eight grains, discovered at Stowmarket, and now in the possession of Mr. Warren, has the words-IE. SVI. DI. ENLIV. DAMI. Representations of both these specimens appear in figs. 6 and 7.

The majority of legends on fermails of the fourteenth century, are, however, of a strictly religious character, allusions to the Virgin and Saviour being the most prevalent. In the Gent. Mag., Aug. 1793, p. 696, is a pretty little example of gold, weighing two pennyweights, on one side of the mourdant of which is a crowned H, on the other an A; the flat hoop bearing on its face the angelic salutation -AVE MARIA GRACIA, and on its reverse-PLENA DOMINVS. And the late Mr. Crofton Croker had a small fermail of silver-gilt, on one side of which is engraved―AVE MARIA GA, and on the other-IESVS NAZARENVS, the last three letters of the second word being on the tongue. An exceedingly curious fermail, found in Upton Churchyard, Berkshire, is in the possession of Mr. Hughes, and now brought before us by Mr. G. A. Cape. It is of latten, one inch and a half in diameter, the frame, quarter of an inch wide, sculptured with the commencing words of a hymn to the Virgin Mary

-AVE X REG'NA X CELORVM × AVE X DOMINA.

The sunk portion of the metal between the letters on this buckle is covered with niello, and a hole is cut through the frame to admit the loop of the tongue, which worked upon the outer verge in a mode differing from all the other specimens adduced (see fig. 8). A silver fermail of rather earlier date than the last was found some years since in the neighbourhood of Abingdon (fig. 9). It reads IESVS NAZARENVS, which is one of the most common legends met with on buckles of this period. A latten fermail of the close of the fourteenth century, found near Hyde Abbey, Winchester, bearing the words IESVS NAZARENVS REX, has been engraved ; and another of the same metal, of the commencement of the fifteenth century, discovered at Driffield, Yorkshire, bearing a like formula, but somewhat abbreviated, is delineated (fig. 10). In the Museum of Scottish Antiquaries, at Edinburgh, are two silver fermails, one octagonal, inscribed-IESVS NAZARENVS REX IVDEORVM; the other having a legend on either side, thus-IESVS

NAZARENVS REX IVDEORVM-AVE MARIA GRACIA PLENA

Journal, xvii, 322.

DOMINA. The great Glenlyon fermail, before mentioned, presents a different formula to any hitherto cited; for on its reverse is sculptured the names of the Three Kings of Cologne CASPAR. MELCHIOR. BALTAZAR. CONSVMATVM. These potent names were believed, in the middle ages, to possess talismanic virtue, and are found inscribed on fingerrings, stamped on leathern garters, and written on plaques and parchment to be worn about the person as amulets to divert evil and bring good luck, which explains their presence on the Glenlyon trinket.2

The Norman fermail seems to have found its way into North Britain at an early period, and has maintained its place as a portion of Highland equipment to the present hour. The form it took among the Scottish Gaels is well exemplified by three examples now exhibited from the collection of Mr. Forman. The first has every appearance of being of considerable age. It is of rude fabric, the frame, three inches in diameter, being hammered out of a brass rod, the ends overlapping each other and held together by the loop of the iron tongue. The front is engraved with a chevron of eleven points, a species of decoration as old as the Bronze Period. The second specimen is of silver, one inch and a quarter in diameter, the front engraved with four discs, three bearing cross crosslets, the field between the discs occupied by trefoils within triangles, the whole of these incised adornments being filled with niello. On the back is scratched IM°K. The third buckle is also of silver, three inches and three quarters in diameter, its incised and nielloed front closely resembling one given in Logan's "Scottish Gael". On it are four discs arranged as in the preceding example but differently filled. That in which the pin moves is decked with a mæander, those on either side are chequered, and that on which its point rests seems to bear the crosses of St. Andrew and St. George placed on a star, and, if so, the date of the trinket must be subsequent to the year 1606, when the Union Jack was adopted by royal ordinance; but one well-skilled in heraldic matters pronounces these cross-lines to be a mere arbitrary device without reference to the national flag. Between the discs are trefoils in triangles, accompanied by

58.

See Pettigrew On Superstitions connected with Medicine and Surgery, p. 2 This brooch is given in Wilson's Prehistoric Annals of Scotland, p. 220.

scrolls. The stout silver pin has a spear-shaped point, and its front is embellished with the ancient chevron.

