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found a large leaden seal, with the inscription of P. P. Urbanus VI.; on the reverse the heads of Peter and Paul: it appears to have been attached to some document, and most probably to the Pope's Bull. The Roman coins found are those of Alexander; Antoninus Pius (several large brass); Constantine (on the reverse side of several of which is the Sun); Faustina, both of the senior and junior Empresses; Maximilius, Tetricus, Magnentius, Posthumius, Crispus, Valens, Victorinus, Gallienus; several of Trajan and Vespasian; Gordianus, Tacitus, Adrian, Antonia, Domitian, Nero; also silver ones of the Emperors Heliogabalus, Caracalla, and Tiberius.

"The Saxon, Danish, and English coins are all of silver, and consist of a Saxon penny of Archbishop Wilfred; Danish pennies of Canute; Saxon pennies of Ethelred II.; a halfpenny and pennies of Henry V., struck at Calais; pennies, halfpennies, and farthings of Edward I.; a twopence of Edward III.; a fourpence of Edward IV.; a halfpenny of Richard I.; pennies of Henry VIII., some struck by Cardinal Wolsey; halfpennies and a fourpence of Philip and Mary; Portcullis halfpennies of Queen Elizabeth; also a halfpenny, three farthings, penny, twopence, threepence, fourpence, sixpence, and three halfpence, of the same Queen; a Rose penny, twopence, and shillings of James I; Rose pennies and twopences, halfpence, sixpences, shillings, and halfcrowns of Charles I.; farthings and sixpences of William and Mary; and also a number of royal tokens, and farthings of copper, in the reign of Charles I.

"Several jettons, or counters, of brass and other

base metals, which were used for the purposes of calculation ; many tradesmen's tokens, and a small bronze statue of Harpocrates, which has been deposited in the British Museum, were also discovered."*

The manner in which the Old Bridge was constructed is described in the "Chronicles of London Bridge," from the communication of Mr. Knight, and illustrated by a wood-cut section of the north pier of the great arch. In removing two of the old piers lately, for the purpose of relieving the navigation, an opportunity presented itself of practically ascertaining the mode in which the foundations were laid of the original Bridge, which was discovered to be 20 feet wide. On the outsides of the piers were three rows of elm stumps, from about 5 to 6 feet in length, upon these were sills

"The Harpocrates was presented to the British Museum, in November, 1825, by Messrs. Rundle and Co. of Ludgate Hill. The figure is about two inches and a half in height, and one in breadth; and represents the son of Osiris as a winged boy, with his finger pointing to his mouth, as God of Silence; the horns emblematical of his mother Isis, on his head; and at his feet Lis other attributes of a dog, a tortoise, an owl, and a serpent twined round a staff; by the number of which we may guess the figure to have been made in Greece, after the time of Alexander the Great. The style of sculpture is firm and massive ; and on the back is a strong rivet, through which pass a large ring, and a very delicate chain of pure gold crossing like four belts in front; it being probably of that class of figures which Winckleman states have been worn as amulets, or the attributes of Priests."-Thomson's "Chronicles," p. 628. There was also a beautiful antique bronze lamp discovered, representing a head of Bacchus, wreathed with ivy.-Ibid. p. 627.

of oak* about 9 inches in thickness, laid upon a mass of Kentish rubble, mixed with flint, chalk, &c., thrown in irregularly, but without cement, and confined by the sterling, or ancient coffer-dam itself, which was left standing around each pier. The first course of the ancient masonry, which is well banded together, and perfectly sound, is laid at from two feet three inches to three feet, under low-water mark; a circumstance that accounts for the long time spent in building the Bridge, as the workmen must have waited to take advantage of the neap or low tides.

This account cannot, perhaps, be more amusingly concluded than by Howel's imitation of Sannazario's Sonnet to the City of Venice, but which the English versifier has limited to "the stupendous site and structure" of Old London Bridge:

When Neptune from his billows London spyde,
Brought proudly thither by a high Spring-Tyde,
As through a floating Wood He steer'd along,
And dancing Castles cluster'd in a throng;
When He beheld a mighty Bridg give law
Unto his Surges, and their fury awe,
When such a shelf of Cataracts did roar,

As if the Thames with Nile had chang'd her Shoar;
When He such massy walls, such Towrs did eye,

* The Oak found here was saturated completely through with water, but was perfectly sound, after the lapse of 652 years; out of this, several snuff-boxes, and other mementos, have been formed, together with all the implements used on the occasion of laying first stones in the piers and abutments-such as squares, plumb rules, levels, mallets, &c.

Such Posts, such Irons upon his back to lye;
When such vast Arches He observ'd, that might
Nineteen Rialtos make for depth and height;
When the Cerulean God these things survayd,
He shook his Trident, and astonish'd said,
Let the whol Earth now all Her wonders count
This Bridg of Wonders is the Paramount!

TOWER OF LONDON IN HENRY THE SIXTH'S REIGN. CHARLES, DUKE OF ORLEANS.

As a curious illustration of the preceding article, we may refer to the oldest view of the Tower and City of London, which is known to be extant, and of which the annexed print is a reduced representation. The original forms one of the beautiful Illuminations of a Manuscript Volume of Sonnets and other Pieces, written by Charles, Duke of Orleans (grandfather to Louis the Twelfth, King of France), during his ten years' imprisonment in the Tower, in Henry the Sixth's reign, and now preserved among the Royal Manuscripts in the British Museum. In the upper part of this delineation is shewn the eastern side of Old London Bridge, with its street of gable-ended houses, and the ancient chapel of St. Thomas. Beyond the Bridge, and along the banks of the river, is a large mass of buildings, including the spires and towers of various churches, among which the lofty steeple of Old St. Paul's is very conspicuous.

But the most curious part of the picture is that which represents the Tower, and in which the several circumstances of the imprisonment, captivity, and re

[graphic]

TOWER OF LONDON, IN HENRY THE SIXTH'S REIGN.

Tho Hurst. Edwd Chance & Co London.

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