By the Rev. J. Ward. 



265 



' ' At Bannockburn I served the Bruce 

 Whereof the English made little use." — Anno 1314. 



There is also a magnificent hunting horn of ivory, with mount- 

 ings in enamelled silver, which has descended to the Bruce family 

 from the Esturmys through the Seymours. The possession of this 

 horn is said to be the title by which the wardenship of Savernake 

 Forest is held under a charter, granted 23rd July, 1 Edward VI., to 

 Edward, Duke of Somerset. The horn (See Plate), is about two feet 

 long, and the diameter across the largest end is five inches and a half. 

 The thickness of the ivory at this end is about an inch, and it is 

 covered by a plate of silver, polygonal at the circumference, but with 

 a circular opening in the centre. It is divided into sixteen compart- 

 ments (corresponding with the polygon) by uprights diverging from 

 the centre, and connected at the top by trefoiled arches ; in each 

 compartment is the figure of a hawk upon a diapered ground, each 

 bird being in a different attitude. The band round the large end 

 of the horn, which is attached to the edge of the above plate, is 

 two inches and a half wide ; this also is divided into sixteen com- 

 partments by uprights resembling hunting spears. The three 

 centre compartments have each three trefoiled arches set level, 

 like a corbel table, under the rim of the band. In the middle is 

 the figure of a crowned king sitting on a throne, holding up his 

 right hand, and bearing the sceptre in the left. In the compart- 

 ment on his right, sits a bishop, habited in his episcopal dress and 

 mitre, holding up his left hand, and having a book in his right. 

 In the compartment on the king's left hand is a huntsman, intended 

 perhaps to represent the warden of the forest. He is blowing a 

 horn, has a sword in his left hand, and a belt over his left shoulder. 

 The other thirteen compartments are somewhat different from those 

 in the centre, having a series of plain segmental arches running 

 along the top, instead of the trefoiled arches. They contain represen- 

 tations of a lion, a fox, a rabbit, a doe, an unicorn, two stags, and 

 six hounds of different descriptions. Behind the animals are trees of 

 various kinds, and all the back grounds are diapered. A second 

 band is set about an inch from the first ; it is two inches broad, 

 and has sixteen compartments similar to the thirteen mentioned 



