Page:Notes and Queries - Series 11 - Volume 4.djvu/516

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NOTES AND QUERIES. [ii s. iv. DEO. 23, 1911

" Edward le Despencer, for the Abbot and Convent of Nottele. Caversham. The Chapel of St. Anne. Oxon." Vol. ii. p. 357.

It has been assumed that the chapel on " the great bridge " was the one dedicated to St. Anne. What is the meaning of the expression in the last entry " for the Abbot and Convent " ? The advowson was with the rrianor. F. R. F.

Caversham.

HEBREW MEDAL. (US. iv. 447.)

THESE Messianic medals can, I believe, be called neither rare nor valuable. I obtained one for a trifle at a curiosity shop just outside Leicester Square, but un- fortunately lost it in Sark island, and so perhaps some fortunate finder will recover it, duly aged, and treasure it as a Messianic medal of A.D. 33, for that is the date some have assigned to such medals ! See two long articles on the subject in The Rock (16 and 23 June, 1903).

The first known specimen is mentioned by Ambrosius, fl. 1513, a copy of whose rare work is in the Library of Trinity College, Dublin. He saw it at Rome. It had been purchased from a Jew. It was discussed by the learned of Europe for two centuries ; and inferior copies were made with slight variations. Waserus describes and engraves it ('Antiq. Num. Hebrseorum,' 1605); so does Alstedius (' Praecognitia Theologia,' 1616), and Hottinger likewise, with slight variations (' Cippi Hebraeici,' 1658), and Sota, 1672, and Lenaden ('Heb. Mixt .,' 1696).

In the Ashmolean Library is a bronze one, slightly varied. The Hebrew inscrip- tion on the reverse, in square letters, means : " Naught can be ascribed to Thee, O Elohim, of the fiery indignation which covered Him." On the obverse is the conventional portrait, with " Messias " on the collar ! See an engraving of this specimen in 'Truths of Revelation,' 1831 (p. 257, pi. iii. fig. 27). This museum also has a specimen in silver, with the same portrait between ishi and aleph, and it is engraved in the same book (pi. i! fig. 1). The Hebrew inscription on the reverse differs, meaning : " Messiah the King came in peace, and man, man was made life."

In 1899 Mr. Cull of Enfield possessed one, of silver ; there was no specimen of it in the B.M., but the authorities there said it was Italian, of seventeenth century. The inscription means : " Son of Jesse, the Messiah, was crucified on the sixth day. He lived " (vide Daily Mail, 4 January, 1899, for engraving and account).

In 1831 Mr. Rawson of Halifax possessed a bronze one, apparently the same as the silver one in design, and, like it, engraved in ' Truths,' p. 259.

Surenhusius gives an illustration and account of the Messianic medal in his ' Mischna,' 1700 ; and Rowland has de- scribed, and given a sketch of, one in his ' Mona Antiqua ' (similar to Walsh's: see next paragraph). Rowland's was found in the Cirque of Brin-gwin, Wales. He sent it, as very valuable, to Luid of the Ashmolean Museum, but it was lost in transit, though a facsimile was preserved.

About 1811 one similar to the Cork specimen (see next example), was obtained by Dr. Walsh at Rostock, and he engraves it ('Essay on Coins,' 1828, pi. i. p. 12). In 1812, at Friars Walk, Cork, one of bright brass was found in a potato field, and Mr. Corbett obtained it. Walsh engraves it, and considered it to be the oldest yet found. The design is practically the same, but the inscription means : " The Messiah has reigned. He came in peace, and, being matle the Light of man, He lives." It was found on the site of a monastery coeval with the introduction of Chris- tianity into Ireland. Facsimiles of it were sent to the learned, and it excited great interest.

In 1813 Mr. English published a pamphlet on this medal. One of the translations of it reads : " And God man was made life " ; but another Hebraist rendered it : " And the mighty Man was made life." This medal came to Mr. Mackey of London and Birmingham, who wrote to The Daily Mail (vide supra) concerning it.

About 1879 Mr. Davis purchased one, and wrote of it, and it seems similar to that Dr. Walsh engraves (Daily Mail, vide supra).

Mr. Heapy gives much information about these Messianic medals (' Likenesses of Christ,' 1880 and 1886). I believe Sir Wyke Bayliss brought them into his ' Rex Regum.' The French Academy of Inscriptions and the Society of French Antiquaries examined one of the medals with care, but opinions were divided. Some said it was modern, others an ancient Christian relic, others a countersign used in Christian secret