In mid-June, 1908, whilst the work of excavation was still in its preliminary stage, J.A. and F.B.B. were both at Glastonbury. At the western end of the little town, at a fork in the road, stands the lesser of the two surviving mediæval churches, that which is locally known as St. Benedict's, but which is in reality dedicated to Benignus, a companion of St. Patrick when he came to Glastonbury in the fifth century. This church was erected on the site of a much older chapel, by Abbot Richard Bere, whose arms and initials appear over the north porch. It has a fine western tower of the regular Somerset type, and on the cornice of the belfry are several carved gargoyles, the most prominent position, in the centre of the west side, being occupied by a piece of carving which, when seen from the west, as one approaches the town, has the appearance of a well-executed head of an Abbot, with a tall jewelled mitre and lappets. The face is bold, and full of character, rather long, with level brows and austere expression. [Illustration: FIG. 9.] From the narrowness of the road, on nearer approach, a side view of the carving can only be obtained by turning the head up at a somewhat uncomfortable angle; and probably for this reason the extraordinary fact had apparently quite escaped attention that this was in reality no human head at all, but a peculiar grotesque animal, with extended neck, crouching against the wall in a manner peculiar to gargoyles, and with a high arched back like a fighting cat, garnished with knobbly vertebræ. It was J.A. who first noticed this, and called F.B.B.'s attention to it. Both were naturally much interested, though, of course, it was the excavation work at the Abbey which was the chief object of attention at the time, and this was quite a side-issue. Shortly afterwards a sitting was held, and the following is the record: SITTING XXXII. 16th June, 1908. _Q. by F.B.B._ "_With reference to the sculptured boss on Saint Benedict's tower, which from different points of view appears as an Abbot's head and as a grotesque animal: was this intended for a joke?_" _A._ "Wee know not the quips of they who worked for us and did sometimes bee rude to them in powers. We builded Benedicts. Wee know not what they wrought soe only the church was faire and sound for ye people. The greate workmen and ye masons of repute played noe such pranks in our Abbey church, we wot. [Illustration: "REBUS[37] MEA."] [37] _I.e._, the Abbot's "rebus" (F.B.B.). A _rebus_ is the enigmatic equivalent of a name. Many of these are known to have been adopted by Bishops and other ecclesiastics of note. In the case of Bere, the significance is obvious. Where a name ended in "ton," as Morton, Pereton, etc., a "tun," or barrel, has been used to complete the rebus. SITTING XXXIII. 17th June, 1908.