29 
the fields of Mr. Hetherington. This abbey was founded in 1246' by 
Richard, Earl of Cornwall, second son of King John, and obtained 
great celebrity in the middle ages, in consequence of its reputed 
possession of a portion of the blood of our Saviour, which the son of 
the founder had obtained in Germany. “ By the blood of Hailes" 
was a common oath.* The seal has the inscription Sigillum Fkater- 
NiTATis Beat^ MARiiE DE Hayles : in the centre is the figure of the 
founder, standing on a pedestal, and having in one hand a sceptre, in 
the other a globe surmounted by a cross. The device and legend 
exactly correspond with those given in Dugdale’s Monasticon (voi. 5, 
p. 687), and there said to be taken from a matrix found near Langrick 
on the Ouse, a place near A caster Malbis. Hence, a suspicion may 
arise that the original of the print in the Monasticon is the seal now 
presented to the Yorkshire Philosophical Society. 
A paper by William Pengelly, Esq., F. G. S., from the Journal 
of the Royal Institution, was read, in illustration of the collection of 
Devonshire Fossils, which had been made under his direction, and 
presented by the Rev. John Kenrick. 
November 6. —A communication was read from John Turner, 
Esq., of York, containing an account of the sinking of an Artesian 
well, and the discovery of an ancient cemetery in the town of Selby. 
The sinking of the well was through warp, clay, sand, and silt, till at 
the depth of 75 feet the new red sandstone rock was reached. An 
abundant supply of water was obtained at 330 feet, and the boring 
was not carried further; but the red sandstone has been bored in this 
neighbourhood to the depth of 370 feet, without reaching any of the 
strata which are supposed to be beneath it. No opportunity had 
occurred of observing whether there was an increase of temperature 
in sinking. The flow of the water is not uniform, the well in which 
it is received standing the highest at noon and at midnight. The 
following table indicates the distance from the top of the well to the 
surface of the water, consequently, the water is the highest when the 
figures are the lowest: — 
FT. IN. 
Six a. m. 
Twelve noon (highest) 
Six p. m. 
Nine p. m. 
Twelve midnight 
9 5i 
8 8i 
9 0 
9 0 
8 9 
* Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, 1. 12586. 
