Some time since, among what are known as “the Shrewsbury Papers,” preserved in the Library of Lambeth Palace, then in the care of that learned and acute antiquary, the Rev. S. R. Maitland, I met with a very singular letter, no where noticed, respecting an interview between Henry VIII. and the Countess Dowager of Northumberland. She was Mary the daughter of George Talbot, Earl of Shrewsbury, who came to the title in 1473, and did not die until 1541: her husband had been Henry Algernon Percy, grandson of the Henry Percy, Earl of Northumberland, who was killed by the populace in 1489, and son of Henry Algernon Percy, at whose instance, and under whose patronage, Skelton wrote the poem which comes second in the recent edition by the Rev. Alexander Dyce.

On being elected to the honourable post of Director of the Society of Antiquaries, it became my duty to inspect the state and arrangement of its property; of which Mr. Albert Way, my worthy predecessor in that office, was then drawing up a detailed Catalogue. In the course of this occupation I could not but be greatly struck with the old Bohemian clock in our possession; and which appearing, on inquiry, to be the earliest one in pristine condition now remaining in England, I felt somewhat called upon to lodge a description of it in our archives. On mentioning this to your Lordship, it was gratifying to find that you were of the same opinion; I have therefore given this curious and unique machine a most careful scrutiny, and hope the account which I now have the honour to deliver may prove elucidatory, both of its construction and its history. Before, however, describing the clock itself, some preliminary matter, respecting various points of horological import, may conduce to a right understanding of the subject.

In compliance with your request, I now forward to you the accompanying journal of my proceedings at Ithaca; and I have the greater pleasure in so doing, as it affords me an opportunity of showing my respect for and obedience to the wishes of one holding the office of Director of the Society of Antiquaries of London. At the same time, I cannot expect that this journal will be deserving of much of your attention, which is generally bestowed on higher subjects; though under your guidance I trust that it may not prove unacceptable to this Society.

Ormerod, in his History of Cheshire, mentions Grosvenor, Davenport, and Brereton as “three grantees who can be proved by ancient deeds to have existed at or near the Conquest, though unnoticed in Domesday.” Of these the family least favoured by fortune in later times (the peerage and the baronetage in the Brereton family having both become extinct, and the heirship in lands and manors in all the principal English lines having descended to females), was, during the earliest centuries after the Conquest, among the most distinguished in the palatinate, and, by its fortunate and splendid marriages, became entitled to prefer for its issue the highest claims, even to ducal and regal descent. This state of the case, and a natural desire to uphold ancient valour and renown against the mere caprices of fortune, renders what can be collected of personal anecdote, local tradition, or the biography of the members of such a family (and not the mere bead-roll of its pedigree which is printed in local histories), a suitable subject of archæological inquiry, often suggestive of useful topics, and sometimes replete with interesting matter.

On Thursday evening last I took the liberty of laying on the table of the Society, for exhibition, a few ancient Watches which I had collected, and I availed myself of that opportunity of doing so, because, on the same evening, the valuable paper by our excellent Director, on the curious ancient Bohemian clock in the Society's collection, was to be read, to which I thought the subject of Watches might well form a sequel, and at the same time bring a new matter under the Society's consideration. I also undertook to throw together a few Observations on them in the shape of a paper, which I now take the liberty of sending you, and in which I hope to be able, in some degree, to exhibit the progress of the art of watchmaking from the earliest period to modern times. I can scarcely expect to communicate to the Society any knowledge of which its members are not already in possession; but I rather hope to elicit from those of our Fellows who are more learned in these matters that information which I should desire to obtain, and which they are always so kindly ready to impart. Besides this, I also hope to direct some attention to a subject hitherto but little heeded.

I shall be glad if the following Remarks on the site of Roman London can at some convenient opportunity be submitted to the Society of Antiquaries.

Occurring as a station in eight of the fifteen journeys of the Imperial Itinerary, four times as a point of departure, three times as the terminus of a route, Londinium is a link of connexion with other stations on the same lines of road, and its position a necessary preliminary to a correct knowledge of the roads themselves.

From a conversation which I had yesterday with a worthy Fellow of our Society, it seems that the very few words which I dropped at the last Meeting respecting Coal Harbour being confounded with the singular term Cold Harbour were misunderstood, and, as a positive engagement will preclude my being at the apartments this evening, I forward you a note on the subject.

