the veil worn in ordinations of Monks for some days; the triple veil, suspended in the church; and the Lent veil, which covered the altar, images, &c.—Winck. Art. iv. 5. Eurip. Androm. v. 830. Epigr. Gr. in Kustr. not. ad Suid. v. Kexpu. Scalig. in Varr. p. 197. Eschyl. Suppl. v. 128. r. calab. 1. 140. 45. Poll. Onom. L. vii. Segm. 51. Athen. Deipn. ix. 410. Apollon. Argon. L. iii. v. 833. Anthol. vii. 457. 1. 9. Mon. Ined. n. 66. Strutt, xlvi. 85. Du Cange, v. Oralis. Id. v. Velum. VENETIANS-Breeches-Long breeches, similar to pantaloons, worn by the army, in the sixteenth century. Harrington. Nug. Antiq. ii. 17, 18. Grose, i. 329. VENTRALE-Stomacher-A small half-napped dress, worn, like a cuirass, upon the stomach, to keep it from cold. It served also for a girdle to hold money.-Enc. VESTMENTS-Ecclesiastical Robes-By this term is commonly understood the habits of the Roman Catholick Priests. The latter have preserved the Greek and Roman costume of the first centuries of our æra, with barbarous but contemporary mixtures. At the beginning of the fourth century, Bishops had some covering of the head; but the mitre, as now used, commenced in the eighth century, and was not general till long after. It was more simple, low, and unornamented, than the modern. The papal mitre or tiara began in the tenth century, and in 1159 received the first crown on the lower edge. Boniface VIII. added the second. Urban V. elected in 1362, was the first who used the triple crown. When the Pope officiates, he only wears a simple mitre, the tiara being laid upon the altar. The Pastoral crook at first used by Abbots, occurs in the sixth century. The ring known in the seventh century did not become general till the ninth. The archiepiscopal pall was in use from the fourth century, and Buonarotti observes, that the pall and maniple now mean the borders or bands of dresses, of which they bear the name, and which became thus narrow to be less inconvenient. In the church of St. Athanasius at Rome are some ancient paintings, which represent some Greek Bishops, cloathed in a long tunick, or rather Dalmatick, of a stuff in lozenge pattern, having on the right side a kind of square table-book, fastened by one end to the girdle. There are also seen two ends of a large stole, which descends to the feet, and over it the chesible or planeta, which the Greek priests still use. One account says, that the chesible or planeta, as a distinguishing dress of priests, begins with the fourth century; before, particular individuals only chose a humble dress. Others observe, that the chesible came from the Greeks, and that from the Pænula; the escallops, as well as the rich stuffs, commencing in the Greek Empire in Italy; but that it was not confined to divine service till the 10th century. In the above paintings over the chesible is a large band, which may be the pallium. One of its ends descends before to the mid-leg, coming from the left shoulder, whence it passes to the right; afterwards extending itself over the breast, it proceeds to its termination above the left shoulder, upon the back. It resembles the Lorum of figures of the Arch and age of Constantine, except that in this last, the band does not rest on the shoulders, but passes under the arm. The Orarium was a piece of linen, used as a handkerchief. Buonarotti thinks that the Lacerna, or some similar habit, was preserved by the Catholick Priests, and afterwards named Stola or Orarium. [See ORARIUM, p. 861]. The Bireta, or square bonnet, is of late adoption. The tonsure or short hair, takes date from the second century. The Dalmatick, subsequently changed, was used in the time of Aurelian, being only the upper tunick without a girdle. The Maniple was a napkin used for the altar. The Alb (with the Orarium) was one of the largesses of Aurelian to the people.Buonarotti Osserv. sopr. alc. framm. vas. Antich. f. 77, 78, 79. Hist. Disq. re vest. hom. sacr. f. 126. Murator. iii. 444. Fleur. Moeurs des Chret. fol. 138. VIRGATE, VESTES, or Пaguo-Habits, like the Gaulish Sagum, with differently coloured stripes.— Serv. Æn. vii. WAISTCOAT-This garment, at first used while the doublet was in fashion, at last superseded it. It was made of rich and embroidered materials. William Lee wove silk waistcoat pieces in his stocking-frame; and some kinds were sold in the shops at 10, 20, and 40l. a piece. It was a garment common to both sexes.-Enc. Strutt, 352, 371. WALLET-One characteristick of Philosophers, and common among our earliest ancestors. See WALKING-STICK, p. 345.-North. Antiq. ii. 213. WIG-The Romans, who were bald, used wigs. Some women's perukes were affixed to a goat's skin. Folard contends, that wigs were known before the age of Hannibal. Perriwigs commenced with the Imperial æra; but they were very awkward, being made of hair, painted and glued together. The year 1529 is regarded as the epoch when long perriwigs began to be worn in France. Strutt, though he thinks "the complete peruke an introduction in the course of time;" yet proves the existence of ladies' tetes, &c. in the fifteenth century. Indeed, false hair, as might be shown from Malmesbury, &c. has never been out of use, though more on account of defect than fashion. That strange deformity, the Judges' wig, first appears as a general genteel fashion in the seventeenth century. See Plate, p. 839, fig. 23. See HAIR, p. 953. PERUKE, p. 864.