Armstrong — Catalogue of Silver and Ecclesiastical Antiquities. 305 



described. For a general discussion of the crosiers and bells the student is 

 referred to the chapters dealing with those objects in the E. I. A. Celtic 

 Christian Guide. 2nd ed., 1910. The late Mr. J. B. Allen's Celtic Art in 

 Pagan and Christian Times may also be consulted with advantage, as well as 

 Early Christian Art in Ireland, by Miss Stokes (revised edition). 



1. This was catalogued in error as a chalice. It is a late eighteenth- 

 century Sheffield-plated cup. It was purchased from Mr. Murray of 

 Mullingar in 1853. 



2. Silver stand of chalice 7^ inches high, and 5| inches in greatest breadth 

 across its hexagonal foot or bottom, at about f inches within the edge of which 

 arise four steps having on their faces three sunken mouldings, and surmounted 

 by six compartments gradually narrowing with a concave curve from about 

 2-| inches to f inch at the top ; along this lower part is the inscription — 



+ OEATE » PEO * AIABVS * DOXALDI MABTIX * ET * JOAXXAE * 

 HOLAGHAX * EIVS * VXOEIS * QVI ME * FIEBI * FECEEVXT 



A DXI 1640, 



one compartment being ornamented by an engraved representation of the 

 Crucifixion, with ladder, spear, sop, a skull and bone; another with that of the 

 Virgin and Child, standing on a crescent and surrounded by floral emblems ; 

 and a third with the mitred figure of an ecclesiastic robed and holding an 

 archbishop's cross in his left hand, and having his right raised in benediction ; 

 the three other compartments have engraved floral embellishments. 



3. Brass stand of a monstrance or chalice. The foot is divided into six 

 compartments engraved with the letters IHC and XPC alternately. The 

 compartment that was engraved with the Crucifixion is cut away ; the knop 

 is lobed and has six diamond-shaped projections with conventional floral 

 patterns; tha stem is cabled at the angles above and below the knop, 

 and at the junction of the foot and stem there is an openwork, gate-like 

 pattern. It is oh inches in height, and the base measures 7f inches in width. 

 It probably dates from the first quarter of the sixteenth century, and is stated 

 to have been found at Mellifont, county Louth. 



4. Paten, pewter, oh inches in diameter, and having in the centre a raised 

 figure of the Crucifixion. Purchased from Mr. Murray, Mullingar. 



5. This was described in error as a " Patina, Brass." It is a bronze spoon- 

 shaped object belonging to the La Tene period. The exact use of such spoons is 

 unknown, but it has been suggested they may have been used for the prepara- 

 tion or application of paint. (See Dechelette, Manuel d'Archeologie, vol. ii_ 

 part 3, p. 1277.) The object is figured in the Archaeologiccd Journal, vol. xxvi, 

 facing p. 66. It was purchased from Mr. Murray. 



[48*] 