The following satirical Rhymes on the defeat of the Flemings, and their raising the siege of Calais, in 1436, are inserted in a very fine copy of the Brute, or English Chronicle, ending that year, in the Archiepiscopal Library at Lambeth, No. 6. If you think them worth the attention of the Society of Antiquaries, I shall be obliged by your presenting them.

I beg to submit to the Society of Antiquaries some impressions and drawings of Gnostic Gems, chiefly bearing the usual figures and characters, on the former of which I venture to make a few observations. I think we shall not err much in assigning the origin of these amulets to Alexandria, in Egypt, the hot-bed of Gnostic superstition, and the birth-place of more than two of the leaders of this abominable sect. As far as we can judge from the style of their workmanship and the form of the characters, the greater part belong to a period later than the days of the Antonines.

It is thirty seven years since I had the honour of communicating a paper to the Society of Antiquaries, containing “Some Remarks to assist in ascertaining the Dates of Buildings;” a subject at that time of little interest to the generality of members, though one which always appeared to me of importance. The great change which has taken place of late years in the feeling of the public on all subjects of ecclesiastical architecture, leading, as I trust it will, to a more correct taste in buildings hereafter dedicated to the service of God, will, I hope, plead my excuse for again laying before the Society some observations which at the time they were made might boast some little portion of originality, but which is now no longer the case.

In King James's singular narrative of the Gowrie Conspiracy, his majesty states, that Alexander Ruthven, younger brother of John Earl of Gowrie, having conducted him into a chamber of Gowrie House, which the king calls “a little studie,” suddenly “locked too the studie doore behinde him,” and at that instant, changing his countenance, put his hat on his head, and drew a dagger from the girdle of Andrew Henderson, a servant of the Ruthvens who had been previously stationed in the little study, clad in armour, to await his majesty's coming. His majesty goes on to relate, that young Ruthven held the point of Henderson's dagger to the king's breast, declaring that he “behoved to be in his will, and to be used as he list.” The king adds, “that Ruthven swore many bloody oaths that if the king cried one word, or opened a window to look out, that dagger should presently go to his heart.” He then adds, and it is the first word which seems to have been uttered in explanation of the cause of this singular outrage, that Alexander Ruthven affirmed “that he was sure that now the king's conscience was burthened for the murthering of his father.” The king replied (according to his own account) with singular coolness and self-possession. He “begun to dilate” (these are the words of his narrative) “how horrible a thing it was for his assailant to meddle with his majesty's innocent blood, assuring him it would not be left unrevenged, since God had given him children and good subjects, and if there [were] neither, God would raise up stocks and stones to punish so vile a deed.” After this oration upon regicide, which, considering the character of the king, and the circumstances of tremendous personal peril in which he was suddenly placed, is not very likely to have been uttered exactly in the way stated, the king proceeded to notice the allusion which had been made by Alexander Ruthven to the death of his father, “protesting before God,” his majesty says, “that he had no burthen on his conscience” on that account, “both in respect that, at the time of his father's execution, his majesty was but a minor of age, and guided at that time by a faction which over ruled both his majesty and the rest of the country; as also, that whatsoever was done to his father, it was done by the ordinary course of law and justice.”

I forward herewith ten objects of antiquity, found some time since in France. They were discovered by labourers employed on the railroad near the town of Amiens, at a spot where other objects of the Gallo-Roman period were met with. The men came to a leaden coffin of great thickness, which contained two skeletons. By the side of the smaller skeleton, supposed to be that of a female, were the articles numbered one to seven. The three remaining articles; namely, the large bronze pin, the bronze fibula, and the bronze ring, were discovered, it is said, by the side of the larger skeleton.

By the kindness of George Edward Anson, Esqr. I am enabled to exhibit to our Society a Torquis of fine gold, picked up a few days ago in a Wood, belonging to the Queen as Duchess of Lancaster, in Needwood Forest in Staffordshire. A new Fox-earth had been made just at the place, and the Cubs appeared to have been sporting with the Torquis, which it is supposed they had dug up. It was found in its present state (see Plate VIII.) by the Keeper at the mouth of the hole.