588 SEALS impression of the background, and thus a sort of miniature model of the church was made, with its statues and the inner planes of the facade seen through the open tracery work, the effect being extremely rich and delicate. When the finished obverse and reverse had been fitted together, the legend was added on their edges by means of the fourth piece of the matrix, a strip of bronze with letters cut into it on both its edges ; first one side and then the other of this strip was pressed against the rim of the wax seal, which thus received the im- pression of the complete legend all round its edge. The seal of South- wark priory, also of the 14th cen- tury, is even more elaborate, as both sides have open tracery separately applied, and thus the matrix consists of five distinct pieces. Many of the bishops' seals, though less com- plicated in design, are of equal beauty to those of the chapters. The common design has a standing figure under a richly decorated canopy. Fig. 3 shows a very beautiful example, the seal of Richard, bishop of Dur- ham. The standing figure of the bishop in mass vest- ments is modelled with wonderful skill and shows ex- treme taste in the treatment of the drapery; the legend is S[igillum] RICARDI . DEI . GRA . DVNELMENSIS . EPI. A great variety of sacred subjects occur on ecclesiastical seals FIG. 3. Seal of Richard de Bury, late 14th century. FIG. 4. Seal of King's College, Cambridge. in addition to single figures of patron saints; the most frequent were perhaps the Crucifixion, the Annunciation, the Coronation of the Virgin, and the Virgin enthroned in Heaven ; small figures of kneeling worshippers were often added. Fig. 4 shows one of the most magnificent of this class, with, in the centre, a figure of the Virgin in glory, between St Nicholas and Henry VI., each under a very rich canopy ; at the sides are shields charged with England and France, and France (modern) alone, held by two monks. 1 This very beautiful work of art dates about the year 1443. In the 15th century the ecclesiastical seals began to fall off in richness and beauty, and after the Reformation were of little artistic value. Very hand- some seals were used by lay corporations, especially the municipalities of towns. These last frequently have a careful representation of the town itself, with its circuit of walls or that of its chief castle or cathedral, and thus often afford valuable evidence as to the form of its de- fences and principal buildings. Fig. 5 shows a fine example, 3 inches in diameter, the corporate seal of Rochester, made in the 13th century; it has a minute re- presentation of the keep of Rochester Castle, surrounded by an outer circuit wall and a moat. On one of the turrets of the gateway is a sentinel blowing a , , FIG. 5. Corporate seal of Rochester, signal horn ; legend, SIGILLVM . CFVTVM . ROFENSis. The reverse has the same legend repeated round the scene of the Crucifixion of St Andrew. Other corporation seals are covered with small figures under elaborate canopy work, much like those of the ecclesiastical foundations. Seals of hospitals are often designed in a similar way, with a representation of the hospital building very minutely treated. In the 15th century seals began to be designed in a rather pictorial style, which, though very graceful, is inferior to the earlier and more architect- onic class. Very magnificent seals were used by state officials : those of the lord high ad- miral of England are especially fine, from the beautiful form of the ship on the ob- verse. Fig. 6 shows that of the earl of Huntingdon, who was lord high ad- miral in the reign FIG. 6. Seal of Lord High Admiral Huntingdon. of Henry VIII. In design it resembles those of the admirals of the previous century. On the sails are embroidered the royal arms of England. Among private seals those of powerful barons are often large and very beautifully cut. Fig. 7 shows a silver matrix, now in the British Museum, which is remarkable for the great beauty of its workmanship. Its legend is SIOELLVM . ROBERTI . FiLii . WALTERI. On it an armed knight, of the time of Henry III., is riding over a dragon, whose tail ends in a scroll of very beautiful conventional foliage, modelled with the greatest spirit and delicacy. 1 This class of seal is often a sort of miniature reproduction of some magnificent altar retable, as in fig. 4.
