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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 24 July 2012
I have the honor to exhibit to this Society a brass instrument lately found by digging in the ruins of Gleaston Castle, situated in The Lower Furness, in the county of Lancaster. Lord George Cavendish the elder, whose property it is, was so obliging as to put it into my hands, as a curiosity not unworthy the notice of this Society. It is about nine inches long, and half an inch thick in the middle; one end, formed like our common hatchet, with a sharp edge, is 5 inches broad; from this end it tapers on both sides, gradually, to the other end, which is not above if inch broad, and is formed also with a sharp edge. It is for the most part finely polished, and covered with a beautiful patina, except where it has been injured by rust. It weighs two pounds, five ounces. In some respects it is similar to those instruments, called Celts, which have been found in great numbers in various parts of this island, and figured and described by various authors. These, in general, have had one end sharp, as this has; but the other has been formed into a kind of groove, or socket, to fix a handle in; and some have a loop annexed to them; but this is destitute of every thing of that kind, and seems intended to have been held in the hand only for use, whatever that use might have been; for there can be no doubt, but that, if a handle of any kind had been necessary, the workmen who formed this, could as easily have formed it with one, or with a conveniency to fasten one to it. The learned antiquaries who have seen and considered these Celts, have differed much as to the uses for which they were designed.
page 106 note * Pl. VII. Fig. 1.
page 107 note [a] Letter to Mr. Hearne, in the Appendix to the first volume of Leland's Itinerary.
page 107 note [b] Ibid.—Mr. Whitaker adopts a middle opinion, and affirms them to have been the heads of light battle axes. Hist. of Manchester, p. 14. 4to. edition.
page 107 note [c] Plate XX. p. 262. Second Edition.
page 108 note [d] “There was found of late yeres syns spere heddes, axis for warre and “swerdes of coper wrapped up in lymed scants perished nere the mount in S. “Hilaries paroch in tynne works.” Leland's Itin. III. p. 5.
Amongst the great variety and number found since Leland's time, it does not appear, that any were wrapped in Linen.
page 109 note * See Plate VII. where fig. 2 and 3 are the outer and inner view of the most perfect side of the case. Fig. 4. the other side broken; fig. 5. the Celt itself.
page 111 note [e] See before the quotation from Leland.
page 111 note [f] “Sacerdos candida vesti cultus arborem scandit, falce aurea demetit.” Nat. Hist. xvi. 96. Query, if we should not read aerea instead of aurea? Thus Virgil,
Falcibus & messae ad lunam quaeruntur ahenis Pubentes herbae.
Aen. iv. 513.
Mr. Pennant, in his Scotch Tour, Part II. p. 241. mentions a brazen Celt finely gilt, and observes, that this embellishment intimates, that these instruments were not for mechanic uses, but probably the heads of javelyns, or ensign-staffs. In the third volume of the Archaeologia, p. 356. an account is given of some old swords round in Ireland, made of a metal which is of such a texture, as takes an exquistiely fine polish, and in its color, exhibits more of the color of gold, than of brass or copper. It is not impossible, that the ingenious traveller may have mistaken such an appearance for gilding in the Celt that was shewn to him.
page 112 note [g] Recueil d'antiquités, vol. II. p. 318. See a copy of this in pl. VIII.
page 112 note [h] Thus Virgil, as quoted before, in the tragical composition of Dido's funeral pile, manifestly distinguishes the purpose to which brass was appropriated, after the invention and common use of iron, of which he speaks continually. See in Macrob. Sat. v. 19. a curious criticism on this passage, pointing out a similar one in a tragedy of Sophocles called 
, now lost, in which Medea is represented cutting roots and herbs for her inchanted caldron, with a brazen knife. Dr. Stukeley has engraved in his plate with the Celts, what he calls in his Dissertation sacrificing knives, but what are in reality spear heads, like that here-aftermentioned found in the Isle of Wight.
page 113 note [i] Min. I. 203.
page 113 note [k] I. 117.
page 113 note [l] III. 56.
page 113 note [m] I. 192.
page 114 note [n] Od. IV. iv. 20.
page 114 note [o] Min. II. 128. 284.
page 114 note [p] Min. II. 102. Mr. Lethieullier's letter to Dr. Borlase, Antiquities of Cornwall, p. 283. Comp. N° 7. with Borl. fig. 1.
page 114 note [q] Min. V. 171. Compare Borlase, fig. 2.
page 115 note [r] Sono dunque questi disegni tratti da due miei antichissimi bronzi, i qua'i hanno servito alla cima de due grossimi dardi che dalla forza di una machina da guerra chiamata catapulta erano gettati. Mus. Moscardo. Padoua 1656, fol. 305.
page 115 note [s] Min. VI. 78.
page 116 note [t] Min. VIII. 160.
page 116 note [u] Borlase, Antiquities of Cornwall, p. 284.
page 116 note [w] Min. I. 92.
page 116 note [x] Sous un de ces especes de roche qu'on nomme solitaires, qui sont plus ou moins en foncés dans la terre, & dont ce canton est semè. Mr. Strange describes one found under a supposed druid altar near Keven-hirr-vyniedd, on the borders of Breck-nockshire. Archaeol. IV. 24. pl. I. fig. 6.
page 117 note [y] Dr. Borlase was not apprized of this when he pronounced these instruments not Roman, because none such had been found in Herculaneum. p. 282.
page 117 note [z] P. 318—321. 333.
page 117 note [a] Min. XIV. 135.
page 118 note [b] Min. IV. 180.
