Corporation of Stratford-upon-Avon and are their signatures to a
Presentment in 1627.

Presented by ERNEST E. BAKER, Esq., F.S.A..
Dunkery, South Road, Weston-super-Mare,
May, 1899.

uncut

66.-An abbot's ring, set with an sapphire; found at the Cross o' the Hill, Stratfordupon-Avon.

In 1194 Pope Innocent III. ordained that an Abbot's ring should be of solid gold, set with a precious stone, on which nothing was to be cut.

Presented by MISS ANNE WHELER.

67.-An ancient signet ring engraved "b", found in the foundations of an old half-timbered house which faced the western end of Middle Row, Bridge Street, Stratford-upon-Avon, taken down prior to the erection, in 1821, of the present Market House. Purchased of MRS. LUCY, (formerly of The Mill, Stratford-upon-Avon), February, 1899.

68.-Gold annular brooch or buckle & inch diameter, one side rounded, the other flat and engraved with the motto + AMOR VINCIT OMNIA.

Chaucer mentions this motto as one used on mediæval brooches-See Canterbury Tales, 160.

Presented by MISS ANNE Wheler.

69.-Fragment of stone from Shakespeare's monument in Stratford-upon-Avon Church; given by R. B. Wheler to W. O. Hunt.

Presented by W. O. HUNT, Esq.

70.-An ancient knife with curved blade and horn handle, found by Mr. Henry Perkins, of Stratfordupon-Avon, about the year 1844, in a mortise of the right-hand door-jamb between the kitchen and sitting room of the Birthplace.

Presented by MR. HENRY BISHOP, Windsor Street,

Stratford-upon-Avon, Feb. 16th, 1885 (Mr.
Henry Perkins concurring).

71.-A sheath for a pair of "wedding knives" made of carved box-wood, 9 inches long. In front, in compartments, are carved the six works of mercy. (Matthew xxv. 35, 36), and in the bottom compartment is an angel holding a shield on which is engraved I.. N; on the back are six scenes illustrating the parable of the Prodigal Son; and on each side are six Apostles with their symbols, at the bottom on one side being the date 1602 and on the other W G W.

The initials, W. G. W. occur also on two similar wooden sheaths in the Debruge Dumesnil collection at Paris, dated 1593 and 1615, and seem to be those of the carver of the sheaths. For "Wedding Knives see Archæologia, vol. xii. p. 215.

Presented by J. O. HALLIWELL-PHILLIPPS, Esq.

72.-Heavy iron knocker 10 inches long, from Stratford College: on the knob is engraved "E. S. Knock, 1615."

Purchased from the WHELER COLLECTION.

73. Two iron keys said to have belonged to Stratford-upon-Avon Church; one 4 inches long with hollow stem, the other, much decayed, 5 inches long. Purchased from the WHELER COLLECTION.

74. Two ancient keys belonging to the Corporation of Stratford-upon-Avon.

75.-Impression in lead of "THE SEAL OF THE BOROVG TOWNE OF STRATFORD ”—arms in the centre. Presented by MISS ANNE Wheler.

76. A seal of the time of Queen Elizabeth, bearing the impression of a death's face.

Cf.

Biron. "A Death's face in a ring."

LOVE'S LABOUR'S LOST, v, 2, 616. Anthony Sheldon, of Broadway, co. Worcester, gent., by his Will proved at Worcester 2nd August, 1585, gives to his brothers and sisters "to each of them A ring off the value of xxx A pece wth a deathe heade in remembrance of me."

Presented by J. O. HALLIWELL, Esq., 1872.

77.-Plaster cast of the Common Seal of the College of Stratford-upon-Avon, founded by Ralph de Stratford in 1353; and taken down in 1799; pointed oval 2 in. x 1 in.; the Trinity, legend "SIGULLU COE COLLEGII DE STRETTFORD AD CAS [causas]."

Presented by MISS ANNE WHELER.

The two following drawings of the College (see No. 77 above), are preserved in the Birthplace Library.

Drawing by Robert Bell Wheler, in 1802, from an original Sketch. (In Vol. 904, f. 25, Birthplace Library,-HUNT COLLECTION).