I Shall not here detain the Reader with any prolix Discourse of the antient Moneys and their Value, so many Ages ago first used in Trafick, and succeeding that Original Barter, or Commutation of one Commodity for another, which Tacitus [Page 4] and Pliny affirm was previous to Money (especially among the antient Germans) till some more precious Matter, as Metal, for its rarity and beauty, durable texture, and easiness of carriage, became the Price of things, as Aristotle shews us in his Politicks: But in all appearance the first Purchases were generally with Cattel, the Kishitah or Lamb; wherein consisted the innocent Riches of elder times, before there was any Money known or coin'd. Whence some Expositors for centum Nummis (Gen. c. 33. v. 19.) will have it read centum Agnis; though it will still remain a question, whether Agnus there do signifie proper­ly a Lamb, or rather Money marked and stamped with the image of a Lamb. For Grotius thinks that the Patriarch Iacob being so great a Master in Cattel, and abounding in Flocks, might probably set that figure on the Silver or Money which he us'd. And indeed that Money was in use very early; the three and twentieth Chapter of Genesis and other Texts which men­tion probatam Monetam, seems to make clear, both as to the Weight, Species, or both. And as among the Romans from the Figure of Cattel stamped and impressed upon the Metal, 'tis generally conceiv'd the name of Money obtain'd, à Pecore Pe­cunia; of which see Varro, Pliny, Plutarch, and the Medal in Gente Rustia mention'd by Ursinus: so Iacob's Money might be call'd Keshitah from the Impress of a Lamb. So a sort of Coin was called Bos antiently at Athens, as now Corvus at Basil, from the Figures impressed on them; and not many Ages since Mouttons among the French, as bearing a Sheep on the Coin: and so [...] of old among the Athenians, Va­lerians, Aurelians; as we Iacobus's, Carolus's, Horse-men from the Figure or Effigies they bear; nay sometimes from the Ar­tist or Workman; as heretofore our golden Florens in the Reign of Edward III. coin'd by certain Florentine Moneyers, who were it seems imploy'd here in England.

As to Copper or other Metal, used in Traffick, whether form'd into Vessels, Oeconomic Utensils, and Instruments of Husbandry, which those who had more than they need, might exchange for other necessaries, or afterwards cut and divide in­to Plates, and value by weight or pound, not unlike to what is still familiar among the Sweeds rich in Copper (or when any Stamp or Devise was first set on it in the several Kingdoms and Republicks by Authority of the Magistrate, to render it more [Page 5] Current, than otherwise its natural and intrinsic Value alone would amount to, and which apparently at first prevailed) I am not in pain about. But that at first it was plain, and with­out Character, is the most probable and received Opinion, 'til that was added by those to whom belonged the Prerogative of Coining upon a Legal Account, for the ease and benefit of Com­merce. This is certain, that among the Romans the first Species antiently minted, namely Brass, was without any mark at all, till the Reign of Servius Tullus, who stamp'd it nota pecudum from whence it was called Pecunia, as we have already observ'd. Before his time it was payed by Weight only; so as there was no Buying or Selling without the Scales. And the first design of Coining in every Country was to save the labour and trouble of Weighing; the Stamp being a publick Testimony, that such a piece was of such a Weight, and so might pass in Traf­fick without the trial of the Scales. At first therefore among the Romans the As was adequately of a Pound or Twelve Ounces Weight; whence also it was called Libella: And thus it con­tinued, till the publick necessity in that sharp and expensive War (the first against the Carthaginians) made them call in the old Asses, and Coin new ones weighing no more than two Ounces a piece; though of the same reputed Value and Name with the Old. These new Coined ones had on the front a double Ianus, on the Reverse a Prow of a Ship; the former Effigies of the Pecus being laid aside. The like Exigency re­turning in the Second Punic War, reduced the As still lower; and new ones were stamped, weighing only a single Ounce: After this a Law was Enacted, to melt down those Ounce Asses, and set out new ones of half an Ounce. And at this last pitch they generally continued, during the time of the Republick. Be­sides the As, other smaller Moneys of Copper were in use; as the Semissis, the Triens, the Quadrans, the Sextans; each having its appellation from the proportion it bore to the As. The Quadrans was of old called Teruntius; because it weigh'd three Ounces, as long as the As weighed an intire Pound: But when the As was reduced to half an Ounce, the Quadrans by degrees lost its old name, being diminished proportionably to the eighth part of an Ounce.

[Page 6] The first Silver stamped at Rome, was a little before the first Punic War: the Denarius, so call'd from its Primitive Value, which was Ten Asses of Brass; the Quinarius worth Five, and the Sestertius worth Two and Half. But in the Second Punic War, when there was a necessity of inhancing Mony to sup­port the publick Extraordinaries; as in the First they had raised the Price of Brass Mony; so now the Denarius (though of the same weight as before) was made equal in Value to Six­teen Asses, the Quinarius to Eight, and the Sestertius to Four. The Impress on the Silver Coin at first was a Chariot: After­wards the Devises were varied, as the Mint-Master pleased. That Piece which bears the Head of Roma with a winged Hel­met on, and frequently some Sacrificing Vessel, intimated (as some conjecture) that Rome had by her Arms, Diligence, and Care of Religion, been made Empress of the World: and S. Augustine himself has something to this Sense, in his City of God, speaking of the wonderful success of that Common-wealth.

In these Moneys of Silver we sometimes meet, besides Figure and Device, with other Marks and Characters, denoting the Value of the Pieces: Thus X stamped on the Denarius signi­fies denos aeris, and declares it to be worth ten Asses of Brass: V the mark of Quinarius, five Asses; and H S the note of the Sestertius, two and an half. But we meet with some few De­narii marked with XVI, and Quinarii with VIII; an indicati­on, that they were coin'd in those times, when the Value of the Denarius was inhaunc'd from its original Value of Ten Asses to that of Sixteen. In the Consulars of Brass the Price and Weight of the Mony is sometimes denoted by a certain number of Points, signifying so many Twelfths of the As: so the Sextans is marked with two points, the Quadrans with three, and the Triens with four: And thus remained the antient Mony with those Stamps and Emblems, whilst that glorious Repub­lick continued; after which we find how the succeeding Em­perors adorned them with their own Heads, Effigies, and De­vises according to their several Fancies.

But now after all we have said of Roman Mony, none is there so frequently and honorably mention'd, none so peculiarly de­served [Page 7] the name of Nummus, none has so much exercised the Criticks, as the Sestertius, wearing for its Badge, Castor and Pollux with the Head of Roma; marked by H S, and called Sesterti­us quasi Semitertius, from its primitive Value, two Asses and an half of the Third. And here our Young Medalists must take notice of a peculiar way of speaking in use among the Romans; that is, whereas Sestertius signifies a single Sesterce, and Decem Sestertii, so many single Sesterces; yet Decem Sester­tia (in the Neuter Gender) signifies ten thousand of them, and Decies Sestertium (in the Neuter Singular) no less than ten hun­dred thousand.

The last Metal that came to the Roman Mint was Gold, sixty two years after Silver, C. Claudius Nero, and M. Livius Salinator II Cos. stamped generally with the same Devices, as the Silver Mony, weighing two Ounces of Silver, and was valued at twenty five of them; the worth of Gold to Silver of equal Weight bearing then the Proportion of twelve and a half to one. Though in the earliest times Gold had only a decuple value of Silver, both among the Romans, and Greeks.

This may suffice then for a tast of what antiently were the Products of the Roman Mints: Those who would be more accurately Instructed may consult the learned Budaeus, Agri­cola, Hottoman, Iacobus Bontius, Scaliger, Snellius Capellus, Sa­vot; our Country men Breerwood, Greaves; and for the mo­dern of all Nations at present Trafficking through out the World; that useful, and excellent Account given us in Malin's Lex Mercatoria; the late Lexicographers and others treating ex­professo of Coines and Mony; their Definition, Notation, Chara­cter, Estimate, Fabrick, &c. together with the Notitia Imperii; where the Curious may find a full Account of these, and of the Procuratores Monetarum, of which every Mint had one distinctly to govern it, and (under the Comes Largitionum) to inspect these matters.

I pass by some other Coins larger in bulk and shew, as the Majorana mention'd in the Cade of Theodosius, being of Silver debased with Copper; as I also do the Bezantines and others [Page 8] counted by Weight and not by Pieces; as likewise those of the later Stamp and Empire, the Ceratia or Siliqua; Miliareuse, and the Follis, and now proceed to Consular Coins, as Me­dals; not as priz'd for the intrinsick worth of the Metal only, but for the Knowledge they communicate to the Learned, and such as on that account prefer them to sordid Gain; since it may happen, that a Medal of Copper may be of more Value to the Knowing, than its weight in Gold, as an Otho in the Grand Bronze. In the mean time I am far from being convinc'd, that what we call Medals did always pass for bare and simple Mony, as the name seems to import and challenge by the sound. The Problem is indeed learnedly discuss'd by Antonius Au­gustinus, Sebastian Erizius, Aeneas Vicus and others, and con­cluded generally in the affirmative; but I think all, except the Iesuit Hardoin make exception to Medalions, Imperials, and those of larger size. For these could not be design'd for ordi­nary Mony, being evidently stamp'd (to me more especially) upon solemn and extraordinary Occasions and Events; as the more curious and elaborate Reverses, Legenda, and Inscriptions evince, as well as the Shape and Model, for the most part too large and thick for common Exchange and Use; Not to men­tion their paucity, being rarely found in that great aboundance, and of the same Emperor and Percussion, as are daily the smaller Monies, more accommodate to Commerce. And though the Senat and People of Rome honoured their Caesars (as we shall come to shew) by decreeing their Effigies should be set on their Coins (as we may learn from our Blessed Savi­our's Question to the Captious Iews) yet does it not, I think, infer, that where we find an Emperors or Consuls Head on a Medal, it must therefore be common Mony: Nor does the Rea­son weigh light with me which was alledg'd by Cobergeus to the Noble Peireskius, consulting him about this matter; name­ly, the impossibility of Medals being made for current Mony; forasmuch as the very Type, and Form of one single Stamp, would have taken up at least two months time of the most diligent Artist to finish it for the Hammer, and then not endure the Coining of above two or three hundred; which being great­ly batter'd and impair'd (if for Mony) the Charge of Workman­ship would far have exceeded the value of the Species. To this it being answered, that the Romans using the Industry of their nu­merous [Page 9] Slaves, (it cost them little or nothing) Cobergius re­plies, that could not be, since Slaves and servile Persons, were by an express Statute prohibited the Painting any thing, or so much as Learning, or using the Art of Drawing and Design; without which address it could not possibly be ac­complished: For that ingenuous Quality being taken into the Liberal Arts, Nat. Hist. l. 35. c. 10. it was, as Pliny tells us, defended Perpetuo In­terdicto, ne servitia docerentur, neque in hac, nec in Toreutice ul [...]us qui servierit opera celebrantur: So that it was never seen that any excellent Piece of that nature, was the Work of a Slave or servile Hand. But to proceed.

Had Medals been look'd on as Pieces of Money only, they would not (as we said) have been held in that estimation, as we find they were; and by the Emperour Adrian, and other Princes, given and received as Jewels; Presents and Missilia made of them as marks of Honour. But not to a­muse the Reader with these Researches, (which have already taken up large Volumes well deserving the perusal;) 'tis suf­ficient for the Dignity of Money abstracted from Medals, that the Scriptures repeat the antient Use of it for the Purchase of Lands and Commodities; and that Gold and Silver, as most pretious, beautiful, and least obnoxious to rust and decay, (such as was proved and refin'd;) were the Matter, valu'd for its intrinsic Goodness, long before we hear of it in Pro­phane Authors; however in after Times, not only all o­ther Metals were imploy'd, but their purity debased, and alloy'd with ignoble Mixtures and Adulterations, as necessity and occasion requir'd: Of which Plutarch, Zondras, Xiphi­lin, Paulus Diaconus, and other Historians afford many in­stances. Thus we read, that Alexander Severus (tho an in­comparable Prince) compos'd a Melange of a fifth part of Silver, and a fourth of Gold; (by Pliny call'd Electrum) Ca­racalla dishonoured it with Lead; or to reckon better, the degeneration not of Money and Metals only, but of all the politer Arts, succeeded that Inundation of the Goths, not so much invading as invited in to their Destruction.

Here then ended the lustre of Medals, Riches, and Glory of that renowned Empire, counting from the Dictatorship of Cesar, impress'd on the finest Silver; and so continuing till Se­verus, or as some say, from Pompey the Great, to Caracalla (whom now we mentioned;) when after this Gordian made his Coin, half of Brass, till the Posthumi, and so down to Iu­stinian, [Page 10] who indeed restored it to some degree of splendor, both as to the Matter and Form again, until about the Reign of Phocas, when Church-Tyranny began with that of the Turk, and both East and Western Empire were Ruin'd, by the Ambition of the one, and Arms of the other.

The truth is, after the first three hundred years of the Cesars, there was very little care of any Coins, preserving the Roman Majesty by Medals. For from thence to Theodosius, we meet with none but small, thin, despicable Pieces, without Re­lievo; and from the Division of the Empire, since the death of that Prince, nothing save barbarous in Figure, Reverse, Character, Legend, &c. so as none looked any more after them: Nor recover'd they any sort of value for either their Beauty or Metal, for almost a Thousand Years; when Paint­ing and Architecture began to revive, and rose as it were out of the dust. This first Resurrection one may reckon to be about the time of Ferdinand of Aragon, or the Reign of Iohn Emperor of Constantinople somewhat before, when there was struck a Golden Medal, representing the Council of Florence with some tolerable Art.

