A Guide to the Exhibition of English Medals

by British Museum. Department of Coins and Medals; Herbert A. Grueber

JAMES I. 1603—1625.

38. James, as King of Scotland. Marriage, 1590. Obv. Bust of King r., laureate, in armour. IACOBVS 6. D. G., &c. Rev. Between I.R. crowned and 6 beneath, thistles surmounted by crown, &c. NEMO ME IMPVNE LACESSET. 1590. Gold. Size 1·6. Cast and chased.

James married in 1590 Anne daughter of Frederick II. King of Denmark.

39. Accession to English Throne, 1603. Obv. Bust of King, three quarters r., laureate, wearing armour, cloak, &c. IAC. I. TOTIVS INS. BRYT. IMP. ET FRANC. ET HIB. REX. Rev. Royal shield, garnished and crowned. IVGI CONCORDIA FLORENT. Silver. Size 1·7. Struck.

On this medal James styles himself Emperor. This is the first instance of an English sovereign assuming the title.

40. Queen Anne (of Denmark): coronation, 1603. Bust of Queen, three quarters l., hair arranged high, wearing lace collar, jewels, &c. Silver. Size 1·4. Cast and chased. A plaque.

The coronation of James and Anne was celebrated on the 25th July 1603.

41. Queen Anne (of Denmark), 1619? Obv. Bust of Queen l., wearing necklace, embroidered gown, &c. ANNA D. G. ANGL. &c. Rev. Pine tree crowned; above, name of Jehovah in clouds: across tree, scroll inscribed, LA MIA GRANDEZZA DALL ECCELSO. Silver. Size 2. Cast and chased.

This medal was probably struck upon the death of the Queen in 1619. The device is an illustration of her motto.

42. Peace with Spain, 1604. Obv. Bust of King, three quarters r., wearing hat crowned, doublet, &c. IACOBVS D. G. ANG. &c. Rev. Peace and Religion with emblems, &c. HINC PAX COPIA CLARAQ. RELIGIO; in ex., A. 1604. Gold. Size 1·45. Struck, with ring for suspension.

This medal was struck to commemorate the peace concluded with Spain in 1604.

43. Another. Similar: with ornamental border and loop for suspension. Silver. Size 1·9. Cast and chased.

44. Another. Similar: bust of King r., laureate, wearing armour, &c. Legend varied. Silver. Size 1·5. Cast and chased.

45. Gunpowder Plot, 1650. Obv. Snake gliding amongst lilies and roses. DETECTVS QVI LATVIT. S. C. Rev. Radiate name of Jehovah within crown of thorns. non DorMItastI AntIstes IaCobI; chronogrammatic. Silver. Size 1·15. Struck. Dutch.

This medal was struck in Holland by order of the Senate to commemorate the discovery of the Gunpowder Plot.

46—47. Alliance of England, France and the United Provinces, 1609. Obv. Radiate name of Jehovah above three hearts united. IVNCTA CORDA FIDELIVM. Rev. Rose of England, Lily of France, both crowned, and Belgic Lion. CONTRA VIM TIRANNORVM. 1609. Gold and silver. Size 2. Struck. Dutch.

Struck by order of the Government of the United Provinces upon the occasion of the alliance of the three powers after the delivery of the Provinces from the Spaniards.

48. Henry, Prince of Wales, 1612? Obv. Bust of Prince, three-quarters l., in armour, &c. HENRICVS PRINCEPS. Rev. Royal shield with label in chief, crowned. FAX MENTIS HONESTÆ GLORIA. Gold. Size 1·1. Struck.

Henry Prince of Wales died 6th Nov. 1612, when this medalet was probably struck.

49. Frederick, Count Palatine, King of Bohemia, &c., 1627. Obv. Bust r., laureate, wearing deep collar, armour, &c. FRIDERICVS D. G. REX BOHE. &c. S. D. R. F. 1627. Rev. Lion sejant gardant crowned, holding sceptre and orb; above, five hands from clouds supporting crown. Gold. Oval. Size 2·15. Cast and chased; with ring for suspension. German work.

Frederick, Count Palatine, Elector, &c., married, 1613, Elizabeth, daughter of James I., elected King of Bohemia, 1619. The five hands which support the crown represent Bohemia and the four Protestant provinces, Moravia, Silesia, Upper and Lower Lusatia, which favoured his election. The lion is the crest of the Counts Palatine.

