The sides of the box are much destroyed, but they have fortunately not been restored. The ornamentation consists of enamelled bosses or curious castings in the centre of each side, flanked by panels of open designs cut out of thin silver over gilt, and corner ornaments of cast work. There are small bosses of blue enamel. The remarkable open work over gilt bronze occurs again in the base of the cumdach containing Molaise gospels, it also belongs to the eleventh century, and this sort of ornamentation seems to be characteristic of Irish work of that time. The lid of the box is ornamented in a modification of the same idea, but in this case the bronze showing through the silver is beautifully worked. The main idea is a cross, and between the arms are the evangelistic emblems, and with their names, Leo, Aquila, Homo, Taurus. An inscription asks us to “Pray for Cenn, for the successor of Molaise for whom this case was made by Gillabaithain the artisan.” It is possible that this may be a little earlier than the Stowe cumdach. A few more cumdachs are known, about ten of them altogether, and others are recorded only. There is that of Dimma’s book, of the Cathach of the O’Donnells, and several others, some of which are quite plain. Other book cases were made of beautifully worked leather. The satchel of the Book of Armagh is one of these, and leather cases or “Forels” were made of cuirbouilli in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, particularly in Italy. These forels were in the shape now known as “slip off” cases, and they generally had attachments for a strap. They are always charmingly chased, and often bear heraldic ornamentation. Cuirbouilli was calf or hide, worked with knife, style, or hammer, and then probably boiled in oil, but the exact process that was used is now unknown. It is very strong, and its value was known in England, where it was used to make wrist guards for archery, but as far as I know it was never used here for bindings or covers for bindings. I have heard the calf or sheep bindings of the early sixteenth century, bearing panel stamps, described as cuirbouilli, but they are not so. The earliest cover still containing its original manuscript is probably that given with other treasure to Theodelinda, Queen of the Lombards, by Pope Gregory the Great, in the seventh century. It is now kept in the cathedral treasury at Monza. The manuscript is described in a contemporary document as being “theca persica inclusam,” and, so far, its cover resembles the Irish cumdachs. The case is of gold, ornamented with a large cross, outlined with lines of small flat garnets, with sapphires and emeralds, set in cloisons. The body of the cross is richly jewelled with cabochon cut stones and pearls, and at the extremity of each arm is a curious glass bead of millefiori glass, green with a little red flower in the centre.