—Enc. Oth. 12, 3. Martial. Folard in Polyb. iii. 16. D'Arnay, Vie priv. Rom. c. 4. Strutt, 243, pl. cxliii. Suet. WIMPLE-Head-dress-A female head-dress, which first appeared in England, towards the end of the twelfth century. It was not a veil, and according to the presumed specimen in Strutt, was a round cap curiously plaited, fitted to the head, with side curtains, hanging down upon the shoulders, but not covering the face. See it represented in the Plate, p. 834, fig. 16, from Strutt, p. 166, pl. xl. A Nun in her Wimple is shewn in the Plate of Monastick Costume, p. 859, fig. 5. ZNANA-Girdle-A scarf or girdle, with which the Athletæ covered the pudenda.--Enc. ZONE-Girdle-A Girdle to fasten or tuck up the tunick, different according to age. Not to wear one, was deemed a mark of dissolute habits. Men wore it very high, and women immediately under the bosom. Their zone had in front a part called Strophium, where they placed gems. Soldiers used the girdle to carry the sword, and taking it away was a mode of inflicting ignominy. It was used instead of a purse, or contained one to carry money about the person. Strutt has much upon zones and girdles. See the cestus of Venus discriminated, p. 150, and ZONE, p. 193.-Enc. Sueton. Aug. 24. Vit. c. 16. William Smith, of the Guards, servant to Henry VIII. Edward VI. Mary, and Elizabeth, died 1592; and Jane his wife. From their monumental brass at Enfield, Middlesex.-See p. 841. George IV. King of Great Britain.-Pistrucci made it from the Life, 1824. CHAPTER XXI. NUMISMATICKS. I. ANCIENT ERA. INTRODUCTION. The art of Coinage certainly originated in the East, and has been ascribed to Bacchus or Osiris; but, according to Herodotus, the Lydians first struck money of gold or silver, that of Bacchus being of some other metal. The Egineta also, according to Ælian, claim the invention. The Egyptians cut and weighed the metal, and had no money before Aryandes. The first fabrication of silver money in Greece has been ascribed to Phedon or Phidon; but according to Agloasthenes, Argeus, or the Naxians, first made money of that metal, gold, brass, and iron. The first coinage at Athens is given to Erectheus; in Lydia and Lycia to Xenophanes; of iron, at Sparta, to Lycurgus; of brass, in Italy, to Saturn or Janus. Silver was not coined till about A. U. C. 483, 484, 485; nor gold, according to Pliny, till the year 537 U. C.; and he adds, that the Romans first taught the art of altering the purity and weight of the coins; but the alloy is traced up to Philip of Macedon. The earliest mode of coining is certainly that rude method mentioned by Ruding 2. One die3 was firmly fixed in a wooden block, and the other held in the hand as a puncheon; by striking the latter repeatedly with a hammer, the impression required was at length effected. Other accounts enter into the following particulars: The ancients cast their brass coins; struck those of gold and silver (the quinarii, and still smaller pieces) with a hammer, and the medallions, &c. of size, probably with a still larger machine described further on. The Greeks made use of two dies, one with the impression hollow, the other in relief; this method letting the coin slip be tween, two impressions were scarcely ever alike; to alter this they reserved upon one, and sometimes both of the coins, more elevated parts than the rest of the field, in order to fix the blank piece. These reserved parts, sometimes square, sometimes divided into four squares, sometimes charged with heads and stalks of trees, and bizarreries, have been mistaken for the four quarters of certain towns, the gardens of Alcinous, &c. Pinkerton says, that the engravers of the die were called Calatores; the assayers of the metal, Spectatores, Expectatores, or Nummularii; the refiners, Canarii; the melters, Fusarii, Flatuarii, Flaturarii; the Equatores Monetarum, who adjusted the weight; the Suppostores, who put the pieces in the die; and the Malleatores, who struck it. The Primicerius was at the head of each office, and there was a foreman called Optio or Exactor. The metal, when assayed and refined, was cast by the melters in the shape of bullets (an operation denoted by flando), in order to assist the high relief. [In modern coinage the blank pieces are flat, and cut round by a machine, a plan followed even in the seventh and eighth centuries.] These bullets were then put into the die, and received the impression by repeated strokes of the hammer, feriundo. Sometimes a machine was used, for Bouterove says, that in a grotto, near Baiæ, was a picture of the Roman mintage, and a machine represented, which upheld a large stone, seemingly, that by dropping it at once, it should strike the coin. Crenation of the edges was done in Syrian coins, by casting them in this form before striking; in the Roman consular coins, by cutting out regular notches; the intention was to prevent forgery by shewing the inside of the metal; and Tacitus calls such coins serratos. The stages of the progress of coinage are these: 1. Coins without impression. 2. With a hollow indented mark, or marks, on one side, and impression in relief only on the other; as of Chalcedon, Lesbos, Abdera, Acanthus; those ascribed to Ægium, in Achaia; probably from about 900 before Christ to 700. 