Welsh Journals

Sep., 1884. BYE-GONES. Ill knowledge to take an interest in, and to see the light they threw upon the history of the country. He had in¬ tended to devote the day to the examination of the manu¬ script to which he had referred, but he found that at least two hours had been passed in looking over those objects. They had very good reason to be grateful to those who had brought their treasures together, and even to those who had brought objects which they thought of no great value—(cheers) ;—it was by bringing them together in such a way that they discovered the value of objects and were led to value greatly what they only too often treated as mere rubbish, allowing them to perish in damp boxes or cellars, or in garrets which had plenty of rats and mice, evidence of whose work he had found on the manuscript to which he had referred. The only thing they would ask of the curator was that he would classify the objects on paper in such a way as to make it available for the report when it appeared in the "Journal," (Cheers.) Mr. R. H. Wood, in seconding the motion, said the collection in the museum was most interestiugand valuable. He bad never in his life seen such a collection of early Welsh literature brought together—(cheers)—and he thought he might say that at no meeting of late years had they had anything like it. M<-sfc of them were able to contribute something to such a collection, and for their encouragement he might mention that, some years ago, he sent to such an exhibition the charter of the confirmation of a grant of land made by Henry I, and, to his surprise when he went to look at the case in which the document was exhibited he found the original grant of William I, of which his own document way the confirmation—(cheers)— so that after all that lapse of time the original grant by William I, and the confirmation by Henry I were, by that extraordinary coincidence, found lying side by side. The motion having been adopted unanimously, Mr. Wood called attention to the subject of the restora¬ tion of churches, and said the incumbent often called in an architect and left all to him. The architect might be an antiquary and a skilled one, but it fiequeLtly happened that he was not at all an antiquary and had no antiquarian feelings. The consequence was that the most lamentable mistakes had been made, deplorable instances of which they had seen that day. At one of the churches they visited they saw one of the most interesting Norman fonts which could be found anywhere, but the gentleman who had restored the church had chipped off the inside and outside work, so that anyone visiting the church passed by the font without noticing it. What he wished to say was that if any gentleman had anything to do with the restoration of a church, and he would communicate with the Asso¬ ciation, gentlemen could be found who would be willing to assist in preventing such vandalism. (Cheers ) The Chairman said he could only endorse what Mr. Wood had said.that ancient things were destroyed entirely for the benefit of the architects. He thought that clergy¬ men who had to do with the restoration of a church should take some advice beyond that of the architect. (Cheers,) Mr. Howel Lloyd, referring to the inscription at Bedd Porius, said he was amazed when he missed the letter X from the inscription, and he knew that the late Mr Wynne of Peniarth had always read the inscription with an X. Then again no one had any information about the lower limb of ihe I which had be¬ come L, and which made it appear that Porius was a plain man instead of a Christian. (Laughter.) He thought possibly some one had thought it would be a good joke to take out the X, and to make the I into L, and to puzzle those who might be holding a picnic there, and who might have taken a little champagne. (Laughter.) Mr. Wood said he was ready to say that the inscription was Xpianus about twelve years ago, and he thought the inscription had been tampered with in that time. Canon Thomas said he believed the dots had always been before the P. If the date was ancient it would have been in Roman numerals. On the motion of Dr. Richards, a vote of thanks was accorded to the Chairman, who, in responding, said it was his misfortune to be there, for they all knew how gladly Sir Watkin would have taken the chair if he could. (Cheers.) This concluded the business of the meeting. Amongst those who attended the meetings of the Asso¬ ciation were—Mr and Mrs F. Lloyd Philipps, Penbre Park, Mr and Mrs R. H. Wood, the Rev. Hugh Pritchard, Dinam, Anglesey, Mr Orlebar, the Rev. Canon D. R. Thomas, Mr Worthington Smith, Mr E. W. Smithjunr., Mr Lloyd Griffith, Mr J. Pritchard, the Rev. D. Hughes, the Rev. David Jones, the Rev. T. Lloyd, Nerquis, the Rev. Elias Owen, Dr. Owen Richards, Mr Ambrose Wal- ford, Mr A. N. Palmer,Wrexham, the Rev. C. H. Drink- water, Mr. Edward Jones, Newpoit, Mr C. Wilkins, Mr Harris, Cardiff, Mrs Glynn and Miss Johnson, Mr Howel Lloyd, Miss Dunkin, of Dartford, Mr W. D. Jeremy, Lincoln's Inn, Mr A. D. Wilde, Mr W. Hughes, Llanwyddelan. Mr R. O. Jones, Bala, Mr W. Vincent Jackson, Mr T. H. Davies-Cooke, Mr Arthur Baker, London, Mr Daniel Hughes, Ruthin, and the Rev. R. Trevor Owen, secretary. SEPTEMBER 3, 1884. CURRENT NOTES. MR. STANLEY LEIGHTON, M.P., AND THE CORPORATE MUNIMENTS OF OSWESTRY. At a meeting of the Oswestry Town Council, on Monday, September 1, the Mayor (Mr. T. Whitfield) said he had a pleasing communication to read to them, accompanied by a valuable present, from their respected member, Mr. Stanley Leighton :— Sweeney Hall, Oswestry, 15th August, 1SS4. Dear Mr. Mayor,—It is now five years ago since the Corpora¬ tion of Oswestry entrusted me with their records, in order that I might edit them for publication among the papers of the Shropshire Archaeological Society. The work I then set myself to do is finished ; the original re¬ cords are returned to the Corporation; their contents are com¬ mitted to print. Will you allow me through you to thank the members of the Corporation for their courtesy in giving me access to their muni¬ ments ; to acknowledge the ready assistance I have received from the late and present Town Clerks, Mr. Davies and Mr. Parry- Jones ; and to record my sense of the cordial co-operation which one long intimately connected with the borough, Mr. Askew Roberts, has afforded me. I beg leave, through you, to ask the Coporation to do me the honour of accepting a copy of the volume.—Believe me, your obedient servant, Stanley Leighton. To Thos. Whitfield, Esq., Mayor of Oswestry. The Mayor, continuing, said the book was beautifully bound in vellum, and was called " The Records of the Cor¬ poration of Oswestry," edited by Mr. Stanley Leighton, with a list of the Mayors, Stewards, Recorders, and Town Clerks, by Mr. Askew Roberts, There were several illus¬ trations in the book. On the motion of Alderman Thomas, seconded by Mr. C. G. Bayley, a vote of thanks to Mr. Stanley Leighton for his munificence in having their muniments transcribed, and for bringing them into an intelligible form was passed.