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.
Thomas Cromwell, born 1490, was secretary to Wolsey, and afterwards
promoted by Henry VIII. to the highest offices of the State; created
Earl of Essex April 1540 and beheaded in July of same year.
11. Michael Mercator, 1539. _Obv._ Bust, three quarters l.,
wearing cap, fur cloak, &c. A REGE ANGLORVM PRIMI MILITIS
CREATI EX VENLO EFFIGIES. _Rev._ MICHAEL MERCATOR ÆTATIS SVÆ
XLVIII. GRATIA DEO ET REGI. MDXXXIX.; _Engraved._ Silver. Size
1·8. Cast and chased.
In 1528 Michael Mercator, or, as Sir Thomas More in writing to Wolsey
calls him, Michael the Gueldrois, was sent to Henry VIII. by Mons. de
Ysselstein, on a confidential mission respecting the affairs of the
Low Countries. Again in 1538 in two letters of Floris d'Egmont, Count
of Buren and Lord of Ysselstein, one to Henry VIII. and the other
to Cromwell, we find him requesting the kind reception of Michael
Mercator. These letters also refer to Mercator's artistic skill, and we
learn from Puteanus or Du Puy that he excelled in medallic portraits,
and that this medal, which is of contemporary workmanship, was executed
by himself. It was on this second visit to England that he received the
order of Knighthood from the King.
12. Another. Similar: bust in profile l., and reverse
inscription in relief. Lead. Size 1·8. Cast.