The Digital Ark: Early Modern Collections of Curiosities in England and Scotland, 1580-1700
William Musgrave (1655 - 1721)
Physician, antiquary, and member and secretary of the Royal Society in 1685, serving as editor of the Philosophical Transactions for nos. 167 to 178. He published a note on Alfred's Jewel in the Philosophical Transactions (Vol. 20, no. 247 [1698], p. 441 sig. Vvv) (Earle, 25). Dating from the reign of Alfred the Great, the jewel is a piece of Anglo-Saxon jewelry made of enamel and quartz enclosed in gold. It was discovered in 1693 in North Petherton, Somerset, England, and is held at the Ashmolean Museum. Dictionary of National Biography entry: https://doi-org.cyber.usask.ca/10.1093/ref:odnb/19668 Other biography: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Musgrave Other Links: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_Jewel - The Alfred Jewel Relationships: William Musgrave was a member of Royal Society (-)Linked print sources: as Author (in assoc. with a ms or print source) - Part of a letter from Dr. Musgrave, Fellow of the College of Physicians and R. S. to Dr. Sloane; concerning a piece of antiquity lately found in Somersetshire.
as Correspondent - A letter from the learned and ingenious Mr. Will. Molyneux Secretary to the Society of Dublin, to Will. Musgrave LL. B. Fellow of New Colledge, and Secretary to the Philosophical Society of Oxford, for advertisement of natural Knowledge; concerning Lough Neagh in Ireland, and its petrifying Qualitys.
as Mentioned or referenced by - Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society.
as Mentioned or referenced by - The Alfred Jewel, an historical essay.
References in Documents:
Consolidated catalogue of 1695: The Book of the Junior Proctor (MacGregor, ed.) King's
Alfred Jewel . Hutchinson's History of Durham . Vol. I. p. 25Philosophical Transactions
No. 247 and 260 and in
Gibson's edit of the Britannia , a curious Jewel,
representing St. Cuthbert , is
described, found near Athelney in Somersetshire . The portrait is enamelled
on gold, drawn sitting in an episcopal chair, with the following inscription
in Saxon – Thus construed: – Alfredus me jussit fabrican. Mr Wallis , speaking of this portrait, has
the following remarks: “King Alfred
preferred these characters to the saxon, and when he swa/y\ed the sceptre,
brought them into use. This curious memorial of St. Cure Cuthbert was found in the very
place of that glorious monarch's retreat and deliverance from the Danes,
fortified by him in the time of war, and in the time of peace converted into
a monastery.” Dr. Musgrave (who wrote
a dissertation thereon), thinks this curious Cimolium an undeniable instance
of the use of images coming from the Heathens into the Christian Church.
Dr. Hickes has engraven it in his
Thesaurus, and is of opinion, that the occasion of it was the vision of
St. Cuthbert , which William of Malmsbury speaks of,
appearing to him and his mother the same night, (after he had been beaten by
the Danes, and retired into Athelney ),
and assuring him that he should be a great king. In memory whereof we may
well suppose, that the image upon it is St.
Cuthbert's , (to whose merit he was wont to ascribe his future
successes over the Danes), and not only so, but being plainly made, on
purpose to hang on a string, it is very probable that himself constantly
wore it, in honour of to this his tutelar saint. – It is said to
be now in the Ashmolean Museum at Oxford . – see Archaeologia, Vol. ii.
p. 68.72 .