Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 11.djvu/334

 2S6 PROCEEDINGS AT MEETINGS OF and by filling in the pattern with clay of a contrasted colour, such as yellow on a red ffround, or the contrary. Remains of pavements of this kind of mosaic work have been noticed in France, hut they appear to he of rare oocurronce in England. Mr. Byron has presented these examples to tho British Museum. By Messrs. Bradbury and Evans. — A piece of moulded terra-cotta, pro- bably of Flemish workmanship, intended for purposes of Architectural decoration. Its form is semicircular, and it displays in high relief the atchievement of the Emperor Charles V., with the date 1552. The shield, charged with the Eagle of the Empire, is of the highly-decorated fashion of that time, and over it is the arched crown. At the sides are introduced lions as supj>orters, holding the pillars of Hercules, the device of Charles, with his motto — I'LVS otltue on a scroll wreathed round them. This tine frafinent of ornamental brickwork was found built into the wall, in tho interior of an old house in Little Lombard Street, Wliitofriars, lately pulled down in constructing the extensive premises there erected by Messrs. Bradbury and Evans. The ornament has unfortunately sutlered so much damage that it is not pmcticablc to give a representation of the complete design here described. The dimensions of the brick are 10^ by 6 ^ inches, the thickness 3 inches. Decorations of this nature were much in fashion in the reigns of Henry VIIL and Elizabeth, and examples occur in the Eastern counties, in old structures at Norwich and other places. They were doubtless much used in London, and facilities of intercourse with Flanders may have encouraged their introduction. Mr. T. Hart, of RciLTate, has in his possession a moulded brick of this description found in 1809, when the party wall of some old houses in Great Tower Street were demolished. It bears the head of the Emperor Charles V. in profile, moulded in relief. Several of these bricks were found on this occasion. By Mr. FiuNKS. — Casts from several moulded bricks of the XVIth century, found at Cambridge ; amongst the subjects are— the foxes sent by Samson into the corn of the Philistines ; Susaima and the Elders ; the four Evangelists, <kc. Bricks of this description have sometimes been attributed to the Roman period, as, for instance, one found at Wisbeach, representing the execution of two kneeling victims by soldiers in Roman costume. It is figured in the Antiquarian Itinerary. Ilearne gives as Roman a brick found in Mark Lane, and preserved in the Museum of the Roval Society. It represented Samson with the foxes. Leland, Collect., ^'ol. I., pref. p. Ixxi., where its discovery is related in a letter to Ilearne from Bagford. The examples produced by Mr. Franks were taken from casts in the Mufeeum of the Cambridge Anticpiarian Society. They are probably fronj the bricks, sixteen in number, formerly in possession of Mr. Reynolds of Cambridge, and afterwards of Mr. JUnleigh, of Ihirn- well. Mr. Sharp, of Coventry, communicated an account of them to the Society of Antiquaries in 1817, but the subject does not appear to have been thought worthy of admission into the Archa^ologia. See Catalogue of Antiquities, Arc, belonging to the Society, p. 31.'. Sec also a notice of other himilar objects, Arcliaol. xxiv., p. 35G. By Mr. TlTK. — A singular little MS. Book of Latin Brayers, date jiro- bal)lv towards the close of the .Wth eentiny, written and boimd up in a rli'<ipd)oi(lal or lozenge form, through the fancy or caprice of its original owner. r.y Mr. John (joioil Nkiioi.m. — Several curious pntductions of needle-