3. With an indented square divided into segments, with a small figure in one of the segments, the rest vacant; impressions on the obverse as usual; some are of Syracuse, &c. probably from 600 before Christ. 4. Coins hollow on the reverse, while the obverse is in relief of the same figure, as of Caulonia, Crotona, Metapontus, probably of the same æra. in which a square die is used, either on one or both sides; as of Athens, Cyrene, Argos, &c. of Alexander I. and of Archelaus I. King of Macedon, with the latter of whom the practice discontinued, about 420 before Christ. 6. Complete in obverse and reverse; some of which occur in Sicily, so early as Gelo, 491 before Christ. 5. Coins Coins of the most remote antiquity may be thus distinguished: 1. By their oval circumference and globous swelling shape. 2. Antiquity of alphabet. 3. The characters being retrogade, or the first division of the legend in the common style, while the next is retrogade. 4. The indented square described before on the reverse. 5. The simple structure of the mintage. 6. Hollow on the reverse, with the image impressed on the front. 7. The dress, symbols, &c. of the rudest design and execution. As to British coins, Ruding says, that brass and iron were the first materials; and that Segonax, a petty British king, under Cassivelan, is the first who appears on coins. Gold, silver, and copper, were first struck in the time of Cunobelin, which is the latest British money. After him, Roman coins with the Imperial stamp' were introduced. The Anglo-Saxon Sceatto appear as early as the sixth century, and were probably brought with them from the Continent. Whether they coined any gold is uncertain; ' of the silver ingot of Honorius found in the Tower, see Turner's Anglo-Saxons, i. 20, 205. nor is it known how they prcured their bullion, except small quantities, which were extracted from lead-mines. Three or four hundred moneyers at a time were employed in the Anglo-Saxon mints, and travelled about with the Kings to coin money on emergencies 1. At first the moneyer's name only appears, till Athelstan, when the town is commonly added. Edward I. in his sixth year, left out the mint-master's name, and put only that of the city. No improvement occurs till the invention of the mill, by Antoine Brucher, of France, and the first money was struck with it in that kingdom, in 1553; Philip Mestzel, a Frenchman, brought it over, and Elizabeth had milled money struck in England so early as 1562. The cheaper expedient of the hammer occasioned the discontinuance of the mill, after being used in France till 1585, and in England till 1572; nor was it again revived in the former kingdom till 1645, nor here in constant and authorised use till 1662. The illustrious coinage of Simon followed the introduction of the mill by Briot. The invention of the puncheon and matrice is not known; the former is a highly tempered piece of steel, upon which the coin is engraven in relievo, and then stamped upon the matrice, which last is made of steel four or five inches long, and square at top. The moulding of the border, and letters are added on the matrice by little steel puncheons, very sharp. The inventor of adding legends to the edge is unknown, though the first piece is a pied-fort of Charles IX. of France, dated 1573; in England, the Scottish coronation medal, 1633. Simon introduced it into the large coin. In 1685, M. Custaing invented an improved machine for this purpose, which from the French mint, has been adopted in others.-See DIE, p. 886. As the number of ancient coins is so great, that the description of them would form a volume, general matters can only be here given. The coins of the Kings and Roman Emperors are in Pinkerton described conformably (almost word for word) to the continental accounts; but in the Provincial coins, for want of room, he omits the legends, symbols, valuation in France and Italy, and other important distinctions. A substitution for this deficiency (there not being room in this book) the author proposes to annex to a work, nearly ready for the press, entitled "FOREIGN TOPOGRAPHY, or an Encyclopedic Account of the Ruins or Remains of Ancient Egypt, Greece, Italy, Africa, &c. &c." alphabetically arranged. Pinkerton's Essay on Medals being a good, well-known, and cheap book, the reader will observe further, that matters not treated of in the following general account will there be found. BIGATI NUMMI. Coins of the Roman Republic, marked with a Biga, or twohorsed carriage, and a double-faced Janus. The Roman-family coins contain many?. BILLON. In Numismaticks, copper coins with a trifling alloy of silver 3. CAST COINS. 1. Those cast upon medals of modern coining, are lighter than those which have been struck; cavities are filled with mastic, and the letters are not genuine. 2. Medals cast in moulds taken from the antique. All the large heads in silver are in particular to be doubted. The letters are not so uniform, regular, and plain, as in the antique. The field has a hollowness and sand holes 4. CAVEE, CAUCII, Kaunio. Money of the Lower Empire, hollow, in the form of cups, differing from the Bracteati Nummi of the Middle Age, in having other types and relief on both sides 5. |