19. Badge of Garter. _Obv._ Bust of Queen l., wearing coronet
of pearls, large ruff, &c. Inscr. of Garter. _Rev._ Ornamented
shield, royal arms supported by angel. Inscr. of Garter.
Silver. Oval. Size 1·9. Cast and chased.
Probably executed for presentation on special occasions.
20. "Phœnix Badge," 1574. _Obv._ Bust of Queen l., wearing
pearls in hair, ruff, &c. ELIZABETHA D. G. ANG. &c. Around—
"Hei mihi quod tanto virtus perfusa decore"
"Non habet eternos inviolata dies."
_Rev._ Phœnix amid flames: above, monogram of Queen, crowned,
and 1574 engraved roughly; around,
"Felices Arabes, mundi quibus unica phœnix"
"Phoenicem reparat depereundo novam"
"O miseros Anglos, mundi quibus unica phœnix"
"Ultima fit nostro, tristia fata, solo."
Silver. Size 1·75. Cast and chased.
The legends may indicate the apprehension for the Queen's life
occasioned by the severe plague, which visited London in 1574.
21. Defeat of the Spanish Armada, &c., 1588—9. _Obv._ Bust
of Queen in high relief, facing, crowned, wearing high ruff,
&c., and holding sceptre; and orb. DITIOR IN TOTO NON ALTER
CIRCVLVS ORBE. _Rev._ Bay-tree uninjured by lightning on
inhabited island inscribed, NON IPSA PERICVLA TANGVNT: border
of leaves. Gold. Oval. Size 2·35. Cast and chased; with ring
for suspension.
This medal records not only the defeat of the Spanish Armada, but
also the averting of other dangers which at that time threatened both
England and her Sovereign. The Queen of Scots was dead; James of
Scotland had been conciliated; the Duke of Guise was dead, and France
and the Vatican were baffled. The bay-tree was deemed incapable of
injury from lightning.
22—23. Another. Similar: on obverse, bust of Queen, three
quarters l., without sceptre and orb, and on reverse, E. R.
in field, and no buildings on island. Gold and silver (with
original chain). Size 1·9. Cast and chased; with ring for
suspension.
24. Another. _Obv._ Similar: bust of Queen l., with pearls in
hair, ELIZABETH. D. G. ANGLIE, &c. _Rev._ Ark in waves; above,
sun. SEVAS (sic) TRANQVILLA PER VNDAS. Silver. Size 2. Cast and
chased; with ring for suspension.
This medal refers only to the defeat of the Spanish Armada. The English
flag-ship was called the "Royal Ark," which may have suggested the
reverse type.
25. Another. _Obv._ Pope, kings and others seated in council,
with eyes bandaged; floor covered with spikes; above, O COECAS
HOMINVM MENTES, O PECTORA COECA; around, DVRVM EST CONTRA
STIMVLOS CALCITRARE. (Acts ix. 5.) _Rev._ Fleet driven on
rocks; above, VENI VIDE VIVE. 1588; around, TV DEVS MAGNVS ET
MAGNA FACIS TV SOLVS DEVS. (Ps. lxxxvi. 10.) Silver. Size 2.
Struck. Dutch.
The obverse satirizes the confederation formed against Elizabeth by
the Pope, the King of Spain, the Emperor, and others; the reverse
represents the defeat of the Armada.
26. Another. _Obv._ Naval engagement, destruction of Spanish
fleet. FLAVIT ET DISSIPATI SVNT. 1588; above, Jehovah, in
Hebrew. _Rev._ Church on rock amid stormy waves; beneath,
shield, arms of Prince Maurice crowned. ALLIDOR NON LÆDOR.
Silver. Size 2. Struck. Dutch.
The destruction of the Armada was due in great measure to the violence
of a storm. As this medal bears the shield of Prince Maurice, it is
probable that it was struck by his direction in Holland.
27. Mary, Queen of Scots, 1567? _Obv._ Bust r., wearing
cap with veil, ruff, &c. MARIA STOVVAR REGI. SCOTI. ANGLI.
IA. PRIMAVE. Reverse plain. Copper. Size 2·5. Cast. By G.
Primavera.[3]
[3] Very little is known of Giacomo Primavera beyond what information
is supplied by his medals. He was of Italian origin, perhaps Milanese,
and was born before the middle of the sixteenth century. He appears to
have worked chiefly in France and the Netherlands, as nearly all his
medals bear portraits of personages of those two countries. The above
medal was probably executed from a portrait, as it does not appear he
was ever in Scotland. He died about the beginning of the 17th century.
This medal presents us with a remarkable portrait of Mary Queen of
Scots, and is the work of Giacomo Primavera. Its date is uncertain, but
judging from other existing portraits of Mary, it was probably executed
about the same time as the Morton portrait, which was painted by order
of Mary during her imprisonment in Lochleven Castle, 1566—67. There are
modern casts of this medal, to which a reverse has been added. (See
guide to Italian medals, No. 181.)
28. Richard Shelley, 1577. _Obv._ Half-length figure r., in
armour with cross of Knights of St. John on breastplate.
RICARDVS SCELLEIVS PRIOR ANGLIAE AN. A. LXIIII. _Rev._ Arm
issuing from clouds holding shield with crest, arms of Shelley.
PRO FIDE SPOLIATI CLYPEVS OBSES. Copper. Size 2·75. Cast and
chased. Italian work.
Sir Richard Shelley born in 1514 was a Knight of Malta, Grand Prior of
England, and as Turcopelier, took part in the defence of Malta against
the Turks in 1565. He died abroad, probably at Venice, where this medal
appears to have been executed.
29. Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, 1587. _Obv._ Bust,
three-quarters l., wearing cap and armour much ornamented.
ROBE. CO. LEIC. ET IN BELG. GVBER. 1587. _Rev._ Sheep in flat
country, dog leaving them; under dog, INVITVS DESERO; around,
NON GREGEM SED INGRATOS. Silver. Size 1·85. Cast and chased.
Dutch.
Leicester, being superseded in the command of the combined armies of
the English and Protestants of the United Provinces by Maurice second
son of the Prince of Orange, left the country in disgust. This and
the following medals were probably executed for Leicester before his
departure from Holland.
30. Another. Similar: type varied, sheep in hilly country, &c.
Silver. Size 1·85. Cast and chased. Dutch.