Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 8.djvu/334

 246 REMARKS ON ONE OF THE GREAT SEALS OF EDWARD III. double axe occurs amongst the various ci'epimdia attached to a band worn over the shoulder on a statue in the Museo Pio Clementino, as shown by Mr. Rich in his useful " Illus- trated Companion to the Latin Dictionary," p. 214. This is in accordance with the observation of Plautus, — *' Porro crepundia solebant esse annuli, ensiculi, securicidcE, maniculae, bullae, siculae," &c. There are also in Mr. Barton's cabinet miniature figures of a lion, a wolf, ("?) and an eagle with its wings displayed ; the last measuring about two inches in length. An eagle, described as of steel, was dug up at Silchester about 1788, and exhibited to the Society of Anti- quaries. (Archaeol., ix., p. 370.) It was supposed to have been a military ensign. Amongst the relics of which Mr. D. Maclauchlan has kindly communicated sketches, must also, be noticed the base of a column (diam. and height 22 in., diam. of base-mould- ings 28 in.), a fragment of a shaft (height 45 in., diam. 14 in.), and the upper portion of a capital, with bold foliated ornaments, but much defaced. Its greatest width, at top, measures 3 ft. 5 in. This is probably the same fragment "of the Corinthian order" noticed by Dr. Beeke in 1804 (Archseol., vol. xv., p. 184), and it is interesting as the indication that some architectural monument, of no ordinary importance, existed at Calleva. A. w. REMARKS ON ONE OF THE GREAT SEALS OF EDWARD THE THIRD, HITHERTO UNPUBLISHED. BY THE KEV.W. H. GUNNER, M.A. The reign of Edward III. is a period of great importance, both in an historical, and artistic point of view, as regards the annals of the great seal of England. It is historically important because some of the principal events in the French wars of that monarch were followed by an alteration in the tlesign of his great seal. On this point we refer our readers to the very able and lucid notice of the great s6als of England, and especially those of Edward III., by the learned Professor Willis, in the Second Vol. of this Journal. It is there stated that Edward III., at various periods of his reign,