SEAL OF WILLIAM D'ALBINI.
(Vol. vii., p. 452.)
The curious article of your correspondent Senex relative to this seal, as described and figured in Barrett's History of Attleburgh, has a peculiar interest as connected with the device of a man combating a lion.
The first time I saw this device was in a most curious MS. on "Memorial Trophies and Funeral Monuments, both in the old Churches of London before the Fire, and the Churches and Mansions in many of the Counties of England." The MS. is written by Henry St. George, and will be found in Lansd. MSS. 874. The arms and tombs are all elaborately and carefully drawn, with their various localities, and the epitaphs which belong to them; and the whole is accompanied with an Index of Persons, and another of Places.
At p. 28. this device of a man combating a lion is represented associated with a shield of arms of many quarterings, showing the arms and alliances of the royal family of Stuart, and is described as having formed the subject of a window in the stewards house adjoining the church of St. Andrew's, Holborn. In the Catalogue of the Lansdowne MSS. is a long and interesting note on this device, with references to the various works where it may be found, to which I have had access at the Museum, and find them correct, and opening a subject for investigation of a most curious kind.
The figure of the knight, in this drawing, differs considerably from that on Dr. Barrett's seal. He is here represented on foot, dressed in the chain mail and tunic of the eleventh and twelfth centuries, with a close-barred helmet, with a broad flat crown, such as was worn in France in the time of Louis IX., called St. Louis. The lion is in the act of springing upon him, and he is aiming a deadly blow at him with a ragged staff, as his sword lies broken at his feet. The figure is represented as fighting on the green sward. From a cloud over the lion proceeds an arm clothed in chain mail, and holding in the hand, suspended by a baldrick, a shield bearing the arms of France (modern[[3]])—Azure, three fleurs-de-lis or. On a scutcheon of pretence in the centre, Argent, a lion ramp. gules, debruised with ragged staff, proper. This device forms the 1st quarter of the quarterings of the Stuart family.
In this device there is no figure of a lizard, dragon, or chimera, whichever it is, under the horse's feet, as represented in the seal of D'Albini.
I could much extend this reply, by showing the antiquity of this device, which by a long process of investigation I have traced as connected with the legendary songs of the troubadours; but I think I have said sufficient for the present, in reply to Senex.
In addition to the above, I may mention a seal of a somewhat similar character to that of D'Albini, representing a knight on horseback, with his sword in his hand, and his shield of arms, which are also on the housings of the horse, under whose feet is the dragon: on the reverse is the
combat of the knight with the lion. The knight is holding his shield in front, and holding his sword in his left hand. This seal is that of Roger de Quincy, earl of Winchester, and appended to a deed "m.cc. Quadrigresimo Quinto." It occurs in Harl. MSS. 6079. p. 127.