THE ESSEX FIELD CLUB. 241
After tea a meeting was held in Dr. Plume's Library, by the permission of
the librarian, the Rev. E. R. Horwood, M.A., vicar of Maldon, who most kindly
gave every assistance in his power. The entrance to the Library is through the
tower of St. Peter's Church ; the Church went to decay and fell down about 1665,
when Rev. Thomas Plume, D.D., Archdeacon of Rochester, and founder of the
Plumian Professorship of Astronomy at Cambridge, built on its site a Free School
and Library, and at his death bequeathed a fund for its support and for the pur-
chase of new books. Dr. Plume was born in Maldon, and baptised in All Saints'
Church l8th August, 1630 ; he was educated at Chelmsford School, and at Christ's
College, Cambridge; he died in November, 1704, and was buried in Longfield
Churchyard, Kent. He was a munificent benefactor to his native town. His
library consisted of about 5,000 volumes, mostly of a theological character, and
some of the editions are rather rare and valuable. For instance :—De Lira's
Commentary, 3 vols., 1487, the oldest printed book in the library; the Complu-
tensian edition of the Bible in 9 folio volumes, Paris, 1645, beautifully illustrated ;
Purchas's Pilgrims, 4 vols., 1625; Skelton's Poems, 1568; Newcourt's Reper-
torium; Morant's Essex, 1768; Processionale ad usum Eccl. Sarum, 1553;
Weever's Funeral Monuments, 1631 ; Gower, De Confessione Amantis,
black letter in old vellum, in fine condition, 1554; Millon's Paradise Lost, 1667 ;
Legenda Sanctorium, 1517 ; Waltoni Polyglotta, 1657, etc., etc. There are also
some 200 volumes of books procured during the time Mr. Horwood has held
office, among which are Dugdale's Monasticon, 8 vols, folio ; Hasted's History of
Kent; Lipscombe's History of Buckinghamshire ; and many standard works of
history, biography, etc.
The tables in the Library were covered with objects of antiquity and natural
history, principally of a local nature, kindly contributed by members and friends.
The largest and most important exhibit was a complete collection of the objects
found during the excavations carried on by the late Mr. J. Oxley Parker at the
site of Othona at St. Peter's-on-the-Wall, Bradwell-juxta-Mare. The collection
had been catalogued by the Rev. R. P. Coates and Mr. C. Roach Smith, and was
kindly lent for exhibition by Mrs. Oxley Parker. The objects included a series of
the coins of 24 Roman Emperors, from Gallienus (A.D. 260), to Honorius (A.D.
395), with many Saxon sceattae, and coins of the King of Mercia, Athelwolf,
Charles I., James II., Elizabeth, etc. ; spindle-whorls, fibulas (Roman and
Saxon), Roman tooth-combs, styli, keys, bone implements, knives, lance-heads,
spear-heads, tweezers, armillae, beads, needles, pins, glass vessels, pottery, etc.,
etc., in great variety ; and the set of specimens is one of the most valuable and
interesting ever obtained from any one locality in Essex. [For some account of
Othona see below.]
A collection of fragments of pottery and glass, and one entire vase, obtained
from the railway excavations near Heybridge, were exhibited by Mr. J. W.
Hawkes, who also showed some old seals. Mr. Forbes also exhibited pottery,
etc., from the railway cutting, including a very fine vase, which Dr. Laver said
was the smallest specimen he had ever seen. The President had a large collection
of pottery, coins, etc., from the same locality on view.
Mr. J. Wade sent some pottery and coins found in the neighbourhood. Mr.
R. H. Eve exhibited a salmon-trout, caught by J. White in a net in Beeleigh
Floodgate hole, January 4th, 1870 (length 27 inches, weight 7 lbs.) ; also an
otter killed at Heybridge Bridge, and a water colour sketch of the Old Bridge,
Heybridge, by R. Nightingale. Mr. E. Hance a case of insects, which were
stated to have been collected by his sister near Maldon more than 40 years ago;