall! Having now shewn you in a few instances how widely the current belief differs from the real facts, I come to grapple with the main part of the story. I must ask you to dismiss from your minds alto- ‘gether the title of Earl of Leicester, and the name of Kenilworth, 60 Amye Robsart. because doth were utterly unknown to Amye Robsart. We must | go back, if you please, to the beginning of her. married life, 1550, which (as already said) lasted for ten years. All the older narratives have begun with telling us that their married life was an unhappy one: and one of our historians says that they lived apart and she in a lonely house. That is just the way to prepare the reader’s mind for a violent conclusion : but where is the evidence that their married life was from the first, or indeed ever, an unhappy one? ‘There was absolutely none : for until a very little while ago, nothing whatever was known about their married life. The little we do know will, as I hope to prove, exhibit them as living on the best footing. And as to their living apart, and she in a lonely house, that also shall be explained. It only applies to the last year or two, and the house was anything but lonely. Where they first lived is not known. Perhaps in Norfolk, where their property lay: possibly in London, because this was in Edward the Sixth’s time, and Lord Robert was one of the Gentlemen in ordinary in the Household. After Edward the Sixth’s death, July, 1553, Dudley certainly was in London, but against his will and under un- pleasant circumstances: for he had joined (as mentioned above) in the attempt to place Lady Jane Grey on the throne: for which Queen Mary sent him to the Tower. He was convicted of high treason ; all his estates, wife’s and all, were forfeited: and he had a very narrow escape from sharing his father’s fate on Tower Hill. The Princess Elizabeth (afterwards Queen) was at the same time lodged in the Tower by her sister, Queen Mary, for State reasons. Robert Dudley remained in custody half-a-year, till January, 1554. Several other noblemen of his party were also prisoners: but their wives were allowed to visit them from time to time. Among the ladies whose names are mentioned as so doing, is that of Amye, Lady Dudley: so that, so far, in the fourth year of marriage, there is no sign of estrangement. On receiving his pardon, he was released, and his estates, including his wife’s, were restored to him. This was through the influence of Philip of Spain, the husband of Queen Mary: in return for which Robert Dudley offered his services to Philip, who sent him off to the Continent to fight against the French. 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