50. Marriage of Frederick, Count Palatine, and Princess Elizabeth, 1613. Obv. Bust of Frederick r., in armour, &c., FRIDERICVS D. G. COM. PAL. R. &c. Rev. Bust of Elizabeth, three quarters l., wearing high ruff, embroidered gown, &c. ELISABETHA D. G. COM. PAL. R. &c.; ornamental border. Silver-gilt. Size 1·65. Cast.

The marriage of the Elector Frederick with the Princess Elizabeth took place 11th Feb. 1612—13.

51. Coronation of Frederick, King of Bohemia, and Elizabeth, 1619. Obv. Busts r., of King laureate, and in armour, &c.; of Queen draped; above, VIVANT FLOREANT; below, C. PRIVIL. S. R. M.; around, FRIDERICVS ET ELISABETHA D. G. CORON. R. R. BOEMIAE. Rev. Within inscription of Garter, lion sejant gardant, holding sword, before rose-tree bearing roses, and orb, inscribed M. D. I. V. Æ.; in background, thorns; below, serpent; above, VT ROSA INTER SPINAS. Silver. Oval. Size 2·05. Cast and chased. German work.

Frederick was elected Knight of the Garter Feb. 1613.

52. Maurice, Prince of Orange, &c., 1613. obv. Bust, three-quarters r., in armour, &c. MAVRITIVS AVR. PRINC. &c., 1613. Rev. Shield, arms of Maurice with the Garter; above, crown. Silver. Oval. Size 2·35. Cast; with ring for suspension.

Maurice, Prince of Orange, was elected Knight of the Garter, 4th February, 1613.

53. Another, 1624. Obv. Within border of shields of the United Provinces, &c., bust, three quarters r., in armour. MAVRITIVS D. G. PRINCEPS AVRIACÆ, &c., J. M. BYLAER f. Rev. Within laurel-wreath, crowned shield, arms of Maurice with inscr. of Garter; beneath, le Maintiendray, and, 16 cum Privil. 24. Silver. Size 2·6. Struck. Dutch, by J. M. Bylaer.

Vanloon (II. 55) thinks that this medal was struck in commemoration of the victories gained in 1624 by the Dutch fleet over that of Spain off Peru and Brazil.

54. Badge. Obv. Bust of King, three quarters r., wearing hat with feather, &c. IACOBVS D. G. MAG. BRITA. &c. Rev. Ark in sea; above, clouds raining. STET SALVVS IN VNDIS. Silver. Oval. Size 1·9. Cast.

The ark probably symbolizes the Church, and is emblematic of England after the disturbances of the Reformation.

55. Nicholas and Dorothy Wadham, 1618? Obv. Bust of Nicholas Wadham, three quarters r., wearing cloak, &c. WHEN CHRIST WHO IS OUR LIFE SHAL APPEARE. Rev. Bust of Dorothy Wadham three-quarters l., wearing hat, embroidered gown, &c. WE SHAL APPEARE WITH HIM IN GLORY: on either side, border, floral wreath united by skulls. Silver. Oval. Size 2·1. Cast and chased.

Nicholas Wadham, founder of the college named after him at Oxford, died 1609. His wife died 1618. This medal is supposed to have been then struck.

56. Richard Harington, 1609. Obv. Bust l., wearing cloak and armour. RIC. DE HARINGTŌ. Rev. Cupid with club and bow before a tree from which fall leaves, which he has beaten down: the tree is on a mound inscribed, 1609. AMOR NON FLORE SED FRVCTV. Silver-gilt. Size 1·75. Cast and chased.

Unknown.

57. Sir Thomas Bodley, 1612. Obv. Bust r., in academical dress TH. BODLY EQ. AVR. PVBL. BIBLIOTH. OXON. FVNDATOR. WARIN. Rev. Aeternitas holding heads of Sun and Moon. R. P. LITERARIAE AETERNITAS. Lead. Size 2. Struck.

Sir Thomas Bodley, the founder of the public library at Oxford, died in 1612. This medal, the work of Varin, was not executed till some years after his death.[5]

ENGRAVED PORTRAITS BY SIMON PASSE.[6]

58. Elizabeth. Obv. Bust of Queen, three quarters r., crowned, wearing high ruff, &c.; above, Si. Passe. Rev. Royal shield within Garter, crowned, supporters, lion and griffin; above, DIEV ET MON DROIT; beneath, on tablet:

QVI LEO DE IVDA EST
ET FLOS DE IESSE LEONES
PROTEGAT ET FLORES
ELIZABETHA TVOS.

