158 
quatrefoil is enclosed in a plain circle so as to form four 
curvilinear triangles or spandrels, occupied by letters and 
marks, made by cutting away the metal so as to leave them 
level witb tbe general surface, and filling up the space so 
obtained with dark bluish- grey enamel. This probably 
consists of lead and sulphur, as in some other enamelled 
rings of the same period. The outermost border of the 
bezel is a sort of chain of minute elliptical beads. 
The rest of the ring is formed of a small circular compart- 
ment, having on either side of it an elongated hexagonal 
compartment, connected with the bezel by a grotesque mask 
of a beast's face, much resembhng some that are seen on 
Norman corbels, &c. These masks are embossed, and very 
conventional in character; though much worn, they still 
show traces of markings in enamel, and seem to have had 
gems inserted by way of eyes. They are attached to the 
bezel by the tips of their ears, and to the rest by their noses. 
The circular and hexagonal compartments are enclosed and 
occupied in the same way as the spandrels already described. 
The inner surface of the ring is quite plain. 
The inscription is in Roman letters, such as are found on 
stones, &c., of the seventh century, associated with Runic 
characters ; notably on the celebrated Ruth well cross, and 
uj)on a ring to be referred to presently. 
It is simply the Baptist's exclamation — 
+ ECCE AGNVS DT| 
The first word is on the bezel, the cross and the first letter 
occupying the left-hand spandrel, and one of the remaining 
three letters, with some dots and marks, apparently orna- 
mental, each of the others. The letters AG occupy the 
hexagonal compartment on the right of the bezel, NVS the 
circular space, and the DTI the remaining one. Here, 
again, are dots as in the spandrels, as if merely to fill up, 
and so avoid the unsightly appearance which too much of 
