note that Jean Portal (bearer of the name of one of the most noted of Huguenot families) was named "Pasteur extraordinaire" by the Lords Deputies of Friesland in 1693. The learned Ďr. J. G. Frederiks contributes a like memoir of the Walloon Church of Voorburg which was established in consequence of the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes, and also of the Church of Zutphen. M. P. J. Buyskes of the Hague, has most usefully extracted from the reports of the Netherlands Ambassadors at the Court of France in the reign of Louis XIV. (1680-1725) items of great interest for the history of the Refuge.

The Dutch Society continues in its good work. It has incorporated in its collection of fiches a large number of extracts from the Walloon registers of the Churches established in Germany, sent by the new Huguenot Society of Germany established at Friedrichsdorf on Sep. 29th, 1890. Following what our own Society has done for England, the Commission has undertaken the publication of the acts of the synod of the Walloon Churches in Holland to 1688, which hitherto existed only in manuscript. An alphabetical index of the various acts will be added.

The Commission's ever growing library of over 6,000 volumes has been transferred from the Breestraat at Leyden to the three rooms of the Hospice des Orphelins, where are also kept the 360 boxes of fiches arranged in alphabetical order, by means of which are readily found particulars of nearly every one of the refugees and their descendants who continued to worship in the French tongue in Holland. A commencement has already been made to add the entries in the registers of the Dutch Reformed Church of those Huguenots who joined that community. We hope soon to hear that it has been found possible for the Commission to issue a printed catalogue of all the families included in the grand collection of fiches. This work is one which our good and courteous friend and Honorary Fellow, Dr. W. N. Du Rieu, Secretary to the Commission, has greatly at heart.

The German Huguenot Society has not apparently issued any report of its Meetings or other proceedings during the past year; but the last number of the little brochure published by it is entirely taken up by an article by Pasteur Bode on the Walloon congregation at Magdeburg from 1688 to the present time. M. Bode gives a list of his predecessors, the former pastors and their assistants, which is interesting as containing names not only French, but also Italian and German. We cannot but hope that our confrères in Germany

will, with the untiring literary zeal for which they are so noted, make a careful investigation of the Archives of the French Church of Frankfurt, and give to the world the valuable materials they contain.

The Huguenot Society of America issued a No. of Proceedings in August of last year, recording their work from April 1888 to April 1891. At that period their Library included 742 printed and manuscript volumes. On April 13, 1891, the Society held a brilliant afternoon reception at 404 Fifth Avenue, New York, two hundred or more guests being present, representing the best old families of the United States. It is recorded that "a more interesting occasion has rarely been chronicled in New York social life." A feature of the Huguenot Society of America is the committee of ladies. This committee collected the names of those whom it was considered proper to address on the subject of Huguenot history. The result was most significant, being an accession to the Society of no less than fifty new Members through the direct influence of the Committee.

In conclusion, I once more urge all connected with our Huguenot Society of London to continue with untiring efforts to promote to the utmost of their power the Society's objects. It is exceedingly satisfactory to find that, one by one, other Fellows are putting their shoulders to the wheel to supplement what our early workers were able to accomplish. May this succession of workers ever continue, as it is only by strenuous effort that we can complete what lies before us, and maintain the regular issue of those publications which our Fellows at home, and brethren abroad, are earnestly looking for.

On the conclusion of Mr. Moens' Address the result of the ballot for Officers and Council for the ensuing year was announced as follows:

Officers and Council for the Year June, 1892 to June, 1893.

President.-The Right Hon. Sir Henry Layard, G.C.B. Vice-Presidents.-Sir Henry William Peek, Bart.; MajorGeneral Sir Edmund F. Du Cane, K.C.B.; Arthur Giraud Browning, F.S.A.; William John Charles Moens, F.S.A.; Robert Hovenden, F.S.A.

Treasurer.-Reginald St. Aubyn Roumieu.