As to other Nations, the Carthaginians Coin was first in Lead; that of the Lacedemonians Iron; and even some Me­dals both of the Republick and Imperial, are [...]oliated with Silver upon this sturdy and inflexible Metal; of which our Ancestors the Britains had not only Plates engraven with Flowers and Animals of hideous shape, but Chains and Rings of it instead of Money. Our learned Selden (speaking of the Bracteate Coin) seems to infer their beating it extremely thin a long while after, to prevent its being counterfeited; so as a Piece of Money which was then worth but a Penny, made square, and with Coins or Corners (as then they shap'd it, till Henry the First turned it round again) might easily be broken into two, or four parts for Half-pence and Farthings, as some of our worn-out and detrited Harry The highest Piece of Sil­ver Coin in the Time of Edward I. Groats, might now into Pence. Whether this magnificent Prince after those ex­travagant Summs he Luxuriously lavish'd and consumed, descended to make use of Leather; it has not been my hap to see any of it. But one who made almost as great a noise in the World, Frederick Aenobarbus was forced to pay his Souldiers with such matter, Scorteis Nummis. But more remarkable is that which Martin Crusius tells us of another [Page 11] Frederick, speaking of the Siege of Faventia and other Places, during the Wars of Italy: The Emperor, says he, (meaning Ferdinand the Second) Omni pecuniâ, caeterisque preciosis rebus consumptis, Monetam ex Corio fecit; in cujus una parte, Imperatoris Imago erat, in altera vero Aquila Imperii. Mandavit, ut durante hoc bello,M. Crusius Annal. Sue­vi [...]or. lib. 1. par. 3. c. 15.ab omnibus in emendo & vendendo acciperetur, precio nummi aurei AUGUSTANI. Nam confecto bello, pro sin­gulis Coriaceis, totidem aureos venientibus persolutum iri, &c. And Philip Comines says, that Money was so exceedingly scarce in France after the Ransom of King Iohn, Son of Phil. de Valois, that they did use Leather Money, through which a small Boss-nail of Silver was struck in the middle, as we now find a little piece of Copper in our Tin Farthings, to give them strength and value. The sum of the Ransom, it seems, was so vast (as Money then was precious) that their own Historians tell us, that besides several Lands, Territories and Seigniories, &c. Homage done by great Persons (re­taining the Titles of Sovereignty both of Sea and Land) there was pay'd no less than Three Millions of Crowns, which is, One and Twenty Millions, Four Hundred and Twelve Thousand five Hundred Livers of their money at this day. In the mean time, if it be true, that Numa us'd Leather Money, a truly antient Piece were an extraordinary Rarity, and would speak its value. We read, and have seen of Paper Money, nay of baked and sigillated Earth; Purcelan, Coral, Salt, Linnen, Cot­ton, Fruit, &c. in comparison of which Achate and Ieate (which have been also us'd for money) bear some intrinsic Worth. Mention is likewise made of Shells, [...] Pibbles (I rather think [...], or Aenei Calculi serving for Lots) nay Bones of human Skuls, (which if of an Enemy slain in War, were of great Value among some barbarous People) and other Bones are Traffick at this day among the rude Americans; but of what Animal we are not told, only that 'tis yet so great a secret with them, that the most industrious Nations Bartering with them, have not hitherto been able to impose upon them by any thing they have endeavoured to Counterfeit it by. In short, these base and inferior Materials, were among the civiliz'd Nations never made use of, save in utmost exigence, as was that on Card, or Paper, in the famous Siege of Leiden. Upon other occasions 'tis remarkable, that wherever the Species is much debased, the People are so too, and ever un­der [Page 12] grievous Oppressions. Thus that Tyrant Dionysius, and those of Sicily money'd Tin, and corrupted the Coin; and so our Chronicle tells us, that when there were in England, tot Reges, vel potius Tyranni, quot Domini (almost as many Kings or Tyrants, as Lords of Castles) they stamp'd what they pleased: But then (as Mr. Selden notes) was the whole Kingdom miserably torn in pieces, and the Rights of Ma­jesty shattered, which obtains to it self no little lustre from Coining Money. Indeed the Cities of Canterbury, Rochester, and such as hadAs Arch­bishop Ceol­nothus, An. 831. before King Ethel­stans Reign. been Garrisons of old, and some other Cor­porations and Towns, Abbots and Bishops had before the Con­quest, their Aedes Monetarii, with Privilege Flandi, Feriundi, &c. at pleasure; but we speak of those who had it not, but who abus'd it. The last I think among our Prelats was the great Cardinal Wolsey, of whom there are yet to be seen small Coins with his half Face Effigies, stampt at Dur­ham; and some of Cutbert Tunstal, and there is a Piece of Archbishop Cranmer; I do not say from this Privilege.

And now after all we have said of these Debasements of the barbarous Ages, there were, and still are extant of Lead both Consular and Imperial Medals, with some Greek ve­ry Antient, nor less Authentick, and for that cause purchas'd now and then with Gold it self. 'Tis true, they were after­wards prohibited by a Law express, which did but inhaunce their value among the curious; as did some of the noblest Metals that were call'd in, melted down, and abolish'd in detestation of Tyrants, and such as unworthily abus'd their Power; Nero, Tiberius, Commodus, Caligula, the obscene He­lagabalus; that of our late Regicide and others. But as to that Metal (whatsoever it were) the debasers of Gold and Silver (tho mighty Princes) lost their Reputation, it being almost the only blemish of that virtuous Emperor Marcus Antoninus, for but covering his Coin with thin Plates of Sil­ver. Be it therefore to the praise of our renowned Elizabeth (after it had been corrupted almost ever since Richard the First, and the Standard establish'd by K. Edward the First) who made this Reformation so great and shining a part of her Royal Care, tho something had been done in it before by the German Brought hither for their skill and Art in Refining and Coining; and the name Sterling from the East, or a Star, usually mark'd on the money. Others say, from the Saxon word, signifying a Weight. Esterlings, about the Reign of our Second Henry above Five Hundred Years since.

[Page 13] But however Money, and Medals of Gold and Silver, were ever had in highest Estimation for the Matter (as having those transcendent and essential Conveniences, Metallum, Pon­dus & Figura) Those of Copper have no less been sought af­ter for their egregious Form, Antiquity, and that commonly they bear the Figures and Reverses so accurately, as not sel­dom to dispute it with the richest Ore. Indeed whatever we find in either of those precious Metals, is also found in Copper, but not Vice versâ: All is not to be met with in Gold and Silver which are often found in Brass and Copper. As for those other Materials mentioned, whatever cogent necessity might sometimes introduce, antient Moneyers own but those Three authentick Metals, usually mark'd by the Triumvir A. A. A. F. F. Auro, Argento, Aere, Flando, Feriundo, &c.

Medals then à Metallis; for we allow the Name in this following Discourse to no other Material, distinguish'd (as we shall shew) from current Money and Coin, by several other Characteristics and Circumstances relating to the Workman­ship, variety of Subject and Erudition, not frequent, or of any notable Use in common Money, Head and Effigies on­ly excepted.

Having thus dispatch'd the Matter, we come next to the Time when the several Metals came into Use; and I am in­clined to think, that the hard and more vulgar Iron and Cop­per, as most useful for the Field abroad, and House within-doors might be of the elder date; there being no question yet of the Antiquity of Gold and Silver next to those: The dif­ficulty is, when first they began to Coin either, to our pur­pose of Medal, &c. Homer says, the antient Achivi us'd no money stamp'd, but a rude mass of Iron and Copper, which they Barter'd as the wild Indians now do for Baubles, Knives, Glass-Beads, and as of old the Scythae, Seres, Sarmats, the Lu­sitani, Lacedemonians, Bizantines and others: And, for ought I find, Aes Grave in the lump, and Bullion it self (as many Ages after they paid Sums in France by Lingat, as well as in Coin, to the time of Philip the Fair) continued without any elegant Form or Impression, till Servius Caepio, and Cn. Sempro­nius being Consuls; or as others, from the beginning of the Building of Rome, to the time of King Pyrrhus, before they set any mark or stamp upon Silver: And their Copper at first was flat, without any Sculpture at all, until Servius Tullius [Page 14] (I speak of the Romans) made on Ox or Sheep, or some such Animal be Coined on the Reverse. But still (as we said) the Matter was only Copper; whence the Quaestors or Trea­surers of the Aerarium had their Denomination, and so con­tinu'd it all the time that the nobler Metals were in use; which, as Pliny affirms, (speaking of Silver) was not till a­bout the CDLXXV. year after the Foundation of the City, un­der the Consulship of Q. Fabius Pictor, and R. Gallus, five years before the First Punick War; nor stamp'd they any Gold at all till the LXII. year that the other had been in com­mon Use; some affirm above Two Hundred Years after: A good note to caution ones not being impos'd on by Me­dals, tho of that precious Metal, pretending to have been struck by any King or Consul before that Date. In the mean while is it not strange, that in the late Discoveries of America neither Gold nor Silver, so greedily coveted, were thus made use of, where those rich and precious Metals do naturally grow?

Now as touching Impressions (which as we observ'd, were very rude and simple at first) 'tis probable they began them with their Deities, and next with their Kings, whom they Worshipped and often made their Gods.

Then appeared Roma Galeata, with her Helmet often wing'd Castor and Pollux on Horseback, the Figures of Victo­ria in the double or triple Car; whence the Bigati, Trigati, Quadrigati, Victoriati, &c. on the Denarius, were of the ear­liest stamp: Sometimes the Tutelary of the Place, Name and Effigies of the Prince, Magistrate, Cities, Foundation, De­dication, or Monetarie Triumviri (who during the Consulat Go­vern'd the Mints a long time as they pleas'd) for what use, of what Matter and Weight we have partly shew'd. Hence are sprung the Aeginates, Gigates, Staters of Croesus, Darics, Phi­lippics, and other Denominations, known, as we noted, by the Heads, Places, Characters, &c. And tho doubtless at first (even among both Greeks and Romans, whilst that Repub­lick Flourish'd) the Title, Note or Cypher express'd the sim­ple weight of the Metal only, S. C. or some Consular Mark (as already shew'd) Yet as the Republick declined and the People became Flatterers of the haughty Conqueror; they easily submitted to whatsoever alteration might gratifie the ambitious Prince, by Engraving the Name, and celebrating [Page 15] the Exploits of the aspiring Man: And then began their Ef­figies, with the various Reverses, expressing their most signal Actions, Exploits, and Heroic Undertakings, to adorn their Coins and Medals; so very useful for the clearing of many obscure and recondit Passages of History, Chronology, and o­ther parts of Erudition: Of which in the following Periods. To proceed then.

Medals are in the first place to be consider'd, not only as to the Metal and Impression, but in relation to the Size and Mo­del. We pass therefore from the Matter to the Form and Sub­stance, which was antiently neither so thick nor large as af­terwards, nor the Reverses of their amplest Medalions exceed­ing three Inches Diameter, and thence diminishing to three quarters of an Inch, usually distinguished by their several magnitudes, which are Three.

Of the first (suppos'd of Greek Original) were those of Copper (yet not excluding Gold) more frequently met with of the two later dimensions, de moyen Bronze, or middle size, some few excepted; as those of Philip Father of Alexander Magnus, Lysimachus, Arsinoe, Berenice, the Ptolomies, with some others; and those Coined by the infamous Elagabalus, (more rarely found) with such as Tiberius Constantine is re­ported to have sent to Chilperic King of France (describ'd by Paulus Diaconus) and as were usually given to great Princes upon occasions extraordinary, and not seldom likewise scat­tered among the Mobile and Spectators on days of Triumph, Jubilees, and solemn Processions; of which sort Caligula long since sprinkled a considerable Largess from the Palace of Iulia, which rendred them more common. Some of these were Medalions of the large size, de grand Bronze (as the French Term is) more substantial, and in higher Relievo, which are very rare; especially the Romans, by reason that the Inscrip­tions, Heads, and Reverses are more legible and conspicuous, as having been struck on Publick and solemn Occasions, and Ceremonies of State; such, as Suetonius tells us, Augustus was wont to present to his Favorites during the Saturnalia; and we at this day see frequently stamp'd in Gold, as hono­rary Tokens appendant to Chains of considerable value; and even to Orders of Knighthood, as that of S. Mark at Venice, &c. also to Soldiers, Seamen, Commanders, Masters of Ceremonies, Heralds, great Scholars, Poets; for such a Me­dal, [Page 16] tho but of Silver, the witty Ovid somewhere celebrates, ‘Argentum felix, omnique beatius auro:’ For its bearing the Effigies of that Demy-God Augustus: And so famous Painters, Sculptors, and other Persons of distingui­shing Merit wore Medalions. They were given likewise to Ambassadors, and sent to States-men, as was that to the Swiss by Henry the Fourth of France with his Effigies; the Reverse an Altar between two Columns, wreath'd about with Palms and Laurels, and supporting a Crown; the Exurge. E X. AURO. FRANCIGENA. ANNO. FOEDERIS. RENOVATI. EFFOSSO. and in the Circle this Chrono­gram, M. DC II. RegIs SaCra FoeDera MagnI. But like to these truly antient, and of Gold, were a rarity inestimable, such a one as that Posthumus of the French Kings, that weighs Six Lovis d' Ors, and a Gratian, in the Imperial Cabinet, of above twenty, approaching the size of the largest Brass. Such, I say, were inestimable; forasmuch as besides the intrinsic Va­lue of the Metal, there were ample field to contain the Sub­ject, represent the Figure, Historical Reverses and Erudition in bolder Relievo (as that of Adrian, and some others) where­of a Collection, tho of Brass or Copper, were precious indeed; but a perfect Series would, I fear, not only be very difficult to procure, but impossible to be met withal in any Cabinet of the best furnished Prince in Europe. He that arrives to four or five hundred such Pieces is Master of a great Trea­sure.

