154 



y. — Note on an Ancient Signet Ring found at Penryn. — By W. H. 

 Tregelles, Corresponding Memher of the Institution. 



Read at the Annual Meeting, November 2ith, 1874. 



THIS ring was found a few years since in a field near Budock 

 Churcli, by a Watclmiaker of the neighbourhood, of whom 

 I bought it for Mr. Octavius Morgan, F.S.A., late M.P. for 

 Monmouthshire. It has been the subject of much interesting 

 discussion, the result of which, with a description of the ring, 

 and three impressions in hard wax, I have deposited in the 

 Museum of the Royal Institution of Cornwall at Truro. 



It is an oriental signet ring of silver, set with an oblong sard, 

 engraved. It appears at one time to have been gilt, and the 

 loop and back of the Bezil were ornamented with a small pattern 

 in Niello, now almost obliterated by long wear. 



In the middle of the device is a cartouche or escutcheon, 

 terminating at the top in a Grreek cross potent. In the lower 

 part of the escutcheon is engraved a Paschal Lamb, and in the 

 upper part are some oriental characters which have not been 

 deciphered with certainty. On either side of the escutcheon is 

 some ornamental scroll-work, having in the middle the Jerusalem. 

 cross potent. 



It was submitted to Mr. Albert Way and Mr. C. W. King, 

 and the latter gentleman, who took much pains to make out the 

 inscription, considered that the characters were Servian, and that 

 they represent the name of some ecclesiastic of the Grreek 

 Church, to whom it once belonged. 



It was evidently an ecclesiastical ring, and M. CasteUane states 

 that he has seen several Armenian Priests, at Rome, wearing 

 similar rings. It may perhaps date from the early part of the 

 last century. 



The most probable conjecture as to the reason of such an 

 object having been found in Cornwall is, that it may have been 

 brought over by some traveller, and, having been lost by him, or 

 the person to whom he gave it, was mislaid among rubbish and 

 carted out with manure. 



