100 Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 



Sir William Betham in his letter, previously referred to, described this figure 

 as a " bishop pierced with two arrows." 1 Petrie* names it St. James. If so, 

 possibly he is holding fuller's teazles ; in the second compartment is an effigy 

 of St. Peter with the two keys in his right hand, and in his left a book ; the 

 third niche contains a figure of St. Paul, holding in his right hand a sword, 

 and a book in his left. The third panel lias fcwo compartments; the dexter 

 contains, under a double arch, an effigy of a seated bishop, wearing a mitre, 

 amice, cope, and albe, handing a box to an ecclesiastic. Petrie* suggested 

 that tin's scene represented St. Patrick' handing the Dormuush Airgid to 

 St. M ■ i i uhinn. A female figure, wearing a hood and flowing robe, stands 



in the si tid niche. The fourth panel is divided into three niches; the first 



contains an effigy, perhaps ol St. Columba, dressed in a long robe, with his 

 right hand on his breast, and clasping a book in his left; the figure of an 

 abbess, holding in her right hand a floral-headed crozier and in her left a book, 

 occupies tin' second niche ; she is probably meant for St. Brigid : in the third 

 niche is depicted an archbishop, possibly St. Patrick, wearing a mitre, amice, 

 apparelled albe, dalmatic, chasuble, and pall; his right hand is raised in 

 benediction ; in his left is an archbishop's cro 



'lie top (Plate III) is covered by a silver plate, originally gilt, now 

 broken into three pa ts. I removal has shown thai beneath it is a bronze 

 panel, coated with tin. and decorated with interlaced knot-work of a 

 character similar to that on the Bides, but not bordered with fret-patterns; 

 the interlaced knots at the ends are more elaborately decorated than 

 those in the centre (Plate V). The upper plate is ornamented with three 

 round bosses. Bach rises from a beaded rim, and measures some 65 nun. 

 in diameter. The dee, .ration of the dexter and sinister was similar. It con- 

 sisted of an oblong crystal, contained in a fleurs-de-lis elaw-setting, which 

 formed the I with six rays, originally covered with blue 



champleve enamel. Between the rays are alternate griffins and lions, looking 

 backwards. The crystal on the sinister side is missing. The central boss 

 contain- il in an elaborate of a beaded rim, from 



which rises a band, ornamented with dots grouped in fives, surmounted with 

 fleui iy of the boss is ornamented with a ribbon of beaded ami 



linear work, arranged in a chevron pattern. The upper of the triangular 

 spaces made by the ribbon are filled with wire-work, each of the lower with 

 two Idi'ls. peeking at a cross-headed staff. Between the central and outer 

 bosses are four galloping horsemen. They wear helmet-shaped hats, with 

 wide brims, have large ruffles round their nocks, and are clothed in a long 



' Carleton, op. cit.. p. 404. ! Op. cit., p. 16. Md., p. 18. 