Those of the Greek consisting of all Metals, and of very moderate size, and little elegancy, are every where to be had; and the variously denominated Attic Obolus, with the Head of Minerva and Noctua, of as vulgar Use as our Farthings, but hardly by half so large as the Tokens which every Ta­vern and Tippling-House (in the days of late Anarchy a­mong us) presum'd to stamp and utter for immediate Ex­change, as they were passable through the Neighbourhood, which tho seldom reaching farther than the next Street, or two, may happily in after times, come to exercise and busie the learned Critic, what they should signifie, and fill whole Volumes with their Conjectures; as I am perswaded several [Page 17] as arrant trifles have done, and still do, casually mentioned in antient Authors.

Another sort of Medalions (not altogether so ample, nor so skilfully wrought, and ever in Copper) are by our Anti­quaries call'dThe Itali­ans gave them a Ring or Circle of Hor [...]e. Contorniati, sometimes distinguish'd by a cer­tain hollow bordure, or small shallow insculp'd Figures, sup­pos'd to be about the date of Theodosius, or at farthest Seve­rus, or not much before; rarely enough to be met with: But for this chiefly estimable, that they received their Impres­sions whilst most of the antient Rome was yet subsisting; and for which Medalions of the largest Volume are ever to be va­lued: For in those it is we sometimes meet the Heads of Ho­mer, Solon, Pythagoras, Euclid, Socrates, Ap. Tyanaeus, Olym­pic Victors, Palms and Charrioting; whether resembling the Persons or not, and therefore their Antiquity a little questi­oned. Those in Silver, from Pompey downwards, are not so rare; relating chiefly to Kings and Cities, as of Syria, Ma­cedonia, &c. Of which see the learned M. Vaillant.

Medalions of Gold and greater volume, I think there are very few, if any at all, or of the rest larger than our new Half-Crown Pieces, and those (as I said) of Copper only, rarely of any other: But towards the lower Empire, there are fre­quently found great and smaller, of which the largest are Gold, some equalling the weight of our five Pound Pieces; more or less estimable for the Stamp and Person. Next these we reckon Medalions of the larger Copper, somewhat broader and thicker than our Horsemen; and of Silver very rare. The Grand Bronze, after Posthumus (when, as we noted, the Coin was alter'd) is a Medalion; those of the middle size, and the same Species, are somewhat smaller. Next to these, being the very smallest, whether Copper or Silver, (and which perhaps might pass commonly for Money) exceed not much our new Mill'd Shillings, nor are some so large, especially towards the Bas-Empire. We frequently meet of the first in Gold and of more substance, till approaching the later Reigns they diminish'd extremely.

Here it is they critically Note, as to the three dimensions of Copper Medals (namely the larger, middle, and smaller Bronze) that in case one of the first size for breadth and substance, bear a Head no bigger than one of the second or middle Bronze, it is to be reckon'd but one of the second Class; where­as another, tho not so thick and substantial, yet bearing a [Page 18] deeper and more extant Head, shall take place before one of the first Form: Tho there be Medals of the least size of much greater Value and Esteem, for their being rare, and chal­lenging preeminence of the largest. To conclude, as to Model and Size of Medals; we meet with both Gold and Sil­ver of not above half the Weight and Substance of the first; nor are the last we mentioned any thing so rare, as those of Gold.

MEdals are farther considerable as to the State and Peo­ple to which they relate; distinguishable and to be known by the Make, Fabric and Symbolums, whether He­brew, Punic, Barbarous and Modern, and tho not so much sought after, are yet not altogether to be neglected; as we shall come to shew.

Those of the Iews, or Hebraic, were the Sicle or Shekel, venerable, if truly genuine, which few are thought to be. The Drachma or Obolus (as we have noted) doubl'd, or di­minish'd, as Exigences and Circumstances of the small Com­merce that peculiar Nation had in the World requir'd: And therefore had they Coins both Silver and Copper of all sizes, specifying the value; but whether they stamp'd any of Gold is not so evident. To be sure, they Coined none for Medals upon any Historical account, whatever we derive from them, tho Monsieur Foinard be of another opinion; who from the date of certain Medals with Samaritan Inscriptions, illustra­ting (as he thinks) that remarkable Passage in 1 Macc. iii. calculates the Time of Sions Deliverance there mentioned: But this I believe very rarely, since they would endure no Human, or Animal Figure at all, till the Romans had subdu'd that stiff-neck'd and refractory People; as may be observ'd in those frequent Reverses of Vespasian and Titus, represent­ing a disconsolate Woman, leaning on her Arm under a Palm Tree (which was the Symbol of Palaestina) with Iudiaea Capta [Page 19] in the Exurge, and not seldom with a Wheat-sheaf, a Cluster of Grapes, Vine-leaf or Lotus. In others we have a Crater, or standing Goblet, and now and then the Harp, Portico of a Temple or Sepulchre; most of which being long since their last and final Captivity and Dispersion, with Hebrew Cha­racters, are looked upon but as modern, and for the most part of cast Metal; whilst the more antient (or at least so reputed) bear the stamp of the Pot of Manna, as some con­ceive; or as others, the Censer or Thuribulum, casting forth a cloud of Incense, and not seldom Revers'd with a sprig of Opo Balsamum, or the Rod of Aaron, as is conjectured, for they do not all agree; only as to the Legenda, the Shekel in­viron'd with Samaritan Letters (tho Kircher mentions Assy­rian) is least of all suspected. But of these consult Velser, Hottinger, Conringius, and others, who give ample Accounts, besides that much commended and shorter Treatise of Henry Thulen of Erford, De Variis Siclis & Talentis Hebraeorum, and our learned Countrymen Brerewood, Mr. Greaves, and out of them the no less learned and industrious Dr. Walton late Bishop of Chester, in his Prolegomenon to the Polyglotte Bible. But, as we noted, these Medals, even the most reputed Ge­nuine, reserv'd in the Library at the Escurial, collected by the Emperor Charles the First, have not the universal suffrage of being Authentick.

We have spoken of the Greek, of which the largest and most valuable, (exceeding not our Silver Crown-Pieces) and they of Copper only, were by some thought to have been us'd only for weight, under the Names of Drachma, Stater, &c. others there are more common, and not so large by half, tho somewhat thicker both Copper and Silver. Finally, to these succeed Coins of all metals and sizes, diminishing (as we noted) to less than our ordinary single Pence: Such of the Greeks as we find of Gold in the smaller Pieces are most esteem'd: Of other Metals (tho for the most part Copper, if struck under the Emperors) there are not a few; for the vast­ly spreading Conquests of that People, by the wonderful and successful Expeditions of the Great Alexander, had scattered innumerable Medals and Coins, wherever their Armies came, bearing the Effigies of their victorious Leaders, the Cities and Places they won, who had then obtained the Power.

[Page 20] We should now come to the Symbola, but we reserve it to the Reverse, and proceed to shew, that those Medals of Gold (tho of the most refin'd) are, as we noted, by no means the most estimable, excepting the ancient Greek of superfine Metal, and those of the higher Roman Empire, as pure as 'twas possible to render it malleable, for the intrinsic Value, and for that every one cannot go to the price of them: Such are those of the first Emperors, rare indeed both for weight and work; and so the Silver; but above all those of Copper, as far as Severus Alexander, as we have already shew'd; but thence from Caracalla to Dioclesian, both Stamp and Metal became despicable: Albeit we afterwards find Medals of the finest Silver from Heraclius to Pertinax, and of excellent Masters, but thence lamentably declining.

Such Medals as have been struck in Spain, or any part of Africa subject to the Carthaginians, bearing the Effigies of Dido, whom they affirm to have first Coined Money among them, are to be reckon'd Punic, and pretend to great Antiquity: And there is yet in the hands of the curious (and which they have imitated in Spain) some that serv'd for Traffick: But whether the Medal stamp'd with the Head of that famous Queen, with a Reverse of an Horses Head, and inscrib'd with inexplicable Characters be authentick, is to be doubted.

The like may be said of the Phoenicians (as of the same race) of which some we have of Copper, bearing a fair resem­blance of the Samaritan Letter: Nor pass we by the Egyp­tian and Arabian, nor Greek of the lesser Asia, even before the Conquest of Alexander; which would be well and diligently consider'd, as of great Importance to the clearing of several Historical Passages: Forasmuch as the Greek and Roman have hitherto taken up almost the whole Study and Application of the curious in this sort of erudition, exclusive to all the rest.

To these in like manner belong the Persian or Daric, which being of Gold only, represent the Head of that great Prince, with sometimes a Sagittarius, or Bow-man on the Reverse; both these, and the Parthian bearing frequently a kneeling Figure, holding a Bow in one hand, and Dart or short Ja­velin in the other; is Revers'd with a Rowing Galley. Last­ly, to these we add

Barbarous, whether Antient or Modern, whose wretched­ly Ingraven work betrays their Pedigree, especially appearing [Page 21] mute and without Inscription, or any relation to good Hi­story.

We do not forget the German, &c. with what Ursmus and others' have plac'd next the Consular, under the Families Afraniae, bearing Characters resembling the antient Hetrusci: Those of the Goths, Huns, Lombards, &c. belong to this Class; as of Atalaricus, Totila, &c. with the Reverses of a rustic Cart or Wagon drawn by a pair of Horses, in base Metal and ruder Sculpture, very little improv'd even to the Time of Charles the Great, and many Ages after. Olaus Mag­nus, yet mentions divers of their Kings both in Gold and Sil­ver, as well as Copper, and some very large ones, from the time of Heraclius, when that truculent and savage People first invaded that glorious Empire: But of these, as we observ'd, many bear no Letters at all, and therefore of no Use or In­struction worth the looking after; but in the mean while, such as have, are not wholly to be slighted: For notwith­standing the Roman Empire had after all its grandeur suf­fered those deplorable Inundations, under the Gothic and o­ther barbarous Nations, we shall find the City of Rome still preserv'd her antient Elogies of INVICTA and AETERNA, &c. in her Coins and Medals: Nor of all her insolent Con­querors was there above one who so much as attempted to ra­vish that honor from her. Atulphus going about to change her Name (as did Adrian once that of old Ierusalem) from ROMA to GOTHIA in the Publick Money, with a Reverse of the old City, and Inscrib'd MEMORIA GOTHIAE, and in­stead of AUGUSTI, URBS ATULPHI. After all, could not the ambitious man obtain his end, her venerable Name emerg'd again, which she has kept to this day.

Of the Saracens (who likewise are to be censed a­mong the Barbarous) we meet with nothing, nor indeed of those we mentioned in any good Author who has made it his peculiar work.

Coins purely British we find in our learned Cambden, and industrious Speed, Cap. 10. and many my worthy Friend Dr. Plot has mentioned in his Natural Histories of Oxford and Staffordshires; and I have seen a Series of our antient Moneys (I dare say no counterfeits) from Edward Confessor, to our present times, Richard the Third excepted, which it has not been my hap to light upon, and 'tis probable the Mint might not be [Page 22] much imploy'd during the short Reign of that Usurper, which render them so rarely found. There is a small hollow Coin seeming to be Gold, but of a mixt or Obrize sort, which has on it a Horse, rudely design'd, with the Letters Conob, which some will needs have to signifie Constantinople; other, with good reason, some British Prince of ours: But as none of them pretended any Title (Constantine himself excepted, and British by his Mothers side) to the Eastern Empire, it is not agreed to whom it may belong: and what indeed if those who fancy it a British Prince have taken it for our Cunobelin? The very first of British Coin stamp'd Roman-like about the time of Augustus, representing two averse Faces, and in many of them an Horse: The mistake of one single Letter has often mislead wise Men into as great an error. Besides this, the renowned Voadicia, and sundry other Moneys (some without any Letters at all) are in the hands of the curious; since the British Kings, even under the Roman Government, were all along permitted to Stamp and Coin, which they sometimes made a little hollow on the Reverse; but wherein if any thing intitle them to History, it is the various Figures which one meets with of some Animal, Tree, or Plant, (par­ticularly ears of Corn) for distinction, as may be conjectu­red, according to the Nature or Species of the Tribute,Vide Cambd. Notar. ad by an Ordinance of Cesars: Brit. Numis. But those we mention not as Me­dals, most of them being in so small a Volume, with Heads and Reverses so vilely bungled, as do not pretend to the name of Sculpture, till about the time of our Henry VIII. from whence forward, 'tis almost miraculous, how wonder­fully it improv'd on the sudden by some Italians, Germans, and other Artists, who had been invited by that magnificient Prince, for the finishing of that sumptuous Tomb all of gilt Copper, design'd for Windsor, whereof you have the descrip­tion, as I remember, in my Lord Cherbury: And to what degree of perfection it is since ascended by our Symons, Hist. Hen. 8. Raw­lins, &c. of our own and other Countries, (and of Monsieur Roti especially) appears not only in our common and cur­rent Moneys, but in sundry noble Medals and Medalions for Work and Elegancy, emulous of the most celebrated An­tients; of which hereafter.

[Page 23] Of Saxons, Danes, and Normans, are extant many full-fac'd Princes, tho rarely with any tolerable or significant Reverse, yet sometimes endeavouring to present us the Gothic Front or Porch of some Church or Monastery, as one may see them pictured in King Alfreds Life with his Cypher, and in several of Charlemaines and his Successors.

