This “briefe discourse” addressed to her most excellent majesty queen Elizabeth, was written, probably about the year 1582, by that most excellent mathematician of his time, and skilful engineer, “Thomas Digges, Esquire, sonne and “ heyre of Leonard Digges, of Wotton, in the county of Kent, Esquire, and of “ Bridget his wife, daughter to Thomas Wilford, Esquire, which Thomas deceased the 24th day of August, Ann. Dom. 1595,” Stowe's Survey of London, ed. 1720, B. iii. vol. I. p. 71, 72. For a more particular account of the life of this eminent person, see Wood's Athen, and the Biograph. Britannica.

I Have the honour to present to the Society of Antiquaries, for their acceptance, two stained drawings of the North and South views of Bicknacre, Bickenacre, or Bykenacre Priory, in the county of Essex; and I feel particular pleasure in addressing to your Lordship this rough sketch of its foundation and history, as it bears no inconsiderable relation to the family of Ferrars, from which you are the lineal descendant.

Your favourable, though perhaps partial, opinion of the following Memoir on the subject of the origin of printing, as also that of another able and respectable friend belonging to our Society, incline me to hope for the indulgence of it in presenting it to their perusal.

Among the ecclesiastical remains of this country the seats fixed on the South side the chancels of parochial and other churches, having but very lately been honoured with a share in the labours of your pen, I judged you might receive some trifling gratification in being made acquainted that a religious edifice, at a small distance from this place, was decorated with a specimen of these reliques, nearly unique. This information you were not only pleased kindly to accept, but also to favour me, by signifying your desire that I should give an explanation of this and similar appendages. Stimulated by your wishes, and happy in the proposed opportunity of collecting together my scattered notions on these and one or two relative subjects, I am now about to offer to your consideration the best account I have been enabled to obtain, of the uses for which they were designed by our ancestors; and permit me to observe, on the part of my endeavour, that littie or nothing has been hazarded to conjecture, that what ever favoured of mystery, or was any way phantastical, has been as much as possible avoided; and that, as far as they could be had, vouchers of the most genuine worth in such affairs have been consulted and produced: “Authoribus quidem ad istam sententiam, quam vis obtineri, uti optimis possumus: quod in omnibus causis et debet et solet valere plurimum: et primum quidem omni antiquitate; quæ quo propius aberat ab ortu et divina progenie, hoc melius ea fortasse, quæ erant vera, cernebat.”

Mr. Clarke has expressed his obligation to me for transmitting his Observations on the Appendages to Altars, of which large remains are frequently to be seen in parish churches; and I have assured him it was with pleasure I discharged the office, because convinced the paper did him much credit; and that, from the information and amusement it afforded, it would be very acceptable to the Society to whom it was presented. A hope I likewise entertain, that our Society will be favoured with more communications from a gentleman studious in investigating subjects of antiquity, and well qualified to illustrate them with his pencil and pen.

I Have to request you will present to the Society of Antiquaries the following observations relating to Chess, which may be considered as supplementary to those already communicated by our worthy member, the honourable Daines Barrington.

This antient cup, with a handle and cover to it, exactly in the form of a modern tankard, is of oak, and has been lackered over, especially in the inside, with a strong varnish, which must have greatly contributed to its preservation. It is indeed as perfect as when it first came out of the workman's hands, except the pegs mentioned below the joint, and that unite the cover with the handle, which appears to have been broken, and afterwards replaced by an artist of inferior skill.