Page:Notes and Queries - Series 10 - Volume 7.djvu/227

 10 S. VII. MARCH 0, 1907.] NOTES AND QUERIES.

IBS.

yerthen potts, iiii pynt yerthen potts, a quart yerthen pot and tappes, ixd. ob.

Summa xis. Hid. ol>.

A. CLABK.

Great Leighs Rectory, Chelmsforcl. (To be continued.)

LEGENDS ON ENGLISH GOLD AND SILVER COINS.

MR. BAYLEY'S remark, ante, p. 78, that the legend " Posui Deum adjutorem meum " on coins between the years 1360 and 1602 is considered to be an adaptation of Psalm liv. 4, has drawn my attention to legends on the gold and silver coinage of England. A study of Kenyon's ' Gold Coins of England,' Hawkins's ' Silver Coins of England,' and Jewitt's ' English Coins and Tokens ' will show that the subject of legends is interesting.

Before the reign of Henry III. there was no gold coinage in this country. In 1257 the first gold penny was issued, and in 1265 its value was fixed by Parliament from 20 to 24 silver pennies, probably equivalent in purchasing power to 21. 10s. at the present day. It was found inconvenient and un- popular, and the coins, being of pure gold, were soon melted down. Owing to its extreme rarity, a single specimen has fetched at sales as much as 140Z. No further at- tempt was made to provide a gold currency until 17 Edward III. (1343).

The legend " Posui Deum adjutorem meum " appears on silver coins from the reign of Edward III. to the end of that of Elizabeth.

On gold coins from Edward III.'s reign to the end of that of Edward VI. we find " Domine ne in furore tua arguas me " (Psalm vi. 1), " Exaltabitur in gloria," and " Jesus autem transiens per medium illorum ibat." The last legend is Luke iv. 30. It is difficult to see why this text should have been considered appropriate for English coins. F. C. H. at 2 S. i. 358 offered the explanation that as Jesus by Divine power escaped unhurt from His enemies, who sought to destroy Him by casting Him down headlong, so the king implied his confidence in Divine power to protect him from enemies seeking to cast him headlong from his throne and dominion. According to Camden in his ' Remains,' article ' Money,' the text was used as an amulet to escape dangers in battle, or as a charm against thieves.

The following legends from Henry ^VI. run through the Tudor dynasty :.

" Per cruce tua salve iios." ' ' Crux ave spes unica. " " Rutilans rosa sine spina." " Tali dicata signo meo fluctuari nequit." " Scutum fidei proteget eum." "Inimicos ejus induam confusione" (Ps. cxxxii. . 19).

" Timor Domini fons vitse" (Prov. xiv. 27). " Lucerna pedibus meis verbum tuum " (Ps. cxix.

" Redde cuique quod suum est."

" Veritas temporis filia " appears on the sliver groats and half-groats of Queen Mary ; and on some coins of Mary, Elizabeth, and James I. is, "A Domino factum est et est mirabilis in oculis meis " (Psalm cxviii. 23).

During the Stuart dynasty the legends are :

"Faciam eos in gentem unam " (Ezek. xxxvii.

" Tueatur unita Deus." ' Quae Deus conjunxit nemo seperet " (Matt. xix.


 * Henricus rosas, regna Jacobus."


 * Christo auspice regno."

' Exurgat Deus, dissipanter inimici " (Ps. Ixviii..

6).

1).

Charles I. added :

"Relig. Prot. Leg. Ang. Liber. Par."

" Dum spiro spero."

"Amor populi prsecordia regis."

"Florent concordia regna."

" Cultpres sui Deus protegit."

" Justitia thronum nrmat."

In the time of the Commonwealth (1648-60) we find :

"The Commonwealth of England."

" Truth and peace."

"God with us."

"Pax quseritur bello."

" Has nisi periturus mihi adimat nemo."

" Protector literis liters nummis corona etsalus."

In the reign of Charles II. the legends are usually

"Christo auspice regno."

" Florent concordia regna."

"Reddite quse Caasares Caesari."

On some siege pieces occur " Dum spiro spero " and " Post mortem patris pro filio."

Some silver shillings were brought out in this reign (1666) with the legend " Quatuor maria vinco " ("I vanquish the four seas "). As these words gave offence to Louis XIV., the issue was withdrawn, and the next issue appeared without any such claim on the part of the English monarch.

The legend " Decus et tutamen " (Virgil, ' ^Eneid,' v. 262) also appears for the first time, and was continued to the close of Queen Victoria's reign.

The words " Ind. Imp." were placed on gold and silver coins in 1877, when Her Majesty the late Queen was proclaimed Empress of India.