Hitherto we have spoken of the most refin'd and precious Metals, Gold and Silver, with those of Copper and other mixtures, whilst Medals, even of the basest Lead, are some­times of good Antiquity, tho chiefly valued for, and during the Roman Saturnalia, at which times their Slaves kept holy­day, and were of Custom indulg'd to play the Masters: But at that any time Lead was current Money, we find no great likelihood; tho a passage in Plautus, and another of the Poet Martial seem to hint some such matter. One Me­dal indeed there is in Fulvius Pedaniae gentis, rarely any where else. But those Pieces which concern the Saturnalia have commonly stamp upon them a Swine, or some such Grotesque Figure, or odd Bird, without any profitable Relation to no­bler History, all Royal Coins being prohibited, whilst this Mock-Reign continu'd. Nothing all this jolly time but Lu­sus and Iocus; no body was to be serious, nor yet any thing spoken maliciously Abusive, or in cold and studied Railery, but ingenious Parodias and Wit upon the spot: And there­fore both at Athens and at Rome there was sometimes a Prize and a Garland given to the Person who made the wittiest Jest, during this relaxation, as may both be gathered out of Sophocles, Horace and others.

In these Liberatate Decembri, the Masters of the Family us'd themselves to serve at Tables, or at least sit Cheek by Jole with their Mancipia. Hence Lucian calls them Kings of the Table; of whose Election Arrianus on Epictetus, Lib. 1. [...] &c. Bochartus (in his Phaleg) pre­tends the Custom at least as antient as Noahs Malediction on Cham; that his Posterity should serve their Servants, and that the Usage was Universal. Nay Becanus says, 'twas begun in the Ark it self, upon the day of the Patriarchs first disco­very of the tops of the Mountains: The Jubilation of the Iews resembling something of such a Festival Relaxation. But returning to our Medal, 'tis not altogether improbable their ridiculous King, to render it the more fantastical, might [Page 24] be permitted to Mint this ignoble Money during his Reign, with the Name of his Patron, Office, Sport and Buffonry, somewhat resembling our Lord of Misrule at Christmas in the late Age of English Hospitality. A kind of Prince of the Grange, happening about the same idle Season of the year, when they were wont to sacrifice an Hog, as'tis still the chief­est time of slaughtering that impure Animal. A great deal more there might be added here concerning these Saturnalia, and other times of indulgence and diversions; their various Symbols, and other extravagancies, of which Authors give large accounts; as that they were instituted in memory of the Golden Age, when there was an universal Parity among all Mankind. Of the Feast in Babylon, observ'd in honor of the Goddess Dercetha, which lasting five days, the Masters were under the Dominion of their Servants; and one among them call'd the Sorgan or Prince, was wont to be Royally Vested. Human Sacrifices were at this time also offered, in after-Ages abolish'd by Hercules, and changed into Bone-fires, Illuminati­ons, and Properties made of wax, &c. Of the Synthesis or Garment the Masters wore, whilst they Feasted thus in com­mon. The Custom of sending Presents, Strenae, and New­Years Gifts, with a deal more which we pass over as foreign to our Subject. There is in the mean time this observable, that whenever we meet any Medal of this Grotesque and Biz­zar sort, one may conclude it a Saturnalia, as sometimes the Letters S. C. Saturni Consulto, or Consilio shews; having, as we noted, at this time of Carnival and Libertinism, permission to play Rex; say and do all kind of ridiculous Impertinences. Now and then we likewise meet with the C before S, which may perhaps alter the Legenda to Consuetudine, or Convivio Saturnalium, as Monsieur Baudelot conceives, or something to that tune.

But other Medals of this ludicrous Nature I find not, nor read I that those grave and heroical States imprest any, save upon grave and serious Occasions; Raillery in Medals was not then in use, however since degenerated, and serving to perpetuate as well all Acts of great Injustice and Inhuma­nity, as Revenge and ynsults. Indeed Indatyrsus a Scythian King, is reported to have sent Darius a Bird, a Frog, a Rat, and a Dart, intimating, that unless he could fly like a Bird, swim the River like a Frog, and get home again like a Rat, he [Page 25] not escape the Scythian Darts. And Boleslaus King of Poland sent one of his Palatines an Hare and a Distaff to reproach his Cowardise and Effeminacy. Of the same kind was that of the Dolphin of France, who sent to our Fifth Henry a Tun of Tennis Balls, as to a soft and idle Prince: But which he soon return'd with Bullets that made all France weary of the rude Play. But these were but transient Boasts, and for re­proof; nor find we any such sharp and provoking instances, on noble Medals which were lasting, and had been of evil consequence, to the keeping up of eternal Feuds, and glo­rying in Acts of Cruelty. Such as is that Medal of Pope Gre­gory the Thirteenth, Revers'd with the representation of those inhuman Butcheries committed on so many Thousands of innocent and brave Persons as perish'd in the Parisian Massa­cre; and another of like nature which we have lately seen, not only of the abolition of repeated Edicts against all that is sacred in Oaths and Obligations among Mankind; but the more savage Executions of the Dragoon Missions, expres­sing the several Modes of Conversion to the Catholick Church, by an ample Medalion, In perpetuam Rei Memoriam. Those who may imagine us partial in exaggerating either of these instances, may do well to read the description of the first, by that most impartial and illustrious Historian Thuanus; and for the latter, the present and daily sufferings of so many Thousands more of Loyal, Valiant, Learned and Noble Persons, and others, who 'tis impossible should all agree (in this dispersion) or be able to make the World believe, that all is mere Fable and Invention (as we are told by many) and that they are burnt alive, drag'd through the Streets, expos'd to Dogs and Vultures, chain'd to the Gallies, stript of all they have of secular, and live in Exile, whilst there is no such things done or suffered at all; and glad I should be to find this solidly confuted, which I confess as yet I have not.

Charles Emanuel Duke of Savoy (the same who not long after attempted Geneva by Scalado) easily seiz'd on the Mar­quisate of Saluces, during the Civil Wars of France; when elated with that success, the struck a Medal, which had in Reverse a Centaure trampling on a Gallic Crown, with this In­scription, OPPORTUNE. The Broils and Troubles in France being shortly after compos'd, Henry the Fourth sends an Army into Savoy, and quickly stript the haughty Duke, not only of that he had taken, but of all he else possess'd [Page 26] on this side the Alpes, requiting him with another Medal, on the Reverse of which was Hercules with his Club, treading under-foot the Centaure, with the word OPPORTUNIUS. These were noble and ingenious, and free from cruel and in­human.

To the Form of Medals belongs Impression and Figure of whatsoever kind. We begin with Heads, as best determi­ning and guiding the Series; and tho there is likewise some­thing to be expected on both Tables, and that now and then we find no Head at all, yet, for distinction sake, one side is call'd the Head, the other the Reverse. Medals without Reverse are never antique, but may without Head be good; as that of Augustus's Mint-Master, TRIB. POT. and ano­ther of Vitellius which has only two hands joined, with FIDES EXERCITUUM. The Reverse a Figure with CONCOR­DIA PRAETORIANORUM.

The naked and simple bare Head, and unadorned, was most antient, which tho usually signifying the Son, or A­doptive Heir, or of such as died before they came to Reign, (as Drusus, Germanicus, Aurelius, and others) yet we find some among them who were actually Emperors bare-headed: Nero, Galba, &c. and even Augustus himself, tho more fre­quently with a Laurel or Diadem; but which few, if any of the Cesars or presumptive Heirs, presum'd to wear, ex­cepting some of the Family of the Constantines; of which, and of several Coverings, more anon.

Seldom does the Ectype or Effigies (humerorum tenus) reach below the brest, and the more antient Medals shew only a naked neck, as if Eras'd or amputated from the shoulders, if farther, not much below them, rarely to the middle in Bust, or dressed in Armour, unless an Emperor, or some great Cap­tain, and that seldom, but more frequently with some small part of the Consular loose Garment, the Paludamentum, or Royal embroider'd Mantle, the Imperial Praetexta, or Mili­tary Chlamys, &c. for they had of old no distinguishing Ha­bit but the Purple Robe.

Ladies have their Peplus, a sort of slight Scarf, button'd or hasp'd on the Shoulder or right Arm a little under the Pap, as we commonly find the Ephesian Diana, and other female Statues.

[Page 27] But as to the Face, seldom or very rarely meet we with the full Countenance, or so much as what Painters call the three quarter or Philip Face, but in Profile only, excepting in Reverses, where sometimes many small Figures meet, and where in the antient Greek, or modern Roman Medals we find them Bearded, as those of Brutus, Hadrian, first of all the Caesars (for they generally shav'd close before) Trajanus; two or three of the good Emperors following, and in some of Post­humus; but Iulian Affectedly, I mean not nicely, but that he might appear like a Philosopher, for which he was de­rided by those of Antioch, and afterwards sufficiently re­venged himself. And indeed most of the antient Kings of Rome were barbati, nor left they off that grave mode, till a good while after, Barbers being interdicted and expelled the City. All the Parthian Kings were Pogonati, wearing pro­lix Beards; so did several of the Greeks, Demetrius, and others of the Seleucid Family, tho with only a Lanugo about the Chin. Many of the Philosophers also Bearded, as we find Plato in a certain Reverse of Augustus.

In some again we meet Capita adversa, Face against Face, as in that Medal of Severus, and the Empress Domna. Others Aversa, Poll to Poll, but more frequently Iugata, or Iuncta rather, as in that of Cleopatra and Antiochus VIII. Nero and Agrippina, as in some of our Kings and Queens formerly and at present: And the Dii Penates also were with two Heads, and some had Faces and Heads on both sides, as Antoninus Philoso­phus; nay some were stamp'd with Three; for so we find Valerian with Gallious and his Brother; Otacilla with her Hus­band and Son; but indeed these encounters are not frequent.

Nor do they only give us Heads, but we likewise very often light on Medals representing the full length of the Bo­dy and Person, in proportion to the Field or Table; such especially as represent some Deity, discovered by their Symbola and places of Worship, of which not a few among the Im­perials and Cities born in the Reverse. Some of these are in the posture of sitting, Vested, and so exquisitely designed to the Life, as easily to be known; as in some of Hadrian, M. Aure­lius, Severus: Others like Demy-Gods and Genius's, in honor of their divine Virtues; nay, two, three or more Figures, as in that Medal of the three famous Sisters Agrippina, Dru­silla and Iulia, &c. but such indeed are hardly to be distin­guished by their Effigies; and yet has Monsieur Roti (Gra­ver [Page 28] to his late Majesty Charles II.) so accurately express'd the countenance of the Dutchess of R— in the Head of Britannia, in the Reverse of some of our Coin, and especially in a Me­dal, as one may easily, and almost at first sight, know it to be her Grace: And tho in smallest Copper, both for the Per­sons represented, and performance of the Artist, such as may justly stand in competition with the antient Masters; to name only those which he has made Medalions, Gold and Sil­ver of the largest Volume. Indeed such care was taken that no bungler, or but moderate Workman should be employ'd on these occasions heretofore; That tho some Emperors and Empresses did now and then affect to be dress'd and disguis'd like Deities, a skilful Artist (by comparing them with other Coins, the Descriptions and Characters in Suetonius, Plutarch and others, who have written their Lives) may without difficul­ty know by their countenances, whether their Faces were done by Fancy, or (as Painters speak) after the Life. But of this see the learned Seguins Epistle to Gottofred, De Num­mis Pompeianis. Whilst in my opinion (Monsieur Vaillant on­ly excepted) his Sculptor has approach'd nearest to the Ar­chetype and original Medal, of most I have seen; nor are those of AEneas Vicus, and De Bries Cesars far short. 'Tis pity there had not been the like care taken by other more gene­ral Authors who have adorn'd their ample Treatises on this Subject with the Burin.

We come now to the Greeks, of all others the most ve­nerable for Antiquity, and long before Rome was a City, tho not at first the most elaborate; and therefore whether justly to the so perfect resemblance of the Effigies they present us with, I dare not stipulate, when they offer us Tmolus, Ar­chelaus, and go beyond Amyntas, and the yet more antient Heros: But from thence arriving to that perfection of skill, as I doubt not but we may safely rely upon those of his Son Philip, and Grandson Alexander; the Seleucidae so accurately described, and set forth in stamp by the learned Vaillant, tho they pretend to Ages long before; nor need we much to question those which we find of the Republicks in general, and some particular Cities, with their Names and Characters, or their Kings and Magistrates, whose Heads are frequently Radiant like the Gods in whatever Metal, under the names of Drachma and Stater, or what other denomination we have al­ready mention'd.

[Page 29] These Regal Heads with the word [...], are com­monly dress'd with a Diadem, wreathed strap or fillet about the Temples, the ends of which usually (not always) hang dangling behind the knot; and some without any Diadem or Rays at all, but bearing some other Symbol; as in that Cidaris of Tigranes. Others we find Gemmated and Studded, as in that of Constantines, and sometimes with a Cask set with a rank of Pearl, being, I think, one of the first who wore Jewels in his Diadem, instead of the more antient plain Rib­bon, or simple Launel (laid afterwards aside, as having rela­tion to the Heathen Gods) and granted first to the first Ce­sar, as a mark of the highest Honor, as well as to hide and shade the thinness of his hair. For the Kings of the Romans never wore a Diadem, but carried a Scepter or Spear; and there­fore where we meet any of them Diadem'd, as Numa, An­cus Martius, &c. to be sure they were stamp'd long after their decease. Others also of the Bass-Empire, and some of the Empresses, we also find with Diadems and Crown'd, (but not before) and set on their Heads with great and devout Ceremony, when they became Christian; as now at our Coronations. The younger Iustin being the first who put it on the day of In auguration, and therefore not at all essen­tial to the Title of Soveraignty, several Kings using none at all.

