(28). Item, a small gold Salerno ring, written on the outside, not like a posey in the inside, but on the out—Bene scripsisti de ME, Thoma. The story of it is, that Thomas Aquinas, being at Salerno, and in earnest in a church before a certain image there of the blessed Virgin Mary, his earnest devotion carried him so far as to ask her whether she liked all that he had writ of her, as being free from original sin, the Queen of Heaven, &t.; and intreated her to give him some token of her acceptance of his indeavours in the writing so much in her behalf. Upon which the image opened its lipps, and said, Bene scripsisti de ME, Thoma.

The History of ----- found at or near Yorke; it is good Workmanship, but not enough remaining to express the Story; sent by Mr. Gyles the famous Glass-Painter. An antique Head in Marble that belonged to the Virgin Mary's Shrine at York Minster; sent me by Mr. Sam. Carpenter the Statuary. John the Baptist's Head in a Platter, with this Inscription in old Letters, Inter nat: Mulier nō: sur: (surrexit) maj: Johē: Bapt: It is in Metal, twenty Inches in Circumference. The Heads of Otho and Vitellius in Plaister, from Aldburgh. Don. D. Eliz. Aldburgh. The first twelve Roman Emperors, done in Plaister by R. Th. Cardinal Wolsey's Head very well performed in Wood, found in the Ruins of the Archbishop's House at Cawood. Don. D. Jo. Etty Architect. The Head of King Charles I. seems to be black Marble, but is of the Lancashire Canal-Coal. The Present of the Lady Thornton. Lewis le Grand in Plaister, inscribed, Lud XIIII D G Fr: et Nav: Rex. Sir Paul Rycaut, the Learned Consul, in Wax, very curiously done at Hamburgh, K. Solomon's Judgment upon the Two Harlots, wherein are about a Dozen Figures in less than three Inches Diameter. Another half a Yard in Circumference, both of Metal and very well performed. The History of Elijah under the Juniper-Tree, supported by an Angel, 1 Kings 19. It is well performed in Wood by the celebrated Mr. Grindlin Gibbon, when Resident at Yorke, six Inches in Length, and four in Breadth. The same History wrought from it in Silk-work, by Mrs. Catharine Thoresby (my Mother-in-Law). A Mould for the History of our First Parents in Paradice, well designed, bought of the Executors of the said ingenious Mr. Gyles, together with an Excellent Statue of our Blessed Saviour, as bound to a Pillar in order to be scourged, so admirably express'd, that I confess, I cannot look upon it without Concern, and yet dread not the Scandal of Superstition. These are each a Foot high.

A Surprizing Representation of the Trinity, wherein the first Person is drawn as an Old Man with a triple Crown; the second with the Cross, and the third as a Dove, with Rays of Glory about each, and these Words inscribed, "In this Picture is represented, that of the Apostle St. Paul, Rom. 16. v. 27. saying, To God the only wife, through Jesus Christ to whom, together with the Holy Ghost, be Honour, Glory for ever and ever Amen. In the old Edition of the Horæ Beatis: Mariæ (a rare Book in this Musæum), the blessed Trinity is represented by three Heads. Upon one Neck of a humane Body, pag. xx, b. and pag. xlii, a. is that of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary described by Bishop Burnet in his Excellent History of the Reformation (Vol. II. p. 60.) as that of the Trinity, but is strictly that of the Assumption of the Virgin, who is represented between the Father (with Triple Crown, &c.) and the Son. Of the Medals relating to her Immaculate Conception, and to other Saints, to the Jubilees, &c. see before. What appertains to this Place are certain Superstitious Pictures, and pretended Relicks: As a Picture of the Virgin Mary surrounded with a Glory, the Moon under her Feet, treading upon the Old Dragon; over her Head the Trinity, as in the first Picture, and below all Marie conceived without Original Sin. Two different Accounts of the Original of this Feast may be seen in the Legenda Aurea Sanctorum of Jac. De Varagine; of which I have a rare Edition printed at Paris, An. 1475. The Picture of our Lady of Loretto, and her Son, painted and gilt upon red Silk, brought for me from Spain, by Mr. Chr. Wilkinson of Armley, Chaplain in a Man of War. The Darkness of her Face, (painted as a Black-moor) and Brightness of her Garments glittering with Gold are both unaccountable. The Figure of the Sole of her Shoe, upon which is written, ┼ This is the just Mea sure of the Foot of the blessed Virgin Mary, cut out by the Shoe which is kept in a Monastery of Monks in Spain. ┼ Pope John the 22d hath granted 700 Years of Indulgence to all those who will kiss the Measure three Times a Day, saying three Ave's ┼. This is just 7 Inches in Length, wanting a Quarter of an Inch of the Spanish Original, as printed by Rivet, and set forth with Licence.

