Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 2.djvu/422

394 sad example of desecration than the church of St. Michael in its present state.

The seyd Hospytall hathe no foundacyon but as yt ys deposed was founded by a Kyng to thentent to geve Almous wekely to the pore and also to barber them, howe be yt the seyde Master ys not resydent there but as yt ys seyde hathe dymysed same Hospytall wt all rents and profFytts there unto belongyng to one Rycharde ffysher by lease paying therefore by yere but xli. notwtstandyng the same fermor dothe destrybute wekelye to the pore peaple viiid and fyndythe iiiior beddes to lodge the seyd pore and also gevythe to a certayne pore woman attendyng upon the seyde pore men and makyng there bedds wekely viiid. And the Inventory of there goods and ornaments to the same belongyng hereafter dothe appere."

The Rev. Charles Boutell, of Sandridge, Herts, Local Secretary, exhibited the brass matrix of a personal seal of the fifteenth century, recently found on Bernard's Heath, the field of the first battle of St. Alban's, A.D. 1455, and now in the possession of the Architectural Society of St. Alban's. The device is an eagle pouncing upon a hare, with the legend. Mr. Boutell also presented a rubbing of a sepulchral brass of the fifteenth century, lately discovered in clearing the basement-course on the exterior of the church of Abbot's Langley, Herts. It represents a civilian, his wife and children, in the ordinary costume of the period.

The Rev. W. H. Gunner, Local Secretary at Winchester, forwarded for the inspection of the Committee, a gold ecclesiastical ring of the fifteenth century, recently turned up by the harrow in a field at Chilcomb, near Winchester.

Mr. Gunner also informed the Committee that in digging the foundations of the new church of St. Thomas, in Winchester, which are of considerable extent, and of great depth, a number of deep holes, apparently old wells, filled up with loose soil, were found, in which were a few coins, chiefly