Other Victorial Ensigns were the Obsidional, Mural, Ro­stral, Isthmian and Agonal; (usually held in their Hands) but indeed as Emblems rather in memory of some bold Exploit and military Service, than properly solid Crowns: And in­deed naturally, and ab Origine, Garlands, and Chaplets, made of the Leaves of Trees, as of Oak (ob Cives Servatos) common Grass, Lotus, Smallage, &c. were of highest Repute; which, how plaited and made up, see in a Reverse of Nero, Hadrian, and some other Medals. In the mean time that which Augustus gave to Agrippa upon his naval Victory, was of massy Gold; and such as we find on the Heads of Deities, local Gienius's; Expugnators or Protectors of Cities, Castles, and the like, are Turrited, but none of them so antique in Medal as the naked and natural Head alone, without any ornament, till (as we noted of the Romans) fauning Syco­phants began to flatter ambitious Princes, attributing Divine Honors and Titles to mortal men. For those Rayes we so [Page 30] frequently find about their Heads, were doubtless marks of the splendor which they fancied to be Emanations invironing the Celestial Being, (whence Painters Radiate the Heads of Saints,) or from some Tradition of the lustre and shining of Moses's Face, after he was descended from his forty days Con­versation with Almighty God. For however our Interpre­ters, St. Hierom, nay Grotius favour the Cornuta facies; and thence our Painters represent this great Legislator with Horns; the mistake without question sprung from that Homonymia Vo­cis, [...] Karn, xxxiv. Ex­odus 19. [...] (whence the Latin Cornu) importing a Ray or Beam of Light, Majesty, Strength, Power, &c. The thing indeed was the splendor and brightness issuing from the Countenance of that extraordinary Person; as we observe that the Rays of the Sun appear pointed, reflecting from any bright and polish'd Metal. But to put this difficulty beyond dispute, that they were real and solid Beams, (Horns in good earnest) 'tis reported, they not long since shew'd one of these very Horns of Moses in the Treasury of Reliques at St. Marcellus; and a yet more rare and illustrious Sight than this,Mons. Mis­sions Voyage d' Italie, p. 38. namely, one of the Beams of that miraculous Star, which we read of, lighted and conducted the Three Wise Men to Bethlehem: But, it seems, they are both of them now va­nish'd, so as the Controversie still remains undecided. But to be serious, be it one or other, Horn or Beams, 'tis not un­likely this might be deriv'd by the Gentiles from the Hebrews, who grounded almost all their Fictions upon that obscure Nation, however disdaining to acknowledg their Plagia and Thefts from a People reputed so very despicable, and little known in the World. And 'tis observable, (not to insist on Meneves, by some thought to be this signal Prophet, ador'd by the Egyptians) that their Iupiter Hammon, and Bacchus, (both Compatriots) were the first which we find thus repre­sented in antient Medal.

Thus when Alexander the Great had subdu'd that Nation, we meet him frequently Diadem'd with two conspicuous Horns, denoting his Empire over the Oriental World. But this in Transitu. The Reader who has a desire to see more on this Subject, may be furnish'd with abundance of Erudition in the learned Spanhemius, and other Critics. I only note, that altho those radiated Circles have since been bar'd, and made to close at the top, covering the whole Head; to which the [Page 31] Emperor Iustinian first added a Cross, and Phocas another to the Scepter (as now our European Kings do wear them) the Cu­stom is yet altogether modern, nor at all so glorious and he­roic, as when the simple Diadem or Laurel impal'd the Con­querors Brows, unless out of reverence it were to leave the glory and beams of Light to God alone, the Author of it; For that they were first of all appropriate to the Deities; those of Rhodes, Tenedos, Trapezuntia, and divers capital Ci­ties, radiated their Apollo and the Gods whom they worship­ped; since most of the Syrian and Egyptian Medals represent these Beams darting up as it were out of their very Skulls, and through the hair oftentimes, without any apparent Cir­cle, in which one must else imagine their Bases to be fix'd: But thus, as we said, it belong'd only to that God. Of this the most remarkable is that Medal of Antiochus Theos, whom they call'd God, and to whom accordingly they built and dedicated Temples, erected Altars, Statues, and ordained Priests, nay, and armed some of their Idoliz'd Princes with Thunder-bolts; as did the Athenians their Timon; and of late the egregious Flatterers of a neighbour King, whom they have resembl'd to the Sun in all his Glory, and that in no fewer than seventy seven Medals and Inscriptions. But to leave this blazing Comet a while:Ursinus in Fam. Rom. We find an Head in Gentle Plau­tiâ whose Rays seem pointed and tip'd with Pearl, not un­like the Coronets of our Earls; but the Custom was not as­sum'd and taken up by the Romans till after they begun to court their Emperors with the Style of Divi, to whom not only upon Apotheoses and Consecrations after their decease,Florus l. 4. c. 2. (Nero being the first who assumed the Ray'd Crown before) but even during their Lives they us'd the same adulations and superstitious Rites: Nor these alone to their first Cesar (who suffered likewise the same Devotions to be paid him with the Gods; and his Radiated Statues to be plac'd both in Tem­ples and Theatres) but to that affected Antoninus, Helagaba­lus rather (as his Syrian Name imports) who call'd himself the Sun, and even to some of the ambitious Pro-Consuls, of which frequently we meet the first in Medals of Augustus, Tiberius and Caligula, tho not so generally before those divine Honors were arrogated DEO. AUGUSTO. NEPON. [...], &c. Nor did this Pagan Relique last but till the time of Constan­tine the Great's Conversion, and that he totally abolish'd their [Page 32] impious Rites; for until then we meet both that renowned Emperor and his Sons, with Radiations, and flattered with Consecrations: Nor truly was it since wholly so laid aside, but that several of his Successors made bold to put them on again, and wear them in their Medals and Medalions, as far as down to Arcadius, Honorius, and lower yet among the Greeks, where we meet them with a certain Nimbus or Glory about their Heads, as in Monkish Manuscripts and antient Altar­Pieces we find the Saints depicted. It is indeed reported, as if Constantine (even after he had embrac'd the Christian Faith) ordered the Radiant Crown to be set on that famous Por­phyritic Column, which he caus'd to be transported to his new Rome from the old; and I remember Philostorgius tells us, that besides Wax Tapers, there was both Victims and Sacrifices offered to it,Ex Vales. in Philostorg. excerp. even by some superstitious Christians; but the Credit of that Historian, we know, is not over-great. That they set up lights, nay and kneeling before it, implo­ring help and healing of their Infirmities, both Photius, Theo­dorit and Nicephorus affirm; whilst, as to the other, the mi­stake has been discovered; that Statue having been made long before by the hand of the famous Phidias to represent Apollo, and by no means for that Religious Emperor, tho he hono­red it with his Name, after he had caus'd to be inclosed within it (as they write) some of the Nails which his Mo­ther Helen is, we know, reported to have miraculously dis­covered with the real Cross, some time before. But to dis­patch this matter; we do not only in Medals meet with Princes Radiant like Gods, but with all other circumstances of Deity. So Iulian was represented like Serapis, and others we find often in their company; Apollo in the Reverses of Augustus; Domitian with Pallas; with Commodus, Hercules; Hadrian with Romulus; Maximianus with Mars; Dioclesian with Iupiter &c. And as these haughty Emperors, so their Em­presses, Daughters, Neeces and Misses to be sure, would come in for their share, affecting the Garb, Attire, and Symbola of Goddesses, and sometime Priestesses, as did Antonia the Wife of Drusus Nero.

Pliny mentions an amorous Painter who drew all his Mi­stresses to represent some Deess; for which Iustin Martyr re­proaches the Pagans worshipping their Courtezans. What would that holy Man now have said to those Christians who [Page 33] not only set up, and inthrone their Misses Pictures over their Altars, to represent the B. Virgin with the Babe in her Arms, but kneel and pay their Devotions to them. But so Painters with Poetic liberty, Quidlibet Audendi— set up, and inshrine these fair sinners as so many Idols. And thus we have Cleopatra dress'd like Diana, Sabina the Wife of Hadrian like to Iuno, Faustina with Venus; as in another rare Medal we see her mounted upon a Pegasus, carrying her up to the Clouds, and so of others, all of them marks of Deification; for such in Medals are those who appear veil'd, and with Stars, Altars, Temples and Eagles perching on them, Peacocks, the Phoenix, Elephants, Mules, and Chariots drawn by Lions and the like.

Let us now descend again to the Barbarous: The Par­thian, Armenian, and Persian Monarchs, had their distinct Crowns; some of which resembl'd the Episcopal Miter, or Thiara: Nor was it new, since there are Medals that present us Cesar, and others of the Emperors, arrogating pontifical Dignity, and sacerdotal Offices, with their veil'd Heads, us'd by both Sexes, and not seldom with the Lituus, Patera, Sistrum, Silphium, and other sacred Utensils and Characters of Priestly Function and Augurie; Mercuries Petasus was wing'd; Vulcan, and the Cyclops Caps were without brim; and Castor and Pollux had a Star by them. The Phrygian Bonet was what the Polonians use at present, or rather the Venetians Doge: Nor seldom meet we both sexes Headed (shall I say, or Hooded with the spoils of Lions, Wolves and Panthers; some with the Tusks and Promuscis of an Elephant; others in Casks cristed with the Horns of Rams, Goats, Bulls, and other Animals of the Herd, which now and then are wing'd, denoting fortitude, terror, sublimity of Mind, expedition in Affairs; or the Monsters they had subdu'd, which divers Hero's and Emperors would be represented by, in imitation of Alcides, the brawny Commodus fancying himself descended from him, Iupiter Hammon, and others of the Gods and God­desses. For as to Horns, which at this day but to name alone in Spain, would indanger ones Life, (but which the most il­lustrious of the German Families, and noblest, bear so fre­quently on their Cimiers and Crests) it seems the Cornuted Head was no such Character and Mark of Ignominy, as the learned Spanheim shews in that Passage of his excellent Work, De usu, & Praestantia Numismatum, which tho not so very pertinent to our [Page 34] Argument, is yet very entertaining, and worthy a curious Reader.

To conclude, (and before we leave the Imperial Diadem) we shall find some, even among our Saxon Kings, wearing the Regal Circle after the manner of the Greeks. Edward the Confessor had of early days a Barr'd Crown; but most con­spicuous is that of Edward the Fourth. How would a neigh­bour Monarch have boasted this, whose Predecessor Lewis the Twelfth, had but a single Bar Arch'd over his Crown, a­bout the year 1500, wearing only a Cap or Bonnet before (as testifie his Coins stamp'd at Milan, Genoa, Naples, &c.) till he Marry'd our Henry the Eighths Sister, who afterwards Espoused Charles Brandon. Henry the Third brought the clos'd Crown into Poland, soon imitated by the Swedes: Philip of Spain took it not till after his Marriage with Queen Mary of England; and Maximilian Grandfather to Charles the Fifth (and Great Grandfather of Philip) first wore an Arch over a Ducal Coronet. A little after which Iames the Fourth, upon his Marriage with Margarite Daughter to our Henry the Seventh, Barr'd the Crown of Scotland; and the Kings of Denmark not until after Christian IV. made his Brotherly Visit to our King Iames the First: But that of Portugal was first worn by Iohn Bragança, late Father to the most Serene and virtuous Queen Dowager. From all which instances it appears, that the Monarchs of England were of the First in Christendom that pretended to the Arched Crown. And as for the French, till their First Francis, they were for the most part contented with an open Flowry Bordure only, little different from the Ducal Coronet, which some of the Saxons had of Silver, and others wore the copped Helmet (as Cnutus the Great) Miter-like. But more of Crowns see in a Disseration of M. de Cange. Whilst by the way we cannot but take notice of what we meet with in the famous Donative, pretended to be from the Great Con­stantine; wherein, among other particulars, which Impostors would obtrude on the World for authentic, (but which has unluckily discover'd the fraud) this is one; that from him it is the Bishop of Rome claims the Dignity of wearing a Crown of Gold, like to that of Kings and Emperors, &c. Whereas all the learned World who have any knowledge in Medal and good History can tell; that there was never any such Crown, nor any other us'd by the Emperor himself, till Theodosius; but they were content with a plain and simple Diadem or Coro­net. [Page 35] Nor is it likely, that the Popes who were then, and many Ages after, but Subjects to the Emperor, should be dignified not with one alone, but with a Triple Crown, which notwithstanding they did not yet presume to take up till near Four Hundred Years after; nor indeed so much as a single Crown, until about the Reign of Charles the Bald. But as they grew in Power and Usurpation, arrogated this proud Ensign to rank, nay to advance, themselves above all Kings and Emperors. Tis true, Constantine wore his Diadem or Fil­let, studded with a double row of Pearls and precious Stones (not unlike some Hatbands which persons of Quality now and then yet wear) whilst the Princes his Predecessors, had more Majorum, but a simple Purple Ribbon, Strap or Infula tied about their Temples, as we have already shew'd. So much then for that Fourb of the Triple Crown and Donative, exploded by all ingenious Writers even of that Commu­nion.

But neither did the Heads alone of those great Princes bear the Ensigns of Imperial Majesty, but their Hands likewise; which we often see in Medals, holding as well the Orb or Mund, as the Sword and Scepter, upon the top whereof sate an Eagle, till, as we noted, Phocas plac'd the Cross; when arm'd with Helmet and Shield, they commonly held a Javelin in their Hand, or on the Shoulder, or that array'd in Consular Robes (as are most of the Constantinopolitan Em­perors) they sway'd the Scepter, till the Bas-Empire exchang'd it for the [...] or Ferula, as did the antient Greeks; or a roll of Parchment, like to what we see in the hands of Con­suls, tho really what it is, is not yet determined. But that the Scepter is seen in antient Coins, we find it in the hand of the Great Augustus, represented in his whole Figure, and so in that of Roma; and where Vespasian delivers, as it were, the Empire to his Son Titus; and in those more rare Medals of Pertinax, from Hadrian very often, even to Charles the Fifth, investing his Son Philip in that of Spain and the Netherlands.