Reverting to the fermail of South Britain, we gather from the notices and specimens produced, that the jeweled trinket is of considerable rarity. That the unset metal circle was at first of small diameter and narrow frame, either plain or decorated with simple designs, to which were subsequently added mystic words and letters. As the fermail increased in size, and width of surface, amatory mottos took the place of occult legends; and as time wore on, and greater breadth was given, religious formulæ almost entirely supplanted the talismanic and loving inscriptions of an earlier age the fermail reaching its full development at the end of the fourteenth century, soon after which it vanished from England for upwards of four hundred years, continuing however to dwell among the hardy mountaineers of Scotland, from whom, in the days of Queen Victoria, it once more, with some slight modification, is adopted as the fastening for the shawl and plaid, proving how pertinaciously we cling to old fashions, and how enduring is our attachment to the Norman fermail.

232

Proceedings of the Congress.

(Continued from p. 186.)

FRIDAY, AUG. 23.

THE president accompanied by a large body of the associates and visitors took their departure from Exeter for the day's excursion, and arrived at Tiverton, where they were met by the Rev. J. B. Hughes, M.A., Dr. G. A. Paterson, and others, and conducted to the Town Hall, in which it was proposed to read the papers prior to making examination of the church and castle. On their road, Greenway's Almshouses in Gold Street, founded in 1529, and the little chapel thereto attached, were inspected. At the Town Hall the chair having been taken by Sir Stafford Northcote, Bart., the Rev. J. B. Hughes read the following paper

ON ST. PETER'S CHURCH, TIVERTON.

In complying with my friend Col. Harding's request that I would prepare a description of our parish church, I am fully sensible of the privilege he has awarded to me in giving me an opportunity of addressing the members of so distinguished a society as that which has done us the honour of selecting the ancient borough of Tiverton for a visit, and to which borough, in the name of my fellow townsmen, I bid you, Mr. President, and you, ladies and gentlemen, most hearty welcome. I fear that the remarks I have to submit to your notice are not likely to be of a particularly interesting character, but at the same time, I venture to hope that they will not prove altogether devoid of interest, and that they will serve to illustrate an observation which has been often made by archæologists, that while local traditions are not altogether to be relied on, there is generally a certain amount of truth at the bottom of the legendary well, which is useful in the investigation of the subject with which it is connected.

The Rectory of Tiverton is divided into four portions of Pelt, Clare, Tidcombe, and Prior. This ancient division has occasioned the church to be regarded as collegiate. It is so designated by Bishop Brones

combe,1 and as such is mentioned by Tanner in his Notitia; but it is not strictly entitled to that character. Instances of the apportionment of parochial tithes between several rectors of the same church, though not of frequent occurrence, are to be found in the reports and text-books of common law; and though a rectory is now regarded as an entire thing, incapable of division or tenure in common, a different state of things may have been the result of some partition of the rectorial obligations and revenues under the proper authorities.

At what time the division of this rectory took place has never been accurately stated. All our local historians are, I think, at fault in this matter. I have reason to believe it was made between the years 1146 and 1159. At the former date Baldwin de Redvers granted "totam ecclesiam de Tivertonâ cum omnibus pertinentiis suis" to the priory of St. James, near Exeter. In the year 1159, Richard, Earl of Devon, in the agreement between himself and that priory,2 states that he gives in perpetuity "medietas ecclesiæ de Tivertonâ pro diviso....Monasterio Sancti Jacobi." It appears from the deed that some difference had arisen between the Earl and this priory, probably respecting this very division of the rectory, "Controversia," he says, "quæ diu inter me et monachos de Sancto Jacobo super Ecclesià de Tivertonâ ventilata est, in perpetuum sopita est." On the settlement of this difference, he grants "medietas," a moiety of the church "pro diviso." It is therefore patent that the rectory was an entirety in 1146, but had been divided at the date of this agreement, 1159, just thirteen years afterwards. We have evidence also that the prior was not in possession of the entire benefice in 1258, since we find that on the 11th of April in that year, John de la Lane was admitted by Bishop Bronescombe to the vacant prebend of Tiverton which had been held by William de Plimpton, on the presentation of Amicia, Countess of Devon; the patronage continued to be exercised by Amicia, her daughter Isabella de Fortibus, and subsequently by the Courtenays with some partial interruptions during the Wars of the Roses, until the attainder of Henry Marquis of Exeter in 1539.

The parish church, dedicated to St. Peter, stands on a bold elevation above the river Exe. It consists of a tower ninety-nine feet high, a nave with north and south aisles, Greenway's chapel, an organ chamber, vestry, south-west porch, and west, south-east, and north doorways. Its entire length is one hundred and forty-seven feet nine inches. With the exception of the tower, Greenway's chapel, part of the south wall and the chancel arches, it has been lately rebuilt, under the able superintendence of Mr. Ashworth, architect, of Exeter. While the inhabitants cannot fail to rejoice in the restoration of their ancient place of worship, and, from having themselves contributed to the re-edification, to feel a 1 Register, fol. 28.

The deed is in the archives of King's Coll., Cambridge.