that the passage extended in a southerly direction beyond the wall of the crypt. An abundant supply of light was admitted through six elegantly-proportioned windows, three being situate on the eastern side, one in each of the three middle bays; while those at the ends were lighted by similar windows in the north and south walls, also one in the western bay of the south end; the corresponding bay at the north end was occupied by the entrance from Basing-lane. The internal arches of the windows were sup ported by very elegant corbels, thell ternal view of that one in the western bay of the south end, is here given, this being the most perfect of the whole. There is every reason to believe that this crypt was erected during the latter part of the thirteenth, or beginning of the fourteenth, century; but as the style in which it is built was in use for a considerable period, it is impossible to fix the date of its construction with exactness; and the form of rib used for the vaulting may be found in buildings of a much later period. The depressed arch at the entrance from Basing-lane has induced some persons to suppose that this belonged to the fifteenth or sixteenth century; but it was only in height that this arch differed from the others; the section of the rib was the same as those used in other parts, and the stopping of the lower part of the chamfer (pl. 16, fig. 10) of the pier of this doorcase is similar to that at the south-western angle, and is well known to belong to about A.D. 1300; the ribs also which supported the steps leading from Basing-lane, were of the same period. It has been supposed by some that this crypt was beneath a church, or some building devoted to religious purposes; but for the support of this idea there is not a single fact-even its direction (north and south) would appear to weaken such a theory; and the total absence of the usual appendages of the crypt of a church, and of the mention of any dedication, must destroy it; while the similar construction of the crypts under many of the larger buildings, of a public as well as domestic character, in this and other cities, would strengthen the idea of the building above it being always used as a hall. For many years this crypt was filled, to a considerable depth, with rubbish, and was used as the wine-cellar to the inn above. At the time immediately preceding its destruction, this accumulation amounted to more than three feet, which altered the appearance of the building very much, as may be judged by the view of the entrance from Basing-lane, taken when the crypt was in this state (see pl. 18). The whole of the rubbish, together with the brickwork which stopped the windows, was removed by direction of Mr. Bunning, the architect to the corporation of London ; and this afforded an opportunity for many hundreds to inspect this interesting structure before its destruction. The only thing to be regretted, in connexion with this building, is, that the suggestion of Mr. deputy Lott (our active associate, and a member of the corporation), to remove this crypt to Guildhall, and place it under the western end of that building, was not carried out, more especially as it could have been done without much expense, and it would have displaced some unsightly vaults, now filled with lumber, used at the city feasts. While the workmen were clearing away the rubbish between the top of the vaulting of the crypt and the flooring of the inn, search was made for remains of the old hall, but, with the exception of a large stone, apparently belonging to a pier, and a section of which is given on plate 16, fig. 11, it was without success. The mouldings cut on this stone belong to the same period as the crypt. There was likewise the lower part of an upper doorway found in the west wall, with which, perhaps, the steps in the passage along the west side of the crypt may have communicated. ON THE ORIGIN AND ANTIQUITY OF AND DESCRIPTION OF A PACK OF THE TIME OF THE COMMON- AND EVENTS OF THAT PERIOD. BY T. J. PETTIGREW, ESQ., F.R.S., F.S.A., VICE-PRESIDENT. THE history of playing cards has not hitherto been satisfactorily demonstrated. The opinion generally entertained is, that they date their origin from the East, and that they primarily formed a symbolic and moral game. Chess has been regarded as deriving its origin from India. Such was the opinion of sir W. Jones and other competent authorities, and the beginning of the fifth century has been given as the period; but for this early date no adequate proof has been put forth. The similarity of some of the pieces in chess to the characters of the cards, would appear *to denote the one as influencing the formation of the other; and Breitkopf1 thinks that, as the military groundwork of the game of cards, and its similarity to chess, cannot be denied, so a closer examination of this affinity may readily lead to the origin of the change in their figures and colours. It is not a little singular that, in the oriental game of chess of the earliest known time, and continued down to the present day in the East, no queen is introduced; but if the game itself is to be looked upon in a military point of view, that cannot be deemed surprising. The game of war was not a female pursuit, nor one at all consistent with oriental ideas of propriety as regarded the sex; and the introduction, in Europe, of the queen into the more modern game of chess, would seem to have originated in a singular manner. The second piece, in the old oriental game, is a general, called pherz, or fares (knight); this was carried down as fierce, or fierche, or fierge, which at length 1 Breitkopf (J. G. I.), Versuch den Ursprung der Spielkarten. Leipzig, 1784. 4to. s. 30. This author was a printer, letter-founder, and bookseller, at Leipsic, and died there Jan. 28, 1794. The first part of his work was published in 1784; the second was in manuscript at the time of his decease. VOL. IX. 16 |