Now in collecting such Imperial Heads as presum'd to take on them the Marks and Ensigns of the chief, and major Deities; those of the minor Gods, and Tutelar Genius's, &c. are to be distinguish'd and plac'd after them. Next fol­low (accompanied sometimes with some fierce or strange Beast, Elephant or Dragon) the reputed Demy-Gods, Hero's and [Page 36] famous Captains, such as Alexander, Cyrus, Scipio, Hanibal, &c. The antient Legislators, Philosophers, and other renowned Persons, supposing we had the true Effigies of them (as I fear we have but few) distinguished for their Virtues, and the great Figure they made in the World: For it was not permit­ted every body to have their Effigies honoured in Medal; they were scrupulously and nicely jealous of it, and so very frugal of prostituting that Privilege, that it was (like Crimen Pecu­latus) almost capital for any, save the Prince and chief Magi­strate, so much as to be seen in Metal without special leave and indulgence; so as even the Kings of Persia themselves were with difficulty permitted to stamp their own Effigies on Silver only. Hence are we told of Ariadnes, being punished by Darius, tho Praefect of Egypt; and that Commodus condemn'd Perennius; Severus Plautianus. Nor had the Consuls, or Roman Citizens themselves, this Immunity during their Magistracy, or whilst they were alive, till Iulius Cesar rather usurp'd than fair­ly obtain'd it; and yet when Augustus after all this, us'd it mo­destly, 'twas look'd on as a novelty: nor find we any of the first Cesars single and alone in the Grand Bronze and larger Medals; those of that great Princes Head in Reverse, being Coined after his decease, none among them all had any proper Medal save Agrippa only, that was struck in his life-time by order of the Senate, S. C. which indeed was done, tho he was neither Emperor nor Cesar: For that of Drusus Nero Son of Tiberius, was not Coined till after his Death, by his Son Claudius's command: And as to that of either Scipio's Tri­umphs (if at least that which Benedictus Bacchinus has lately given the Type and Account of to Signior Magliabequo be a genuine Piece) it may happly pass for one of the very first, which for their great and extraordinary Services (even to the saving Rome it self) the Republick might give Indulgence to. And if any since had been so presumptuous (as where we find the Heads of Metellus, Lucullus, Regulus, Iunius Brutus, Sylla, Pompey, and some of the rest) one is not to imagine them struck in their days, but by stealth, and such as were of the Republick Party, or by some Descendant, or Relation who happen'd to be Master of the Mints, who frequently set their own Heads and Names, under protection of some Deity, with Reverses of their Actions, and as Monuments of their An­cestors, and to do them Honor. Hence the Families of the [Page 37] Aemilii, M. Lepidus, Pont. Max. Vested like a Consul, in the Action of Crowning the young Ptolomy.

They durst not yet (as we observ'd) appear in Stamp till after their decease, when (perhaps being Coin'd in some o­ther Country or Province) they thus stole abroad by degrees, and then too in a time of disorder,Ursini prae­fat. ad Fam. Rom. during the Civil Wars, when the Laws were suspended, and every one did what they pleas'd. For whilst the Republick flourish'd (as now the United Netherlands represent their Commonwealth by a Vir­gin holding a cap of Liberty, and a sheaf of Arrows) the Ro­mans rarely made use of any Figure on their Coins, than (as we noted) that of their Tutelars, the Image of Rome like a Galeated Lady or Virgin in a flowing Vest, with Castor and Pollux, Victoria, &c. on the Reverse, as we see in those Consular Medals, (so nam'd because struck during the time of their Government) till Cesar (as we said) invaded all their Privileges, and brake the Rule, by impressing not only his own Effigies, but giving Licence to his Favourites and Mi­nions, as well as to his Kindred, and even to Women, Wives, and Concubines.

Thus we find (besides divers Empresses) Brutus with Ce­sar, Mark Antony and Cleopatra, Lepidus and Augustus, &c. What were afterwards stamp'd by the Greeks and other Na­tions, was out of pure Flattery to the Romans, now become their Masters; whilst in the mean time such Medals of theirs as we find in Gold, were for the most part the Heads of their own Emperors. I say, before the Roman Conquests, in­stances of which were the Effigies of Abgarus King of Edessa, in complement to Septimius Severus, and some few be­sides.

Thus far of single Heads. There are some Medals which (as we noted) present us with Two Heads, either on the same, or opposite side; of which one of them is almost constant­ly the Princeps Iuventutis, or design'd to Empire (excepting such as we meet with of M. Aurelius, and Commodus of the high Empire) distinguish'd easily by the word CAESAR, without addition of Augustus.

Here then comes in that of Ianus Bifrons, or rather Saturn (by which the Romans seem to dispute with the Greeks for precedency in point of Medals) whom some will have to be the Patriarch Noah figur'd by Ianus, to whom they attribute the [Page 38] first Coining of Money. The Romans indeed made a Ship the Symbol of Saturn, feigning him and his Wife Rhea to proceed from Oceanus and Thetis, and that they were brought into Italy by Sea. Others, that in recompence of his hospi­table Reception he taught him (besides the Art of Hus­bandry) the Use of Money; before which it had no Stamp or Impression upon it. In Recognition whereof, he joyn'd the Head of Saturn with his own in a Medal, Revers'd with the Ship which conducted him,1 Fastor. whence that of Ovid;

Hence Macrobius's double-fac'd Ianus, and the Caput and Navis, (the Cross and Pile, Heads and Women, of our Boys play) comprehending both Tables of the Medal: The truth is, 'tis rather a double Face, than a double Head, one Head serving for both, looking several and contrary ways. But why the antient Coin bare [...] and [...] on the Reverse and Adverse parts, Plutarch gives ample account in favour of Saturn, Plut: [...] & Quaest. Rom. for the ex­cellent and useful Things he introduced: For there were others that came into Italy by Sea, as Evander, Aeneas, &c. who brought nothing with them relating to Arts or Manners, to be compar'd to what the Historian recounts of Saturn; which therefore some will needs ascribe to Noah, and the Ship to his Ark; which they deduce from that which the As­syrians report of their King Xisutherus about the time of Sa­turn, the prediction of the Flood, Fabrication of such a Ves­sel, and other Circumstances; as namely the sending forth, and return of certain Birds to explore the temper of the Earth, &c. Add to this the Apamean Medal of Septimius Severus, whose Re­verse was a Ship, with a Man and a Woman looking out of a Cabin Window, and a pair of Doves with Branches in their Bills; a considerable presumption at least of the Tradition of that dreadful Cataclysm, deriv'd to the Heathen World, doubtless from the true History thereof in Genesis, as is at large discuss'd by the learned Bochartus. I know there is another with almost the same Reverse, Phaleg. l. 1, c. 1. bearing the Head of the Emperor Philip, (concerning whose being a Christian there's no small dispute) with this only difference, of Four Persons appearing in the Vessel. But after all this, it is upon fair Conjecture thought [Page 39] rather to represent the good Intelligence and Commerce which there was between those of Alexandria and the City Apamea, which Place, and Country all about it, receiv'd their supplies of Corn out of Egypt. The mistake of both (who would have it relate to the Patriarch) without question proceeding from the dividing of the Superscription [...] and [...] as it were under-written; which when join'd together and read backwards, the [...] made [...], namely, those of Alexandria.

As for the [...] signifying Apamea, it was (as we said) the Apotheca and Corn Magazine of the Country. The four Men representing the Inhabitants, or perhaps Merchants be­longing to either City; and lastly, the Dove and Olive Branch, the Symbolum of Peace, Amity, and good Correspondence between them; which likely Interpretation vacates all Mr. Fal­coniers Conjectures, and indeed all that is any where con­tended for about it. Nor were the like Correspondences and strict Alliances at all unusual, bearing the word OMONOIA, as in that Medal of Sardis and Ephesus, Smyrna and Perga­mo, &c. In the mean time to return to the Ship; this is remarkable, that the Romans us'd no other Reverse than the Ratis or Prow, as long as they continu'd to Stamp and Coin only Copper; that is, till they made use of Gold and Silver, which was (as we have shew'd) five hundred years after the Foundation of the City.

But to dismiss this Pretence, and Challenge concerning An­tiquity, and their Cythical Inferences. 'Tis certain the Roman Medals are most worthy our Collection, as not only easier to be obtained, but best understood, as they are commonly di­stinguished by Consular and Imperial; and of which there are found Coins of all the usual Metals and Models.

Among the Consular and Roman Families, a Series of the most Antient of the Latin (usually in Silver in the smaller Volume, but some in Copper of all sizes) appears to be of large extent, amounting to no less than fourteen or fifteen hundred, without comprehending any, tho since call [...]d Con­suls (even as far down as to Iustinian) having the Name on­ly without the Power. The true and genuine Medal reaches no farther than to the Decadence of the Republick, and in­deed have little remarkable in them till the Imperial began, as bearing only those badges we have already mentioned. [Page 40] But among these (I mean the Consular) we sometimes meet with other Nations Diadem'd Kings, as of the last Macedonian Philips, Iugurtha, and several other famous Persons; both the Brutus's, Metellus, Marcellus, Regulus, Sylla, Pompey, La­bienus, &c. for the most part Silver, with some Medalions both Greek and Roman. The like of the Imperial also, inscrib'd with both those learned Characters, and that as far as from Pompey to Posthumius of the Latin, or as some, down to the Thirty Tyrants, and of the Greek to Heraclius, about which time the most valuable Collections usually determine. How­ever the curious may, if they please, continue their search e­ven to the Reign of Bajazet, who set a period to that once renowned Empire: And tho they are in no sort comparable for Sculpture or Design, yet belong they to the History, and are on that account worth the small expence.

I shall not need repeat, that under the Emperors there were also struck divers Medals in honor of other famous Men, who were not concerned in the Political Government; we have nam'd Pythagoras of Apulia, and more of that rank, not for­getting the Impostor Apollonius, and several others; of which hereafter. But thus you may observe, and by what has been already spoken of the Origin and Progress of Medals, and from their rude beginnings, perfection, decadency and revi­val, how they still kept pace with the Commonwealth, State and Empire; which falling out in the Gothic Revolution, or time of the Heruli, may from that Aera be reckon'd the Bar­barous Period; of which the most Modern concern Europe only, (for we meet with nothing considerable elsewhere of this nature,) and are of recent Stamp: But thence indeed begin­ning a fresh to discover some glimmerings of new Day, name­ly, about the Fourteenth Century, when about fifteen Years after, were Coin'd and dispers'd, the memorable Effigies, Martyrdom, and Predictions of Iohn Huss, &c. from which time forwards were divers Medals made in France, and other Countries, on sundry occasions. But what we find more antient than those we first mention'd, are generally to be suspected, unless such as served for Money only, and of lesser model, till those of the Roman Pontif, which began to appear with Pope Martin, An. 1417. since which there are spawn'd innumera­ble fry of Papal Medals and Medalions; for such I call those of the Cardinals, famous Bishops, and Ecclesiastick Courtiers, [Page 41] Nepoti, &c. who have had the ambition of Medals.

Cardinal Francis Barbarini (late Nephew to Pope Urban VIII.) design'd to have made a Series of all the Popes, from S. Pe­ter in Medal, from whatever Image or Representation he could hear of in Statue, Picture, or Monument, to assist the Invention of the Sculpto [...]; but the Favorite dying before it could be executed, that Collection remains imperfect. We have yet from P. Martin, and, I think, all his Successors since, to the present Bishop. But it was Paul the Second, who about Fifty Years after (others say Sixtus the Fourth) was the first who imitating, or emulating rather, the Roman Emperors, caus'd his Effigies to be Stamp'd in Medal, tho they Coined Money before.

Lewis the Twelfth of France followed his Holiness; for 'tis certain, that before his Reign for near a Thousand Years, that is, from Charles the Great, there was very rarely found the Head of a French King so much as in Coin; and then came up the Testoons, (or Heads) as still they call them, tho, as if they endeavoured to supply that defect, they have ren­der'd the present Monarch as cheap as Counters, every Stone­wall and Sign post bearing the Head and Effigies of Lodovi­cus Magnus, radiated like a young Apollo.

And now that we have mention'd Counters (Computatio per Calculos) so denominated from their help in Supputation, and much in use about 400 years past, and still in constant Practice in France (especially in all transitory Reckonings among the Vulgar, besides what Gamesters use at Cards, &c.) so in­credible has been the variety for the Subject and Emblem, as has amounted to at least Two Thousand several Designs and Fancies, bearing the Heads and Effigies, Arms, Cyphers and Devices of Kings, Princes, and other illustrious Persons; some in Silver, (but for the most part in Brass and blanch'd Metal) seldom in Copper; and others which I have seen accurately Printed in Horn, Tortoise shell, &c. This Spawn of Coun­ters, or Mock Medals, began about the time of Francis the First, simple and without Figure, as serving for Calculation only; but afterwards they were curiously Mill'd, and some of them not without elegant Sculpture. Nor did the Spa­niards long abstain from vindicating by Counters, the vast Do­minion of that once fastidious, now declining Monarchy, when, according to the boasting Genius of that Nation, Philip the Fourth not long since vaunted in a Counter, what the Indies had [Page 42] brought him, with his HIC. TAGUS. ET. GANGES. but which soon after Lewis the Thirteenth paid him in Kind and Coin, by a Reverse wherein there was an Olive-Tree em­brac'd by a Vine, and ripe Corn growing underneath, with the same Motto, intimating, that the great Fertility of France, so far exceeded that of Spain, as brought not only all that the Indies produc'd, but preserved Spain it self from starving.

