SELBORNE SOCIETY NOTICES 
77 
Locke, Gibbon, Warren Hastings, Jeremy Bentham, Froude, and the poets 
Dryden, Cowper and Southey, while among the headmasters we note William 
Camden and Dr. busby. This last famous pedagogue ruled for more than fifty 
years, and it was one of his boasts that on the bench of bishops were no less 
than sixteen of his ex-pupils. 
Saturday, February 24. — Thirty-five members and friends were comfortably 
seated in the nave of the Crypt of St. John’s Church, Clerkenwell, to hear from 
Mr. Henry W. Fincham an outline of the history of the Knights of St. John of 
Jerusalem, and their famous Priory Church. Less than ten years ago such an 
assembly would have been attended not only with discomfort, but with danger, 
as in the adjoining chambers were 325 coffined bodies, some of them deposited as 
late as 1853. The guide described the architectural features, which date from very 
early in the twelfth century. In fact, the three westernmost bays, which are 
Norman, are probably the oldest work we have in London of that period, excepting 
the Tower of London and the remains of the Confessor’s Church at Westminster. 
Upon the arches and ribs of this portion can still be seen the chevron decoration 
and colouring. The two eastern bays, transepts, south chapel and the chambers 
on the north, date from about 1160-1170. Perhaps the most interesting feature 
described was the discovery made in 1900 of the remains of the foundations of a 
circular nave, which have been carefully preserved m situ. This ancient Crypt, 
now repaved with encaustic tiling on the same level as the original, and lighted 
by electric light, is once again used for meetings and services. The frontal cloth 
on the altar of the South Chapel, of red velvet, embroidered with gold wire, is 
sixteenth century work and was brought from Florence and presented by Vere, 
Viscountess Galway. Two out of the four medallions represent respectively St. 
John the Divine and St. John the Baptist. The shields which hang round the 
walls with the arms of the Grand Priors of this Ancient Order are the work of 
Mr. Fincham. 
The party afterwards visited the St. John’s Gate, which was the old south gate 
of the Priory, erected by Prior Docwra in 1504, and which, after many vicissi- 
tudes, is once again the property of the present Order of St. John of Jerusalem. 
After passing through the Library and the fine new Hall or Chapter Room, the 
Chancery was visited, where are many prints and other objects of interest, and 
next, the large rooms over the gateway, where no doubt Henry VIII. was once 
entertained, and where Cardinal Wolsey signed the lease for the ground on which 
Hampton Court was built. A hearty vote of thanks was here passed to our 
guide for this very interesting visit, and the party passed out down the ancient 
staircase in the west tower with its noteworthy wooden newel. 
Saturday, March 3. — Upwards of sixty members assembled on this afternoon 
to avail themselves of the privilege of looking over Mr. M. Myers’ ivory, tortoise- 
shell, and mother-of-pearl warehouse on Tower Hill. On the ground floor were 
huge quantities of the shells of the pearl oysters as they come from market, and 
are sent to the consumers, while specially arranged was a series of other shells 
used in the arts, which had been brought up from the stores in the basement. 
Mr. A. Van Noorden gave a pleasant welcome to the members, and made some 
brief remarks as to the destination of the shells and their uses for making buttons 
and knife-handles, and for inlaying. He also answered a number of questions, 
as for instance, with regard to the price of shell, chiefly Margariti fera maxima, 
which may range from £z to as much as £\i> per ton. Afterwards, the party 
mounted to the top floor where their guide gave them a graphic description 
of the hawk’s-bill turtle, Eretomoclielys imbricata, and its shell, which forms 
the commercial product. The members were told that the animals are no 
longer heated alive so that their shells may more easily be removed from 
the underlying bones, and they learnt that the amber-coloured plates of the under- 
side are the most valuable parts of the yield. A greater amount of time, however, 
was spent on the ivory floor, where many thousand pounds’ worth of tusks was 
stored. Here also an exhibition had been arranged of the various teeth and tusks 
which form ivory, in addition to those of the elephant. A number of objects manu- 
factured from ivory were also shown ; and, although Mr. Van Noorden refused to 
give a set account for fear he should never leave off, he was good enough to make 
statements from time to time and to answer the hosts of questions which were put 
