Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 7.djvu/511

 IJs^ THE RECORD OFFICE, AT MALTA. 373 siijet (ligiie de servir Dieu et sa Sainte Eglise, dans la diguitc que vous voulez bien luy accorder de Grand Prieur d'Angleterre, nous ne luy laissons ])oint perdre de temps, car actuelleraent il fait une campagne assez rude et dangereuse centre nos sujets rebellers ^ qui sent en mesme temps tons ennemis de la Religion, et a ce que rien n'y manque, le Bref que notre Saint Pere a eu la bonte de nous accorder sur ce sujet est envoye. Au reste pour le succes de nos affaires nous nous recommandons aux prieres et aux vocux de tout votre ordre, et prions aussy Dieu qu'il vous ait en sa sainte garde. Donne en notre Cour, au chateau de Dublin, le 1 S'^""' de Juillet, 1689. [ Votre affectionne Couzin, Jacques R. ] The subscription within brackets appears to be the autograph of James. ^ The penultimate r in this word is rather indistinct in the MS. Monumental Portraiture of Wisse:.us de Smalenuurg, at Boston, Lincolnshire. {See page 54.) The exact position in which this remarkable specimen of this class of sepulchral effigies was discovered, is stated in a short letter, dated Dec. 7, 1795, and addressed to Mr. Urban by "Lincolniensis " (Gent. Mag., vol. Ixv., part II., p. 995). The writer states that a tombstone, with the inscription. Hie jacet Wisselus, &c. (as before given) was dug up on August 28 of that year, in a pastiu'e adjoining to "the Hussey Tower Pasture," at Boston, belonging to Thomas Fydell, Esq. The slab lay at the depth of about eight inches beneath the surface. By an inadvertent oversight, the curious inscribed sword, from the river Witham, Lincolnshire, presented to the Institute b}' the obliging keeper of the archives of the see of Lincoln, R. Swan, Esq., was given as measuring only 18 inches in length. (See page 290.) The entire length of this remarkable weapon is 3 feet 2 inches, the length of the blade is 2 feet 8 inches ; the blade is of more than ordinary width, the broadest part measuring nearly 2i inches. We hope that some of our readers, versed in the decyphering of middle- age enigmas, may supply the interpretation, hitherto unattcmpted, of the characters upon this fine sword. They are represented with the greatest possible accuracy by the woodcut, given as above. Commencing from the hilt they appear to read thus : — the M, the G following it, and the A are inverted. >ii NDXOXGIIMDNGHDXORAI ^