Asking pardon for this trifling Digression. I shall not insist on any other Collection of this nature, tho I cannot but ap­prove of any thing relating to good Antiquity and Art; among which come in Talismans and Sculps in Gemms, especially the Onyx, Sardonyx, Achat, Cornelian, &c. to be reckoned among Intaglia, and other precious Furniture of the Cabinet, Dacty­lotheca, and peculiar Gazae of Princes, and curious Persons (such as was Iacomo Maria Favi, who, when he could not purchase the Originals themselves, procur'd the Impressions of innumerable choice Things, descending even to modern Seals, &c.) divers of them truly Antient, others pretending to Astrological Secrets, Names, and extravagant Figures, re­puted to be of Magical Energy and Power, by vertue of their Character: Some of the great Elixir, and others to be worn as Phylacteries and Periapta, of high Veneration and Use among the Arabs, Egyptians, and other Eastern People; as sundry Incantated Medals and Baubles, are at this day among the no less superstitious and ignorant Christians: Populus vult decipi.

And here, whilst that magnanimous Prince the Duke of Savoy is in danger of so unmerciful an Enemy, as burns and destroys wherever his Armies come (by a barbarity exceeding the most Savage Nations we have mentioned) I cannot but apprehend the possible Fate of that invaluable Collection of Pyrrhus Ligorius, containing in twenty six Folio's an Infinity of Draughts of Medals, Inscriptions, Relievos, &c. with innu­merable other Monuments of both Greek and Roman Anti­quities, besides six other Volumes Geographical, purchased by one of those illustrious Princes at the price of eighteen Thousand Ducats, together with the famous and original Mensa Isiac, which the learned Pignorius has Interpreted. Of this kind and subject are those four noble Volumes of Duke Alberts of Bavaria, bestow'd upon (and now kept in the Archives of) the Royal Society, by their late munificent Bene­factor the Duke of Norfolk: De Consularibus, Numismatis, &c. [Page 43] containing the Images and Effigies of the Roman Kings, Con­suls, Dictators, Knights, Tribunes, and other great Officers, and Circumstances of Antiquity, from the Foundation of the City, to Iulius Caesar, so accurately Design'd, and in large, as may greatly conduce to the assistance and information of a studious Medalist.

And now after all we have said of Heads and Effigies, what would one not give for the true Picture of the Hero's, Heroines, and other illustrious Persons whom we have men­tion'd, and that have made such a noise in the World?

What for Cecrops, Cadmus, Theseus, Evander, Agamemnon, He­ctor, Ulysses, Priamus, Menelaus, Archelaus, Simonides, Ari­stodemus, Aristides, Themistocles, Miltiades, Alcibiades, Critolaus, Agathocles, Epaminondas, Agesilaus? (who never would suffer his Picture to be drawn,Cic. Epist. ad Luccei­um. nor Statue made of him, and therefore the more desirable;) What for Thrasybulus, Pelopidas, Codrus, Conon, Lysimachus, Lysander, Leonidas, Hannibal, I­phicrates, Seleucus, and the rest of the Captains of the Great Alexander? What for Cimon, Pisistratus, Pyrrhus, Hie­ron, Asdrubal, Hamilcar, Massinissa, Cassander, Sapor, Porus, Artabanus, Mithridates, Ariston, Epimenides, and the rest of the Archontes, &c. What for the Legislators, Lycurgus, Solon, Dra­co, Charondas? For Antenor, Romulus, Numa, Tullus, Ancus, Scaevola, Duillius, T. Manlius, Regulus, Marcellus, Quintus Cincinnatus? The Fabii, Coriolanus, Aemilius? The Scipio's, Gracchi, Metellus, Caius Marius, Appius Claudius, the Cato's, M. Portius and Uticensis, Brutus, Crassus, Lucullus? What for Cicero, Q Hor­tensius? What for Zoroaster, Trismegistus, Pythagoras, Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Hippocrates, Democritus, Zeno, Aristippus, Dioge­nes, Chrysippus, Epicurus, Epictetus, Hierocles? For Aristarchus, Archytas, Hipparchus, Eudoxus, Archimedes, Euclides, Strabo, Thrasyllus, Ptolomy, Sostratus, Vitruvius? What for Demo­sthenes, Theophrastus, Varro, Pomponius Atticus, Mecaenas? What for the antient Historians Sanchoniathon, Herodotus, Thucydi­des, Xenophon, Polybius, Dion, Dionys. Halicarnassaeus, Diodo­rus, Pausanias, Livie? &c. What for Hesiod, Homer, Pinder, Sappho, Epimenides, old Anacreon, Empedocles, Sophocles? For Plautus, Lucretius, Terence, Virgil, Ovid, Horace, &c. and in­numerable more whom I mightSee those Heroes men­tioned by M. Manilius in Sphaera. name; Kings, Consuls, Emperors, renowned Captains, Legislators, Philosophers, Historians, Orators, Poets, Mathematicians, Physicians, Per­sons [Page 44] famous for their stupendious Exploits, skill and dexte­rity in Government, Learning, useful Inventions, and other signal and distinguishing Virtues? most of which, and ma­ny more than I have assembled, the excellent Spanheim af­firms to be yet extant in Medals.

And if these so desirable, how much more would one part withal for the lively Effigies of Adam, and the Patriarchs Noah, Abraham, Ioseph, Ioshua, Iephtha, Sampson, David and his Worthies: Iudas Maccabeus, and his Brethren, Solomon and his who is greater than Solomon, whose Portraict no human Invention (let Demetrius and the Crafts-men, and those who are concern'd, talk what they please of S. Luke his num­berless original Paintings, and the Veronica) could so well have preserved, as Medals, and as we find by those yet re­maining of the Greek and Romans, especially the Caesars and their Successors; since as to the rest (namely those antient Hero's we have enumerated before them) nay even of the Consular, there is less credit to be given to most of them, being, as we said, made after their decease by their Friends and Relations. The same doubt occurs even of those cut in Gemms and Marbles, on which (whatever is pretended) we seldom find any of their Names ingraven; tho if in any (and such perhaps we may best rely on) those which have been design'd from the most antient Marbles and Gemms in Fulvius Ursinus, Leonardus Augustinus; and from them, as to the old Philosophers in the learned Menagius's Edition of Laertius. I do not say there are not some to be found even of the most antient; Romulus, Numa, Ancus, Tullus, or at least whoever may have liv'd within the compass of two Thousand Years, since there are Medals yet remaining, believ'd to have been struck so long ago, and Statues doubtless long before, from which they might be copied. But as to the Cae­sars, and their resemblances to the Archetype in Medals, I think we have little reason to question, since they were (as we shew'd) so nicely delicate and suspicious in this particular, that we read Alexander and Augustus would suffer none toQuantum porro digni­tatis à rege Alexandro tributum ar­ti existima­mus; qui se Pingi ab uno Apelle, & Fingi à Ly­sippo tantum­modo voluit. Val. Max. l. 8. c. 11. paint or carve them save Apelles and Lysippus; nor of later times Charles V. any save Titian, and such excellent and unerring Hands. And some Medals we have seen so accurately graven and wrought to the Life (as they call it) that I firmly believe, when we happen upon one that is perfectly fair and antient (suppose [Page 45] it a Iulius, or Augustus) we may as safely affirm it like the Person, as any which our modern Coins present us with; ‘—Sic vultus, sic or a ferebat:’ Which would raise ones indignation (as I haveHistory of Chalcogra­phy. elsewhere complain'd) against the presumptuous Exposures, which Kings and Princes at this day suffer of their Effigies, by every wretched Dauber on every Sign-Post among Cats and Monkeys! By the way, as to the Images of our Venerable and Blessed Saviour (of whom I have seen many with Reverses fill'd with Samaritan Characters) there was not any stamp'd on Medals, till a thousand years after his Incarnation; that is, till that Age of almost palpable Darkness, in the Reign of the Em­peror Iohn Zemisca, when the IHS did usually accompany it instead of the Cross, used from Constantine downwards with­out any Effigies. But to proceed,

'Tis to be considered, as to the Resemblance in Medals of the same Person, different in several Medals; that it is not always an infallible Mark of their not being like; the seve­ral Ages, and other Accidents, often and almost always somewhat altering the Countenance. This, for instance, is especially conspicuous in Coins of Charles the Bald, as be­fore him, of the Great Constantine and others, as the learned Fresnius shews in Familiis Augustis Byzantinis; caused partly by the unskilful Graver, or, as we said, through the real Al­teration of the Countenance it self; observing yet hardly any Age so far to change and confound it, as wholly to oblite­rate the Master-strokes of Nature. In confirmation of which, there are extant Medals of Adrian, of all his Ages: How ea­sily they are otherwise to be known by the Stamp, compa­red with their Character and Descriptions, even beyond their supposed Busts and Statues (to which they so rarely left their Names insculp'd) let the curious (for example) judge by taking the Picture of one of the Caesars from those who often both saw, and convers'd with them, or liv'd so near the Times when so many of their Statues and Effigies were fresh and newly made, some in Marble, Copper, Wax, &c. wrought and moulded by the Life, nor need we go further than to Suetonius's Augustus. Sueton. lib. 1. Aug.

Forma fuit eximia, & per omnes aetatis gradus venustissima, &c. He was (says the Historian) an extraordinary handsome and [Page 46] beautiful Person, and continued so through all the Periods of his Age; yet so incurious and little nice, and far from tiffing and sprucing himself, that for haste he would now and then suffer two or three Barbers at the same time to be clipping and shaving him together.

Vultus erat, vel in sermone vel tacitus, adeo tranquillo sere­nôuqe &c. His Countenance was so open and serene, whe­ther he spake or was silent; that a noble Person of France confess'd to some of his Country-men, he was so mollified and charmed with it, that it prevented a Resolution he had once taken, of breaking his Neck from a Precipice as he was passing the Alps and approaching him.

Oculos habuit claros ac nitidos, quibus, &c. His Eyes were so bright and sparkling, as there appeared something divine and extraordinary in his Looks; so as he seem'd pleas'd to ob­serve Men, he lookt fixtly upon, cast down their Eyes, as if dazzled with the Sun-beams.

Capillum leniter reflexum, & subflavum, &c. His Hair and Locks inclined to Fair, decently buckl'd and curled at the ends.—Supercilia conjuncta, His Eyebrows met.— Mediocres Aures, Nasum & à summo eminentiorem, & ab imo de­ductiorem, &c. His Ears were of a midling size, his Nose Aquiline, and bending towards the Top: in summ, a Per­son he was every way proportioned.

I mention only those who are commonly represented to us in Medals; other Descriptions were easie to be produced out of the same and other Authors, living in the times of the first Caesars, to justifie their Resemblances.

Cardinal Borromeus (now Sainted) who was of a very hard favour'd and crabbed Look, is, by Painters and Statua­ries, made of a very sweet and lovely Countenance. I do not therefore affirm that all the Masters of these voluptuary Arts were heretofore more free from flattering great Persons than now they are; but that sometimes they might impose upon future Ages, as 'tis reported of some Macedonians, that they made and buried Armor of enormous and gigantic Proportion, to make the World believe, what extraordinary Men they were by whom Alexander had vanquished them in his Indian Expe­dition. But I am persuaded Medals are the least to be sus­pected, in the Effigies of the Caesars especially, so perfectly agreeing with their Characters.

[Page 47] As for those Heads we have extant in Print and Taille-Douce, certainly those exhibited by Monsieur Vaillant of the Syrian Princes and other Medallists, seem to be most accurate, and would have been of more Authority, had he and the rest given us as many Heads and Effigies as they have of Reverses, and as we might yet hope from that numerous Collection which has been long expected from Monsieur Morel, who has been so ill, and so unjustly recompenced among the rest of his persecuted Brethren: I say, how desirable were it that the same Circumspection had been used by Ingravers in other Books of this Subject, as in that which the industrious Leonardus (whom we but now named) Antiquary to the late Pope Alexander VII, has set forth, designed from the best O­riginals, any where to be met withal among the Curious; with the learned Preface, Explanation and Erudition of the excellent Gronovius, who has translated it into Latin. In the mean time I must not omit to give Notice, that such Medals as personated the Gods and Heroes, are commonly represented in florid and vigorous Youth, without Beards; excepting Iu­piter, Neptune, Vulcan, Mars, Pluto, Hercules, who is yet sometimes represented as a young Child imberbis, strangling a Serpent, and by several Names of Places, Labours and E­pithets: Bearded are also Pan, the Satyrs, Silenus, and some­times Bacchus, the River Deities, and there is a Fortuna bar­bata.

And here, before we pass to the following Paragraph, I cannot but mention a Curiosity of Medals, and other Intaglia, painted in Miniature, to that perfection so extant, and bold­ly swelling out, as would almost persuade one they were re­ally stamp'd: of these I have seen (and possess a few) very accurately representing the Dead-Life (as our Painters call it) that is, the natural Metal wrought in Relieve; Achats, Corne­lians, and other Out-Cuts; which, since a Series of them might be contriv'd in a Book, were a great and useful Curi­osity, and worth the Value of some in Gold; but which I wish might be supplied by some learned and industrious Per­son, and that such a Collection were more exactly designed and ingraven in Copper, after the best Originals; the several Ages compared, and not designed hastily at adventure, or negligently, as we find too many are. And this Assembly should be universal, well attested, and judiciously chosen, [Page 48] and collated with the different Ages of the Persons as near as could be, for reconciling the Difficulties of the same Em­peror, or Person, as we have noted above: I affirm such a Collection (the laudable Design and Purpose of Monsieur Morel) would not only be greatly assistant to such as have not the Faculty or Means of storing themselves with the real Medal, but acceptable likewise to those who have; and may thereby consider them at more leisure, than others who have but a superficial View; being commonly reserved in the Cabinets of great Princes, to which there is not so easie ac­cess for modest Scholars.

