: Frazer — On an Irish Crozier, with Early Metal Crook. 209 
A summary of the views entertained by me would appear more 
I appropriate if placed at the termination of my remarks, after stating 
' fully the reasons which induce me to form my opinions ; still to enable 
me to present, with greater distinctness, the drift of these observa- 
tions to this Academy, I venture to say I regard this comparatively 
undecorated bronze crook as an object of exceptional antiquity 
amongst our Irish croziers ; it appears to be the primitive termina- 
tion for a wooden baculus, or walking-stick (such as all the earlier 
rsroziers were), and, therefore, of peculiar interest to students of 
3arly Irish Church history. Possibly it was a gift from foreign 
lands to some celebrated Irish Culdee bishop, or wandering mission- 
iry, perhaps brought back by him on his return from pilgrimage 
iibroad after seeking for instruction and episcopal ordination — no 
uncommon practice for Irish clerics in the primitive times, for the 
possession of such a staff would in itseK afford an indubitable testi- 
mony of his ecclesiastical position. After the death of its first pos- 
sessor it would, in the usual course of events, pass into the stage of 
{% cherished relic, and be preserved with veneration in the church to 
which he belonged, and around it legends would collect concerning the 
i^reat and venerable saint ; perhaps in the course of years his humbler 
raame was forgotten, and the staff ascribed to some greater, more 
(.earned, and better-remembered cleric. In this instance it would 
ippear as if such was the course of events : the crook of the old bishop 
became in time the relic of the patron saint ; and when a great staff 
was subsequently being made for the monastery, both were decorated 
tn the same manner ; and further, certain distinctive features of the 
mcient ornamentation were reproduced on the later work. It must 
nave been a highly -prized relic to be thus ornamented with the 
Highest style of art the age was capable of producing. 
I have ventured, in these statements, to claim that this old crozier 
ttvas regarded as an object of special veneration, and formed one of the 
principal treasures of Clonmacnoise. Can I bring forward any proof 
i'rom history that a relic of the description I assume this to be ever 
existed in that monastery? I believe I can. If we consult Lord 
Dunraven's classic work on Early Irish Architecture (vol. ii., p. 99), 
ve find the following statement : — " Beautiful specimens of the 
ewellers' and goldsmiths' art have from time to time been found 
in Clonmacnoise, and are preserved in the Museum of the Eoyal 
irish Academy and in the Petrie collection, now deposited there, 
!J1 showing the same high skill, and true feeling for art, that charac- 
!ierized the sculpture and architecture of this district from the latter 
