VII. Account of Infcript'ions dif covered on the Walls of

an Apartment in the Tower of London. By the Rev. John Brand, Secretary. Read Nov. 17, 1796. THERE is a room in Bcauchamp's Tower, in the Tower of London, antiently the place of confinement for ftate prifon- ers, and which has lately been converted into a mefs-room for the officers of the garrifbn there [a]. On this alteration being made a great number of infcriptions was difcovered on the walls of the room, which probably have, for the moft part, been made with nails, and are all of them, it fliould feem, the undoubted autographs, at dif- ferent periods, of the feveral illuftrious and unfortunate tenants of this once dreary manfion. For the difcovery, as well as the pre- fervation, of thefe moft curious memorials, the Society ftand in- debted to the unremitted zeal and attention of their refpeclable member, Colonel Smith, F. R. S. major of the Tower of London. Of the fevcrity of the reftriftions thefe ftate delinquents in old times were put under, and who, being generally denied the ufe of books to alleviate the horrors of imprifonment, feem to have fub- ftituted this fmgular fpecies of amufement, in recording, in the beft manner they were able, on their prifon-walls, their names, arms, crefts, devices, &c. with the dates of their confinements. We have a finking picture in the Anecdotes of Diftinguifhed Perfons, lately .edited by another refpcclable member of this Society. At page 103, [fl] See .an infide View of this Room, PI. II. Vol.