Honorary Secretary.—Reginald Stanley Faber, M.A.

Members of Council.-Edward Belleroche, William J. Collins, M.D., Frederick A. Crisp, John Edwin Cussans, John

William de Grave, Brigadier-General M.W.E. Gosset, C.B., Charles A. Govett, Richard Herbert Lapage, William Minet, F.S.A., Louis Hooper Le Bailly, P. de Lande Long, William Chapman Waller, F.S.A.

SUMMER CONFERENCE AT COLCHESTER,

JULY 21, 22, 1892.

The Conference Committee was composed this year of Mr. R. Hovenden, F.S.A., V.P., Messrs. G. Courtauld, J.P., W. J. Hardy, F.S.A., J. R. Vaizey, D.L. J.P., and W. C. Waller, F.S.A.; Mr. R. St. A. Roumieu, Treasurer, Mr. R. S. Faber, Hon. Secretary, and Mr. G. H. Overend, F.S.A. Assist. Secretary. A special local Committee was also formed of the following gentlemen, to whose never-failing aid and enthusiastic efforts throughout all the proceedings and in the preliminary arrangements, the Society is entirely indebted for the enjoyment of a most pleasant and successful Meeting;-the Mayor of Colchester, Mr. Wilson Marriage, J.P., the Deputy-Mayor, Mr. L. J. Watts, Mr. Councillor Potter, Mr. Councillor Laver, F.S.A., J.P., Mr. James Round, J.P., M.P., Admiral Luard, C B., Sir Claude C. de Crespigny, Bart., Mr. H. J. Gurdon-Rebow, D.L., J.P., Mr. Horace Round, F.S.A., and the Clergy of the Churches formerly reserved for the use of the Refugees, viz:the Rev. T. Gage Gardiner, Rector of All Saints, Colchester, the Rev. W. H. Wardell, Rector of St. Giles, Colchester, and the Rev. A. H. Rumboll, Vicar of Thorpe-le-Soken. Mr. Gardiner and Mr. Potter kindly acted as local Hon. Secretaries. The Conference was, perhaps, more largely attended than any of the Society's previous meetings of the kind; amongst those present were Sir Henry Layard, G.C.B., President, and Lady Layard; Sir Henry W. Peek, Bart. V.P.; Mr. A. G. Browning, F.S.A., V.P., and Mrs. Browning; Mr. W. J. C. Moens, F.S.A., V.P.; Mr. R. Hovenden, F.S.A., V.P., and Miss Hovenden; Mr. R. St. A. Roumieu, Treasurer; Mr. R. S. Faber, Hon. Secretary, Mrs. R. S. Faber and Miss L. M. Woodrooffe; Mr. E. Belleroche, Mr. C. A. Govett, and Mr. W. C. Waller, Members of Council; Mr. G. H. Overend, F.S.A., Assist. Secretary; Mr. W. M. Beaufort; Dr. W. T. Bensly; Mr. D. H. Bernard; Mr. J. W. Butterworth, F.S.A.; Mr. G. Courtauld, J.P.; M. Del Court tot Krimpen; Mr. E. C. Fâche; Mr. and Mrs. A.

L. Foucar; Mr. E. Harrison; Mr. and Miss Jayne; the Rev. J. L. Le Pelley; Mr. and Mrs. Maslin; Mr. and Miss Merceron; Miss H. C. Philbrick; Miss L. Portal; Mr. J. L. Roget, Mrs. and Miss Roget; Mr. R. L. Roumieu; Miss M. A. C. Rouquette; Mr. and Mrs. Rousselet; Miss G. Rowland; Mr. C. H. Shoppee; Mr. J. R. Vaizey, D.L., J.P.

The following were specially invited by the Society to take part in the proceedings:-The Members of the local Committee above-mentioned and ladies accompanying them; Mr. and Mrs. C. Maclean, the Rev. B. Ruck-Keene, the Rev. H. J. Boys, the Rev. H. Caddell, the Rev. D. Hamer, the Rev. C. A. Jones, Sir John Johnson, and Mr. G. Joslin. Including the Fellows of the Society and the Visitors, there were altogether about 70 persons present.