Silver. Oval. Size 2·4.

This plate was not engraved till some years after the death of Elizabeth. It is copied from a miniature by Isaac Oliver. The inscription is said to have been the extempore production of a Westminster scholar, Elizabeth herself having proposed her armorial bearing as the subject of an epigram.

59. James I., 1616. Obv. Bust of King, three quarters r., head bare, wearing ruff, collar of Garter, &c., above, crown dividing I. R., at sides SP fe. Jacobus D. G. Mag. Britt. &c. Rev. Royal shield within Garter, supporters, &c.; below, motto, BEATI PACIFICI. IACOBUS DEI GRATIA MAGNÆ BRITANNIÆ, &c. Silver. Oval. Size 2·2.

60. Another. Obv. Varied; King wears hat; below, Simon Passæus sculp.: no legend. Rev. Similar. Silver. Oval. Size 2·2.

61. Queen Anne (of Denmark), 1616. Obv. Bust of Queen, three quarters l., wearing high collar, &c.; above, crown dividing A. R.; at sides SP fe. Anna D. G. Mag. Britt. &c. Rev. Danish shield of Queen crowned, with supporters; below, her motto, La mia Grandezza dal Eccelso. ANNA DEI GRATIA MAGNÆ BRITANNIÆ, &c. Silver. Oval. Size 2·2.

62. Charles, Prince of Wales, 1616. Obv. Bust of Prince, three quarters r., head bare, wearing ruff, armour, &c. Carolus Princeps Walliæ. Rev. Shield of Prince crowned within Garter: below, Anno D. 1616. Si. Pa. fec. ILLUSTRISS. ET POTEN. PR. CAROLUS PRINCEPS WALLIÆ DUX CORN. YOR ET ALB. ETC. Silver. Oval. Size 2·2.

63. Another, 1616. Obv. Bust of Prince, three quarters r., head bare, wearing ruff, doublet, &c. ILLUSTRISS. ET POTEN. PRINC. CAROLUS, &c.: below, Simon Passæus sculp. Rev. Prince on horseback r.; in the distance, view of London: below, Prince's plumes between CAROLUS PRINCEPS. S. P. sc. Silver. Oval. Size 2·4.

64. James. I., Anne of Denmark, and Prince Charles, 1616. Obv. Busts of King, Queen and Prince similar to those on Nos. [60]—62. Rev. Two shields, arms of King and Queen with supporters, &c., below, Prince's plumes and mottoes of King and Queen. POTENTISS. IACOBVS D. G. MAG. BRITT. &c. Silver. Oval. Size 2·5.

65. Frederick, Count Palatine, Elizabeth, and Prince Frederick, 1616. Obv. Portraits, facing, of Frederick, Elizabeth his wife, and their eldest son Prince Frederick. Rev. Two shields, arms of Frederick and Elizabeth supported by two lions: above, his helmet and crest; below, his motto, SVPERATA TELLVS SYDERA Donat. EFFIG. ILLVST. PR. FREDERICI D. G. CO. PAL. &c. Silver. Oval. Size 2·5.

The young prince here represented with his parents was Prince Frederick, who was drowned on a journey from Amsterdam to Utrecht 1626.

66. George Villiers, Marquis of Buckingham, 1618. Obv. Bust, three quarters r., wearing ruff, embroidered doublet, &c. NOBILISS. DN'. GEORGIUS VILL. MARCHIO BUCKINGHAMIÆ, &c. Rev. Shield, arms of the Marquis within Garter, supporters, helmet, crest, and motto, Fidei Coticula Crux; behind, two anchors. Silver. Oval. Size 2·4.

George Villiers was created Marquis of Buckingham in 1618, and Duke in 1623, so that this piece must have been executed between those dates. He was assassinated in 1628.

67. Richard Sackville, Earl of Dorset, Lord Buckhurst. Obv. Half-length figure, three quarters l., wearing high collar, &c. Rev. Shield, arms of the Earl with supporters, &c., and motto, TOVSIOVR LOYAL. CLARISSIMVS D'. RICHARD'. SACKVILE BARO BVCKHVRSTIÆ COM^ES DORCESTRIÆ. Silver. Oval. Size 2·15.

Richard Sackville, third Earl of Dorset, born 1589, died 1624.