Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 4.djvu/89

Rh in the legend, in which a mixture of Latin with English words occurs, in a most unusual manner. It is as follows: The design of this seal appears to be of the later part of the thirteenth or beginning of the fourteenth century, and it presents an early instance of the use of English words in the inscription, which, indeed, is of rare occurrence at a much later period. Another curious example is afforded by the secretum of the silver matrix in the possession of Evelyn Philip Shirley, Esq., M.P., being the seal of Thomas de Prayers, circa t. Edward II. It bears the motto.

Mr. Turner communicated a short note with reference to the observations on the device of the crescent and star at p. 346 of the third volume of the Archæological Journal. He said the opinion that this badge originated in the time of the crusades seemed to be founded on the circumstance of its appearing on the first great seal of Richard the First; in that instance it is a star wavy of six rays over a crescent, and it occurs on both sides of the king's head: but on the second seal of that monarch the crescent only appears on the dexter side of the obverse, while on the sinister there is engraved a star or sun of many rays; thus supposing it to have been a royal badge, the character of it altered during the reign in which it is said to have been adopted. This device, in its primitive form, is found also on the bordure of the first great seal of Henry the Third, and in this shape it is of ordinary occurrence on the seals of individuals of all classes during the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries; it may be noticed especially, in conjunction with a galley, on the cocket seals of the different English seaports, one of which merited particular attention; it was that now, or lately, used as the admiralty seal in the borough of Southampton ; the design is a ship or galley, having on one side of the mast a crescent, on the other a star, below which is a rose. Sir Henry Englefield attributed this seal to the time of Henry the Fourth: it is worthy of remark, that in an inventory of plate belonging to that sovereign the following objects occur— "three great chargers of silver, marked on the bottom externally with a crescent, a star and a rose—another charger of silver marked on the bottom externally with a crescent, a star and a rose—two chargers of plain silver, marked on the bottom externally with crescents, stars and roses, and with a