The Story of St. Thomas Becket's Murther, who is represented as saying Mass at the high Altar, and the Russians breaking in upon him; it is upon Copper, gilt and enamel'd. Don. D. Sam. Smith. A Bit of Marble from his Shrine at Canterbury, and a Fragment of painted Glass (thicker than the Marble) from the same Cathedral, sent me by Mrs. Sar. Speering of London, who also gave me a Sort of Wafer, or Past, with a Crown impress'd upon it, said to be made up with the Virgin Mary's Milk. An Agnus Dei of Silver, with unknown Relicks therein; on one Side is engraved the old Character for Jesus, on the other, the Holy Lamb. Another small one of Brass, with the embossed Heads of St. Igna. Loyola, and St. Franc. Xaverius. Two Wafers for the Eucharist; one has the Figure of our Saviour upon the Cross, the other I H S, with a Cross above, and Nails below. An Agnus Dei from Rome the last Jubilee; it is of pure white Wax inscribed, Ecce Ag. Dei qui tol. pec. mundi. and below the Lamb, Innocen. XII. P. M. An. Iub. 1700. Upon the Reverse the Picture of S. Felix Valois F. Ord. S S. T. R. C. Another less, and somewhat different. A Jubilee Ring of blew Glass and Enamel. A Crucifix in Brass cast hollow; a lesser, solid and gilt, very well performed. A very small one in Silver. A Madonna in Copper. A small Cross of Lignum Vitæ, brought from an Hermitage upon Mount Serrat in Spain, and given me by Dr. Pelham Johnston. Another brought from Jerusalem, and given me by Seign. Sebast. Altchribel. This is inlaid with Ivory and Mother of Pearl, that Part within the white Lines is pretended to be the Wood of our Saviour's Cross. A small one of Geat found in a Grave at Leedes. The Draught in Oil Colours of the noted Cross at Doncaster, whereupon is inscribed, ┼Cest est la Cruice Ote: d: Tilli: a ki aime Deu en face merci. Am.

A Set of Beads, or more strictly a Corona Virginis; it is of fine wrought Ivory dyed a Crimson Colour. A lesser Set, of different Number as well as Workmanship. A much finer Set upon a Crimson Ribband near two Yards long. This was taken from the Image of the Virgin Mary at Alicant, and brought thence by Capt. Cary. Don. D. Fr. Middlebrook. I must confess my self at a Loss for the strict Number of Ave's that compose the Crown of our Lady; the first of these hath 53 Ave's (and six Pater Nosters): That which was used by the Countess of Richmond (Mother to K. Hen. 7th), Bishop Fisher tell us had 63, and this last hath 74. if, according to the different Places, Rome held then the Medium, for the Cardinal saith expresly, that the Countess's was after the Manner of Rome. Of the Virgin's having ten Prayers for one to her Son, see a noted Vicar of Leedes Works †, wherein he refers to a particular Form, wherein were 150 Ave's, yet is quite out-done as to Nubmer by the Jesus Psalter, wherein the Word Jesu is repeated in the 15 Petitions 450 Times: But to give them their due, in the late Edition of King James the IId's Time they are reduced to 150. I have both the Editions.

FORFor the Cornelian Signets, see the Roman Antiquities. A very ancient and small Stone to be set in a Ring 1 h x, which I take to be the old Cypher for Jesus, the only Difficulty is in the later, which is S or C: But when I had the Honour (in Company of the Learned Dr. Gale) to be known to his Excellency Baron Spanheim, then Ambasador from the King of Prussia to K. William, I presently learned that x is very often used for S, not only upon some ancient Coins, but Marbles. A large Copper Oval with IHS, in modern Characters, with the Cross above and wounded Head and Nails below, the whole surrounded with Rays of Glory. But this seems rather designed to make Wafers for the Eucharist, or perhaps for the Impression upon certain Books. A Seal in a smaller Oval with the Portraiture of St Margaret inscribed in obsolete Characters Saunca Margaretta. It was an early Custom among the Christians to have the Names and Pictures of their Tutelar Saints cut upon their Signets. The Seal of the Gray-Friars at Bedford, tho' found at Ardington Nunnery in Yorkeshire: It is inscribed S. Communitatis: Frm: minor Bedfordi. (Don. D. Sam. Ibbetson Merc. Leod.) The Seal of the Prioress of Tuba, round the Virgin Mary with her Son is inscribed S (for Sigillum, as in the former) Helisadis porisse de Tuba. This, and the former are Oval, what follows are Circular. A large one of Copper with the Angel Gabriel, and the Salutation, ┼ Ave Maria Gracia plena, Dominus tecm tecum. Another with the Virgin and our Saviour with this Legend, ┼ Virgo Pudica Pia, nostri miserere Maria. These three were sold amongst old Metal, but preserved for me by Mr. Sam. Smith Bell-Founder at Yorke, with two lesser of later Dates, one hath the Duke of Yorke's Head with D Y under a Ducal Coronet. The other a Talbot upon a Wreath under a Viscount's. A small one but more ancient, hath Z between two Crosses, inscribed, Gurdon de Pontfrac: Sent me by the Reverend Mr. Lascels Lecturer at Pontfract. A Brass Seal Ring found at Kirkstal-Abbey, but seems not very ancient; it hath a Demi-Lion upon a Tower. Don. D. Jo. Rontree Alderm. Leod.

