Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 6.djvu/315

 THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL INSTITUTE. 189 By Mr. G oldie, of York. — A drawing of a remarkable sculpture of late Normau date, now built into the south wall on the outside of the tower, at Hovingham Church, Yorkshire. (See the accompanying woodcut.) The dimensions would lead to the supposition that it might have formed the front of an altar, or possibly of an Easter sepulchre, the length being 5 feet, height 2 feet 6 inches. The design consists of eight small figures in an arcade of round-headed niches ; two have been supposed to represent the Annunciation, — the Virgin being portrayed as seated; four, at the other end of the slab, may represent the women coming to the sepulchre, which is guarded by angels ; and the two figures intervening may be intended for the appearance of Christ, as the gardener, to Mary Magdalene. Undenieath is a frieze, of elegant foliated design, resembling that on the font at Alphington, near Exeter, and the beautiful scroll ornament around the south door of the nave, Ely Cathedral, date about 1175. The curious tablet at Hovingham may also be assigned to the latter part of the twelfth century. By Dr. Kendrick, of Warrington. — Impression of the ancient seal of Liverpool, the singular design and inscription upon which has been a sub- ject of frequent discussion. A representation of the seal is given in the Archaeologia, vol. xxi., p. 544. The matrix is of pointed oval form : in the central compartment appears a bird, by some explained as a kind of cormorant, called a " lever ; " by others taken for an eagle, the letters lOUIS, as they have been read, being found under it. Mr. Hamper, however, with greater probability, supposes it to be Noah's harbinger, with the branch in her beak. At the upper part of the field of the seal there is a star and crescent, resembling the device on many early seals, and on the Irish penny of King John. The legend, which seems to have been copied erroneously from an older matrix, possibly coeval with King John's charter to the town, appears to read thus — *SIGILIS CONMVXC. DORGESIVD LEVEB — with the termination lODIS, on a little scroll in the field, omitted for want of sufficient space on the verge. Dr. Kendrick proposes the reading Johanni. Mr. Hamper's suggestion appears highly pr(^able, that the original legend was — " Sigillum commune bur- gensium Leverpolis," copied by an unskilful artificer. Dr. Kendrick pre- sented the impression to the collection of the Institute. The document to which the original impression is appended, is a century older than that possessed by the Liverpool corporation, and had been discovered by him. By Mr. Tagg, of St. Dunstan's Hill. — The bowl of a mazer cup, of the rummer shape. Around the brim is the following inscription : — " In token of true Chi'istian Loue : Which I to You Do Owe : Becase that you So faithfull Proue : I this on you Bestowe : 1614." It is fonned either of walnut, or ash wood. By Mr.'Trollope. — A singular object of lead, resembling in form a basin without a foot, or the 2^<^tasus placed upon figures of ]Mercury. Diameter, 10 inches. It was lately found at Heighwood, near Torksey, Lincolnshu'e, with several large pieces of lead, at a depth of five feet, in cutting through clay, in excavations for the junction line of the Manchester and Lincolnshire Railway. By the Rev. Charles Sydenham. — A collection of valuable MSS., pre- VOL. VI. c c