The authorities of the town of Pan had undertaken to protect the pavements, already exposed to view, by a substantial roofing; and for the present the works were discontinued, until that necessary precaution had been completed. The mosaics had suffered materially through the idle curiosity of numerous visitors, anxious to possess themselves of specimens of the tessellæ, and much damage had been caused by the weather. The site of the building, Mr. Baring Gould observed, is in the valley of Gau, about three miles from the ancient Beneharnum of Antoninus, near the modern Lescar, where abundant remains exist, which he hoped to explore during the ensuing winter.
The Rev. John Byron, of Killingholme, comnumicated the following notice of a cross-legged Effigy in Goxhill Church, Lincolnshire:—
"The village of Goxhill (locally called Gousell) is two miles and a half from New Holland, the ferry opposite to Hull, and the terminus of a branch of the Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire Railway. In the parish are some interesting remains of domestic architecture, which would well repay examination by any one versed in such subjects. The church is principally of very early Perpendicular date, with a good tower, and lighted by a beautiful clerestory of eight windows on each side. The figure to which attention is now called lies on the south side of the chancel. Here is a window with flowing tracery; and in the south wall may be perceived traces of a single lancet window. There is, in the usual position, a double Early-English piscina, with trefoiled heads. The shaft dividing the two recesses is octagonal.
"The effigy measures 5 feet 11 inches in height. The armour is of chain mail, without any admixture of plate. It has a band or fillet round the brow, ornamented with scutcheons, and some other simple decorations. The shield is much broken; it is curved, or semi-cylindrical, and has evidently been long and large. It is suspended by a guige. The surcoat is long and flowing; open in front, showing the hauberk. The right hand is on the hilt of the sword, which is partly drawn out of the scabbard. The scabbard appears to be of mail. The left arm is destroyed, from the shoulder; but, though such a position would seem strange, it has evidently hung down outside the shield,—as, indeed, the village tradition states it did. There has been a dog, or some other animal, lying at the bottom of the surcoat at the left side of the figure. The feet are much broken, and the points of the spurs gone. The head rests on a cushion. The whole is a remarkable specimen of early sculpture. The mail, the folds of the surcoat, and the belt which girds it, with its buckle, are well delineated.
"In the neighbourhood, the figure is considered to represent Lord Vere. That family is known to have had a mansion in the parish; and probably the domestic buildings before alluded to are its remains. These, however, are much later in date than this effigy. I cannot help thinking it a singular coincidence, that the attitude of this figure is the same as that of Robert de Vere, at Hatfield Broad Oak, Essex; for, as far as I know, it is not a very usual one.
"May it not be reasonably conjectured that the effigy is that of the founder of the church? The date of the earliest portions of it, the piscina and lancet window, would seem to agree with that of the figure,—probably circa 1240 or 1250."
Benjamin Ferrey, Esq., gave an account of the discovery of some interesting fragments of sculptured alabaster, which were found imbedded
