Society of Antiquaries. 271 



square near the broad end, that was very porous and rough : 

 it is about 8 inches long, nearly 3^ inches broad at one 

 end, and 1^ at the other, both of which are bevelled into 

 a tolerably sharp and circular edge. 



A verv interesting communication from the director, 

 Mr. Lysona, was read, on the state of the English mint, 

 and coinage of England, during the reigus of the first six 

 Edwards. From these curious items it appeared that this 

 country was principally indebted, in the eleventh and twelfth 

 centuries, to the merchants of Lucca for the current coin of 

 the realm. Lucca was formerly a republican state of Italy, 

 whose merchants then possessed the principal traffic of 

 Europe. 



J. B. Repton, esq. exhibited to the society some of his 

 drawings of Saxon architecture, consisting of a capital and 

 tase of a Saxon column. 



Dec. 19, the right honourable the earl of Leicester in the 

 chair, a medal of Charles L, and a silver seal of the parish 

 of Bow, Cheapside, were exhibited. This seal bears date 

 1598, as mentioned by Stowe, and consists of the spire ' 

 of the church as it appeared before the fire of London: it 

 is deemed the only parish seal now in existence that was in 

 use in London before that dreadful catastrophe. In the 

 spire there appear places for lanterns, or lights, to direct the 

 good citizens of London their way through the streets at 

 That period, when lamps, owing to the narrowness of the 

 streets, were much more necessary than at present. 



The secretary read a most amusing paper on the history, 

 progress, and final conclusion of the cure of the scrofula, 

 or king's evil, by the royal touch. This mode of cure com- 

 menced with Edward the Confessor, and, it appears, termi- 

 nated with Charles L, who is called the antitype of the 

 Confessor. The nionarchs of France, too, claimed and ac- 

 tually practised this gift, which Clovis received from our Eng- 

 lish kings, one of whom touched or cured (for they were sy- 

 nonimous terms) 92,000 persons. Some additional means 

 were, however, used ; and a gold medal was always hung 

 round the neck of the patient, which, if lost, the disease 

 innnediately returned : prayers too were n»ade at the cere- 

 mony. 



The learned secretary quoted some observations on the 

 nature apd credibility of testimony in this case by the 

 bishop yf Salisbury, applicable to all historical evidence, 

 and highly worthy of attention. Jt appears that many me- 

 dical men attested the truth of these royal cures. We trust 

 that the jevcrend author will present this interesting ac- 



7 CUDIU 



