A Guide to the Exhibition of English MedalsBritish Museum. Department of Coins and Medals
History
A Guide to the Exhibition of English Medals
British Museum. Department of Coins and Medals
Medals -- Great Britain
2. Badge of Rose. _Obv._ Bust of King l., wearing hat, cloak,
&c. HENRICVS VIII. DEI GRA. REX ANGL. FRANC. DOM. HYB. _Rev._
Tudor rose; above, ODOR EIVS VT LIBANI; below, DEFENSOR FIDEI.
Silver. Size 1·3. Cast and chased.
This medal is without date; but the title of Lord of Ireland (DOM.
HYB.) shows that it was executed before 1541.
3. Medallic Portrait. Bust of King, nearly full face, towards
r., wearing hat with feather and ermine cloak; around neck,
collar and medal, cross of St. George. Copper gilt. Size 3·9.
Cast.
This portrait is after a painting by Holbein.
4—5. Portrait with title of "Head of the Church," 1545. _Obv._
Bust of King r., wearing cap, ermine cloak, and collar.
HENRICVS OCTA. &c. FIDEI DEFENSOR ET IN TERR. ECCLE. ANGLI. ET
HIBE. SVB CHRIST. CAPVT SVPREMVM. _Rev._ Two inscriptions of
same import as that on the obverse; one in Hebrew, the other in
Greek; above H. R.; below, _Londini_, 1545. Gold and silver.
Size 2·05. Cast and chased.
Henry's supremacy over the church was acknowledged by the clergy 1531,
and confirmed by Parliament 1534. This medal was not struck till 1545.
6. Badge. Half-length figure of King, full face, wearing hat,
robes trimmed with fur, &c. HENRIC. OCT. REX ANGL. Z. FRANC.
Laurel-border. Silver. Oval. Size 2·3. Cast and chased.
This may have been worn as a badge of some society.
7. Anne Boleyn, 1534. _Obv._ Bust of Queen, nearly full face,
towards l., wearing coif with veil, &c., in field, A. R. THE
MOOST HAPPI. ANNO 1534. Reverse plain. Lead. Size 1·5. Cast.
Anne Boleyn, daughter of Sir Thomas Boleyn, and second wife of Henry
VIII., married 1535, and beheaded 19th May, 1536.
8. Sir Thomas More, 1535. _Obv._ Bust r., wearing biretta and
fur cloak. THOMAS MORVS ANGLIÆ CANCEL. _Rev._ A cypress felled,
the axe in the trunk. SVAVIVS OLET. Copper. Size 2·3. Cast and
chased.
Sir Thomas More, born 1480, was appointed Keeper of the Great Seal
1529; beheaded 6 July, 1535. The reverse typifies More under the form
of a cypress, which has fallen under the stroke of the axe, but whose
odour has thus become more fragrant.
9. Another. _Obv._ Bust of More, three quarters l., wearing
biretta, fur cloak, &c. EFFIGIES THOMÆ MORI MARTIRIS ANGLI.
_Rev._ Bust of St. Thomas à Becket, three quarters r., in
archiepiscopal dress, holding cross and book. S. THOMAS
ARCHIEP. CANTVAR. MART. AN. 1171. Silver. Size 1·45. All
engraved.
This medal draws a parallel between the death of St. Thomas à Becket
and Sir Thomas More, both champions of their faith, and both put to
death under royal displeasure.
10. Thomas Cromwell, 1538. _Obv._ Bust l., wearing cap and
gown trimmed with fur. IMAGO D. THOMÆ CRVMVELLI REG'. SECRET'.
AN^o. 38. _Rev._ Within garter, armorial shield of Cromwell,
two coats quarterly: coronet attached to rim for suspension.
Silver-gilt. Size 2·05. Cast and chased.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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