Lower has given au agreeable notice; it is the Norman castle of Bellencombre, the early residence of the De Warennes, situated on the banks of the Varenne, from which they derived their name. It was there that Mr. Lower obtained the relic attributed to that family, a bronze wyvern, the monster which was their badge. It was kindly contributed by him, with other Sussex curiosities, to the museum formed at Oxford during the late meeting of the Institute.
The account of the ancient manse at West Dean, by Mr. Cooper, brings under our notice a curious example of the period of transition from the castellated fortalice, to a more cheerful and commodious order of domestic arrangements; and it is a rare instance of a dwelling, attributed to the fourteenth century, still almost unimpaired and habitable. Mr. Blaauw has selected from the Tower Records some appropriate documents of a class rarely available to the antiquary. They are letters of Ralph de Nevill, Bishop of Chichester, Chancellor of Henry III., and comprise, amongst other matters, the earliest familiar details, perhaps, as Mr. Blaauw remarks, relating to the management of landed estates; thus serving to illustrate the agriculture and condition of Sussex in the thirteenth century. To the same indefatigable antiquary we owe the valuable memoir on the Cluniac Priory, at Lewes, accompanied by a complete plan of the vestiges brought to light in 1845, during the formation of the railway, and comprising, with memorials of the Priory and the history of the establishment, many interesting observations on monastic matters in general. Numerous relics of interest have from time to time been disinterred on the site, independently of the remarkable recent discoveries, to which we have adverted. Mr. Blaauw has kindly enabled us to lay before our readers the representation of an interesting enamelled ring, found amongst the ruins, and now the property of Mr. J. Parsons.
Gold ring found at Lewes Priory.
It is conjectured to have been a new
hounds; and in after times the brennarii (See Ducange in v.) or berniers were attendants who had actually charge of the dogs, and are named in the Household Ordinances of Henry II., the list of liveries. Wardrobe Book, t. Edw. I. p. 317, &c. Their functions appear in the "Master of Game," Cott. MS. Vesp. B. xii. f. 89. In the petition of the master of the buckhounds, t. Hen. VI., 1449, his officials appear to have been the "Yoman veautrer, and yomen Berners." Rot. Parl. It need scarcely be observed that from this term a distinguished noble family received their name.