THEThe Houses of Parliament curiously enammel'd upon Gold. Thomas Lord Fairfax the General of their Forces, upon Chessnut his Charging-Horse, with distant Prospects of Armies, Gladiators, &c. and in a Scroll, Sic radiant Fideles: Upon the other Side is the fatal Battle at Naseby. All three are express'd with so much Art, that the Metal, tho' Gold, is but as Dross compared with the Workmanship; in a Scroll is writ non nobis. The Whole comprised in an Inch and half Diameter, yet so exquisitely performed, that the Countenances of particular Persons may be discovered. It was a Present from the Parliament to the General, and was purchased by my Father with his noble Collection of Medals. Materiam superabat opus. A very broad antique Gold Ring, supposed to have been that of Richard Duke of Yorke (Father to K. Edw. 4th), being found in the Place where he was slain (which is to be perpetually fenced in, by Vertue of the Tenure of the Land) near Wakefield Bridge: Upon the Out-side is engraved the Picture of the Virgin Mary, with our Saviour and two other Saints; and upon the In-side, in the Characters of that Age, pour bon Amour. The Frame of an Hour Glass of Copper, of fine Workmanship, the Figures very ancient. ATalbot within the Garter under an Earl's Coronet, engraved upon Mother of Pearl. The Head of K. Charles I. painted to be set in a Ring. That of Christina Queen of Sweden, curiously enamell'd in the same Compass; her Successor's, Carolus Gustavus, of great Value, because in a less Compass, being little more than a Quarter of an Inch, yet very distinct. Two Hands conjoined, in white Enamel.

68. A List of Crown-Lands concealed in several Counties. Perambulatio Forrestæ de Galtres, An. 1630. The Bounds of the King's Demeasns and Mannors of Easingwould, Huby, Sutton, Haxby, Wigginton, Strensall, Towthorp, Stillington, Shipton, Overton, Skelton, Rockliffe, Cliffton, Bowtham, Beningborough, Newton, Alne and Tollerton. The Names of the Towns within the Liberty of St. Mary's of Yorke. The Boundaries and Circumference of the City of Yorke. An old Composition for Snaynton in Pickeringlith. A Decree of Penley Crofts in Her Majesty's President Court in the North 1593. An Inventory of the Jewels. Plate, Vestments, &c. in the Cathedral at Yorke. The Names of the Colleges, Churches, Religious Houses, &c. within the City and Suburbs of Yorke. Lands in Clifton Lordship belonging to St. Olave's Parish. An Extract from Doomesday-Book. A Writ of non molestando for Wakefield, being ancient Demayne. Rate of Taxes for the several Wapentakes, primo Eliz. Lord Newcastle's in the Civil War, and Lord Capel's, for 6000 l. Part of 90000 l. Kirkby's Inquest with the Returns, 9 & 24 E. I. This MS, which I bought with others at Yorke, seems to have been the Collections of Chr. Hildyard Esq; Master in Chancery, and Recorder of Heddon, who died at Yorke.

These should have been preceded by certain ancient Deeds of Gift of Lands, &c. to Kirkstall-Abbey, but that they are to be exemplified according to the respective Dates &c. if it please God to spare Life to proceed to the Historical Part. Here are also several relating to other Religious Houses that shall readily be communicated to any Gentleman that will please to oblige the World with another Volume of the Monasticon Anglicanum: As to the Abbot and Convent at Rivaulx. St. Mary's, and Convent at Malton; the Hospital of St. Peter at Yorke; the Prioress and Nuns of St. Clements; St. Mary Magdalen, and Monks at Bretton; St. John's at Pontfract, and Monks there; St. Mary's at Boulton, and Canons there. The Prioress of Thikheved. The Nuns of St. Marys at Siningthwait, to the Canons of the Premonstratensian Order of St. Mary's at Nebo; to the Prior and Convent at Drax; to the Churches of St. Cudbert at Martun, and All-Saints at Haxey. Conventio facta inter ecclesias de Kirkstall & Stæ Trinitatis Ebor.