TREASURY OF ST. MARK'S; RECORD AT TIBERIUS.
In Howell's Familiar Letters, edit. 1726, p. 62., he says that he saw in the Treasury of St. Mark's, Venice, a huge iron chest as tall as himself—
"that hath no lock, but a crevice through which they cast in the gold that's bequeathed to St. Mark in legacies, whereon is engraven this proud motto:
'Quando questo scrinio S'apria,
Tutto 'l Mundo tremera.'
'When this chest is opened, the whole world shall tremble.'"
Is there any other account of this chest, or of its having been opened, as it was evidently reserved for some great necessity? Did not the exigencies of the state, during its decline, compel the Venetians to resort to it; if not, such a treasure could hardly escape the lynx-eyed rapacity of some one of the many spoilers to whom the unfortunate city has been subject. At p. 275. he gives an account of having read in Suidas, that in his time a record existed at Tiberius which was found in the Temple at Jerusalem when it was destroyed, which affirms that our Saviour was in his lifetime upon earth chosen a priest of the Temple, and registered therein as "Jesus Christ, the Son of God and of the Virgin Mary." Howell requests the opinion of Dr. Usher, Lord Primate of Ireland, on the subject. Is there any corroborative evidence that such a register existed?
E. N. W.
Southwark.
UNICORN.
Can any of your correspondents refer me to an account of the supposed habits of this animal, which in these matter-of-fact days we must, I presume, be content to consider as fabulous? I am desirous to know from what source we derive the stories of the animosity between the lion and unicorn, and the curious way of catching the latter, which are referred to in Spenser's Faerie Queen, Act II. Sc. 5. 10.: