72 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



This differs greatly from the German inscription above, and has 

 been rather common in the century just past, but there are early 

 examples which are similar. Mr Clark described a small brass 

 medal found in Pompey, and in good preservation. It had: 



The figure of a Roman pontiff, in a standing position, in his hand 

 a crozier, surrounded with this inscription: B. virg. sin. P. origi 

 con., which we have ventured to write out Beata virgo sine Peccato> 

 originali wHcepta, or as we might say in English, The blessed Virgin 

 conceived without original sin. On the other side was a representa- 

 tion of a serpent, and two nearly naked figures looking intently 

 upon it. This one is very perfect in all its parts, and the letters as 

 plain as if struck but yesterday. Clark, 2:273 



He described two others from a later site. One was " an octa- 

 gonal brass medal nearly an inch in diameter, having a figure with 

 the name St Agatha, and the Latin word Ora, a part of the Gregorian 

 chant. Also a silver medal half an inch long, with a figure inscribed 

 St Lucia, and the same fragment of a chant." Clark, 2 :28o 



Fig. 298 shows the first of these, and fig. 300 the second. His 

 figure has Ora. P. N. in the latter instance, and these letters seem to 

 have been obliterated in the other. This gives the familiar Ora pro 

 nobis. 



Many of this class of medals have been found in Cayuga county,. 

 but most of these have been dispersed. Mr Betts described one 

 from Scipioville, on the obverse of which is a female saint, facing 

 the right. The inscription is Santa. Rosa. de. Lima. Ord. He said 

 that this saint is still very popular in Canada. On the reverse is a 

 head of St Paul, facing the left, with arms crossed and holding a 

 crucifix. Betts, p. 32 



Though these medals are usually of brass, some are of lead and 

 silver. Fig. 291 is of lead, and was found at Indian castle in 

 Pompey. It is elliptic in outline, showing a bust with uplifted hand,. 

 and is perforated at the base. Fig. 294 is of silver and from the 

 same place. It is circular and suggests a coin, but the writer re- 

 calls none like it. A lion holding arrows is on one side, and on the 

 other three lines of letters and a date partially effaced. The date r 

 as well as the site, is of the I7th century. There is a single per- 

 foration. 