At half-past eleven on Thursday morning, the 21st, the Soeiety was received in the Council Chamber at the Town Hall, by the Mayor with a speech of most cordial welcome. To this Sir Henry W. Peek, Bart., Vice-President, responded, the President, Sir Henry Layard not being able to arrive until later in the day; and the Mayor then called upon Mr. Henry Laver, F.S.A., President of the Essex Field Club, and Hon. Curator of the Museum, to read a paper on the Antiquities and early History of Colchester. At the conclusion of Mr. Laver's interesting paper, some remarks on the connection of the refugees with Colchester and Essex in general were made by Mr. W. J. C. Moens, V.P., and Mr. Horace Round, F.S.A., and a hearty vote of thanks having been accorded to the Mayor and Mr. Laver, an adjournment was made to the Cups Hotel for luncheon.

At half-past two the Society proceeded to Copford and Layer Marney, a most enjoyable drive through very pretty country. At Copford a halt was made to inspect the Church under the guidance of the Rector, the Rev. B. Ruck-Keene, and the Rev. D. Hamer, Curate. This Chnrch is one of the most remarkable in Essex, and specially interesting from the large amount of Roman materials used in its construction, and the extraordinary series of mural paintings which, after having been hidden for several centuries under successive coats of whitewash, have been again brought to light during the last twenty years. It is impossible to give here a detailed account of these many wonderful paintings which comprise figures of our Lord and his Apostles and various scenes from the Old and New Testaments, and are well worthy of a visit from all persons interested in Christian Art. No parochial records

* See appendix to the present No.

exist having reference to these paintings, but it has been suggested that there was a certain exodus of artist-monks, who left Constantinople about the middle of the 12th century, passed through Lombardy, painting various Churches on their way, and then, travelling down the Rhine, painted Bergheim, Brauweiler, Rawersdorf, Keidinghövin and Schwarz Rheindorf. They then crossed over to Canterbury and painted a portion of the Cathedral there, and so passed on to Copford. This conjecture seems very probable, as many of the same patterns can be traced in the places named.

At Layer Marney was found another highly interesting Church, the history and noteworthy points of which were most ably and lucidly recounted by the Rector, the Rev. H. J. Boys, whose kindness in explaining all details of the building and its monuments was warmly appreciated. Adjoining the Church is the exceedingly picturesque old mansion, Layer Marney Tower, the rich colouring of which, a charming combination of mellowed red brick work and verdant creepers stood out with wonderful effect against the deep blue sky of a brilliant summer afternoon. Here the Society was most heartily welcomed by Mr. and Mrs. Maclean, and the tea and coffee hospitably provided in the garden were a very welcome refreshment after the long drive from Colchester. The Society's dinner took place in the evening at the Cups Hotel, the chair being occupied by the President, who, after the usual toast of "The Queen," proposed the health of "The Visitors," to which Mr. Horace Round, speaking in French, responded. Admiral Luard, C.B., then proposed " Prosperity to the Huguenot Society of London," and Sir Henry Layard having replied, the party proceeded to the Castle, where a reception was held by Mr. James Round, M.P. and Miss Round, the Corporation Museum and Harsnett Library in the Castle being open to inspection, and the regalia and a variety of interesting records relating to the strangers in Colchester being also on view.

On Friday, the 22nd, the proceedings began with a special memorial Service in All Saints' Church which was most tastefully decorated with white roses and lilies for the occasion. The Service was arranged and conducted by the Rector, the Rev. T. Gage Gardiner, M.A., and could not possibly have been more appropriate. The musical portion was excellently rendered by the organist and choir, and the Rector's stirring address made a deep impression on all present. The whole service will be found included in the present number of 'Proceedings.'