Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 8.djvu/422

 324 PROCEEDINGS AT MEETINGS OF who had just addressed the meeting, to the memory of that lamented patron, whose place Lord Talbot had been called upon to fill. Mr. Harford then informed the meeting that a memoir had been provided for their gratification on the present occasion, by a gentleman well known to many present for his assiduous and able researches regarding the antiquities of their city : he regretted that he was not permitted to mention him by name. The memoir, relating to the municipal antiquities, the high civic offices, and muniments of Bristol, must be highly acceptable, especially since, at the close of the present meeting, the regalia and charters, with many of those ancient objects to which the observations referred, would bo submitted to the inspection of the Society, in the Council Cbamber. Mr. Tucker, at the President's request, then read the memoir in question. The autbor observed, that the mayor and civic authorities, fully appreciating the honour conferred upon them by the visit of so many persons eminent in literature and science, and desirous of promoting the object of the Society, had considered tbat a display of the ancient municipal I'elics, the regalia and muniments of the Corporation, would not fail to afford gratification to their visitors. He had thought, accordingly, that some introductory observations upon the civic dignities, the charters, ancient seals, plate, and insignia of the city, would form the most suitable subject for the inaugural meeting of the Institute. He proceeded to give many interesting details regarding the chief magistrate, in earlier times styled Custos or Prepositor, the distinguished persons by whom the office had been filled, especially William Canynges, the builder of Redcliffe church, six times mayor of that ancient city. The office of High Steward had always been filled by statesmen and noblemen of the highest distinction ; the civic annals comprise many curious particulars regarding their con- nexion with Bristol ; and a fine series of their portraits grace the Council Chamber, to which the members of the Society would forthwith be invited to repair, to view the display prepared for their gratification. The muni- ments, now in the custody of the Town Clerk, comprise a series of royal charters, commencing from Henry II., with numerous evidences eminently interesting to the historian and the antiquary, in excellent preservation, having been ever transmitted from generation to generation, as a sacred deposit ; and, as justly remarked by an author of note, " their preservation is worthy of national example." The city and mayoralty seals, seven in number, are of great curiosity, and have supplied a frequent subject of discussion to antiquarian writers. With the design of the most remarkable of these seals, the members of the Institute had already become familiar, since it had appropriately been selected as the device of the admission tickets on the present occasion. The author proceeded to describe the curious plate and other precious objects, the four state-swords, one of which, originally inclosed in a scabbard garnished with pearls, was presented in 1431 by a Lord Mayor of London. A splendid salver, of the times of Elizabeth, would be viewed with interest, not merely as a relic of ancient civic grandeur, but from the circumstance of its having been stolen by the rioters in 1831, and cut into 1G7 pieces, which fortunately, with one exception, were recovered, and had been riveted together with singular skill. Lord Talbot de Malaiiide moved the cordial thanks of the meeting to the author of this memoir : he wished that they might have had the satisfaction