HAving now finished what for the present I thought necessary to be said concerning Heads and Effigies; we turn next to their Reverses and Inscriptions, with Figure and Emblem representing Action; which are indeed to be prefer­red, and for which chiefly Medals are so desirable, and enquir'd after by the Learned (not to say only for their sake) so in­finitely fruitful and full of Erudition; that had we a perfect and uninterrupted Series of them, we should need almost no other History; such Fragments as yet remain, furnishing the Studious on so many Occasions.

For we have in Reverses (besides now and then the Effigies) the Successions of the noblest and most illustrious Families, their Names, Titles, Impreses, Honors, Dignities, Crowns, Garlands, Marks and Rewards of Magistracy, &c.

We meet there with Ceres, Saturn, and the Praefsectus An­nonae, the Montaries, with Vulcan and his Forging Tools: They give us the Habits and Robes of Consuls, Kings and Emperors, Flamens, Vestals, and other Royal and Sacerdotal Garments; we are shewd by them what the Tripos, Lituus, Patera, Sistrum, Simpulum, Knife, Ax, the Lustral Sprinklers, and other Vasa, and Utensils of Sacrifice, Libations and Augury were. Their Chariots, Arms, Ancilia, Shields, Ensigns, En­gines, Harness, and Weapons of War.

[Page 49]We have in Reverses the Forms of antient Gallies, and other Vessels, with their manner of Naval Combat: they shew us the Actions and Exploits of the greatest Captains; their Military Expeditions, Legions, Cohorts, Colonies, Discipline, Stations, Castrametations, Victories, Trophies, Triumphs, Largesses, Benefactions, Remissions, Confede­rations, Truces, Cessations, Iudulgences, Relaxations of Tribute, Encaenias, Dedications, and Vows; their Ludi Se­culares, Circenses, Cereales, Isthmian, Olympian, Nemeaean and divers others: [...] OECUMENICA, &c. hardly, if at all to be met with any where save in Medals only. To these add, the Lectisternia, Marriages, Births, Funeral Pomps, Pyrae, Apotheoses, and Consecrations, at which they often changed their Names (as now our Popes at their Inaugura­tions) but not in Medals of the first Caesars. And so Families and Adoptions, and sometimes both, as Nerva Trajan, Titus Vespasianus; and when (as often) the Name remain­ed, DIVUS was only added.

They present us with the most magnificent and stately Buildings that ever stood upon the Face of the Earth: Basi­lics and Royal Palaces, Temples, Altars, Asyla, Sacrifices, &c.

In them we behold with Admiration, their stupendious Amphitheatres, Theatres, Forums, Thermae, Xysti, Portics, Nau­machiae, Hippodroms, Mausolea, and Sepulchres: their goodly and useful Aquaeducts, Fountains, Bridges, Cryptae, Viae, Castra, Metae, Termini, Cippi, Bases, &c.

They afford us the Prospect of their Triumphal Arches, Obelisks, Pyramids, Colossus's, and other Royal and Magni­ficent Fabrics of venerable Antiquity, long since collapsed and buried in their own Ruines; but from out of which, by Re­verses and Medals, have almost all the antient Orders and Ornaments of Architecture (well near lost or corrupted) been much revived, restored and vindicated from Gothick Barbarity; nay, and those yet lasting, after Charles the Great had put a stop to that prodigious and universal Inundation; since it is little more than a Century, that Building and other Arts began to emerge in good earnest, and to hold up their dejected Heads; as may be seen by what the Popes have done at Rome, (where these learned Ruines are chiefly extant) the Dukes of Tuscany at Florence, and at Ferrara, Parma, and [Page 50] other Princes of Italy; Philip the Second in Spain; in France, Francis the First, whom they called the Father of Arts in that Kingdom; and lately yet in our own Country, where some part of Somerset-house in the Strand remains the almost only poor Attempt that I know of; not omitting the Earl of Salis­bury's House at Hatfield; the noble Seat of the most noble Lord Viscount of Weymouth at Long-leet, and very few others which can pretend to any thing of tolerable: for the Ban­quetting-House at Whitehal is of much later date; and the manner now in general Use, first introduced by the Encou­ragement of that great Lover and Patron of good Arts, the Illustrious Thomas late Earl of Arundel and Surrey, who (tho neglecting his own Palace) incited others to build with Stone and Brick after the present Gusto, and which Inego Iones since pursued in that stately Pile at Whitehal now mentioned, the Church and Piazza in Covent Garden after the Model of that in Ligorne, &c. But which is at this day exalted (name­ly Architecture) to a much greater (I might say, even to the highest Pitch of Perfection) by my most worthy Friend Sir Christopher Wren, Superintendent and Director of His Ma­jesty's Buildings, who will leave more noble Monuments of his vast and comprehensive Knowledge in that and other useful Arts, than has any one Architect here these thousand Years.

Moreover, what is learned from Reverses (since the Incur­sions of the Goths, Turks, and other barbarous People, who chang'd and confounded the antient Names of things and places) other singular Aids to good History, Chronology, and antient Geography (to name no more) the Learned Scaliger in his Eusebius (when we find him to have recourse to Medals for the clearing many difficulties) gratefully acknowledges; and since the often cited Mons. Vaillant in his Syrian History, and the Works of Lucas Holstenius, late Library-Keeper at the Vatican, and other learned Persons give luculent proof of.

To these add the Iesuit Hardouin in his Notes on Pliny, with several more, who, from the Reverses of Medals alone, have recover'd and illustrated the true Names of divers Re­gions, Islands, Rivers, Mountains, Ways, Limits and Boun­daries (and how by degrees they extended their Conquests) Colonies, Cities, Metropolis; their Founders, Privileges and Immunities; the Value of Moneys and Weights; the An­nual [Page 51] Fasti, Acta Caesarum, Aera's, Epocha's, &c. of such exceed­ing use in computation of Time and Years, when several famous and memorable Things happen'd and were perform'd; others that had been quite forgotten; Writers having some­times abolish'd the very memory of some Tyrants, and other unfortunate Princes (who are commonly but of short Reigns) Medals alone have preserv'd the Names of, and other Cir­cumstances of great use in History; witness the famous Medal of Estimius King of London, whence our learnedBurt. I [...]. Ant. p. 159. Antiquaries have asserted her Metropolitan Title, against all the Critics and Cavillers, tho she was no Roman Colony.

Hence we may thus deduce many Claims and Titles in cases of Usurpation, &c. For instance, that signal one, wherein is found that from Charlemaine, Louis le Debonair, down to Lotharius, &c. those Princes had their Monies Coin'd at Rome, and other Medals, attesting and vindicating their Claim and Title to that City, as appears in that learned Disserta­tion publish'd by Mons. le Blane, and subjoin'd to his History of the Moneys and Coins of France. In which he proves, that the Bishops of Rome were never lawful Sovereigns of any part of Italy, much less of that Capital City; but of old al­ways Subjects, Govern'd, Elected, and (as occasion requi­red) Deposed by the Emperors; together with an Account by what subdolous Arts they got footing in the large and vast Possessions they now enjoy, and usurp the present Power.

But to return to Epocha's (wherein the Greeks were the most accurate and particular) we shall best reckon from Roman Medals by the Consulate or Tribunes; tho in that also there is difficulty, by not knowing the precise years of their respe­ctive Offices when the Medal was struck; whereas the Greek gives the very year of the Princes Reign.

Moreover Colonies discover their Epocha's in Medal; as in that under Philip, An. VIII. under Decius, An. XI. &c. which, 'tis said, some have so improv'd, as to be able to tell us the very Age of the Emperor by the Medal, of which more when we come to Inscriptions. In the mean while as to Colonies, we find them bear the Names of the Founders, or of such as either fortified or settled them; v. g. those call'd Iuliae were founded by Iulius Caesar, as was that at Berytus; Mu­nicipium Augusta Bilbilis, by Augustus and the like; these by [Page 52] single Persons: But when more were express'd, as some­times two Names together immediately, and without di­stinction, or any word between (and not else) one is then to reckon the first to be the Founder, and the second the Restorer. Thus in the Medal where we read Colonia Iulia Augusta Detrosa, there Iulius settl'd and planted the Colony, and Augustus Recruited it: But when Augustus is set before Iulius, there Augustus Repair'd only what Iulius Founded, as Monsieur Vaillant nicely criticises. By the way observe, that we meet with no Heads in any Italian Colonies, that ho­nor it seems being allow'd to those Cities only which were Priviledg'd to stamp Money, which Immunity is mark'd upon the Medal, whether granted by the Senate alone, or together with the People, or solely by the Emperor: When by the first the mark is S. C. tho the Medal be Greek: If by the People [...]. E. Upon Antioch of Pisidia S. R. of the same import. So Colonies when Priviledg'd by the favour of the Emperor, it is Permissu Caesaris, or Augusti, the Indulgence always express'd, &c. As to the now mention'd Antioch of Pisidia, 'tis observ'd to be the only City among sixteen of the same name, which affected to bear the Legend in Latin. We moreover learn of him, that such Colonies as were sent out by the Consuls before Caesars Usurpation, bare the Name of Roman. For example, that of Sinope in Asia, which struck a Medal in recognition of the young Gordian, C. R. I. F. S. Colonia Romana Iulia Felix Sinope, An. CCCVIII. the Epoche noting the year that Lentulus made it a free City and Colony, after he had vanquish'd Mithridates, and which Iulius Caesar considerably enlarg'd. Nor did Cities and Colonies only do honor to the Emperors, and Benefactors in Medals and Reverses, but whole Provinces also; as Syria to Trajan, Da­cia to Philip, &c.

We mention'd Dedication of Cities, the [...], or Conditor, as Romulo Conditori; and so the Foundations, as in that of Nicopolis by Augustus after the Victory at Actium; in which Medal there is noted its Privilege and Immunities: In that of Hadrian the Year and Date when the City Amisus reco­ver'd her Freedom under Augustus: So that of the City Soli in Cilicia, chang'd to Pompeiopolis her Benefactor; in others Re­staurator Urbis, who was esteem'd equal to the Founder: Such again for instance was that of Constantinople its Dies Natalitius, [Page 53] supposed to be the very Day when that Medal or Coin was struck, like that of old Rome cum Urbis Imagine, tho as Zonaras. some think, the Dedication was not at the laying of the first Stone or Foundation (as now the custom is) but rather at the finishing and consummation of the Work; and these usually bore the Heads of the Founders, or such as rendred them famous; as the Tarentines and others. Thus the Island Coos had Hippocrates, Samos the Image of Pythagoras; Smyrna that of old Homer, &c. tho happly not stamp'd at the time when they flourish'd, but from such Pictures, or antient Statues as were doubtless thought to resemble them.

Nor is Critica and Grammar (besides what concerns Reli­gion, History, Jurisprudence, and other parts of the politer Eru­dition) oblig'd a little to this delightful Study. The Di­gamma F invented by Claudius we read in Medal, and much more inferr'd from that single instance of the learned Sigonius's Treatise De Nominibus Romanorum, subjoin'd to his Fasti Con­sul. And to be gathered from the Dialogues of Agostino, Vossius's Etymological Lexicon, the Orthographic Abbreviations of Words, &c. so as they no longer wonder to find why Medals stamp'd so long since at Corinthus, spake Latin in their Inscriptions under the Roman Empire, seeing the Colo­nies which that victorious People planted and sent forth, had so worn out and extinguish'd the natural Inhabitants and their Language, that the Greek was in a manner totally disus'd and forgotten.

As to Names what more Vulgar, than that the Caesars was deriv'd ab utero Caeso (byVid. Graev. Animadv. in Suet. Tranq. Edit. 2. Solinu's mistake of Pliny, at­tributed to the elder Scipio) but if that of Spartianus might pass, they would deduce it ab Elephanto Caeso, divers Medals bearing and Elephant, with the word CAESAR, and a Re­verse fill'd with such Weapons and Instruments as the Romans made use of to kill and destroy them:Ae n. 1. And indeed Servius relates a story of that Emperors Grandfathers killing an Ele­phant in Africa, that was so call'd in the Punic tongue, as if he had thence deriv'd his Name: Whereas doubtless it was from neither, but from Caesaries rather (and the Critics herein all mistake) the Instruments on the Reverse being only such as belonged to Sacrifice: Of which the learned Sequing. in Nominib. Rom.

[Page 54] We have already spoken of a Reverse in the Consular of Lepidus's being delegated by the Senate and People of Rome, to young Ptolomie of Alexandria. And in another, Marcus Antonius's caressing of Cleopatra. In a third, Marcus Brutus, with the Reverse of a Poniard and Cap of Liberty, deno­ting his bold attempt to have freed the Commonwealth by the death of Iulius Caesar. But what is most singular and conspicuous in it is, the Notation of the very day, when that bold stroke was given, namely, on the Ides of March, of which he had fair warning before.

In a Reverse of Trajan we have represented the manner of their restoring Kingdoms to a vanquish'd Prince; and so in others of the Imperial there might be produc'd abundance of Examples illustrating the like Histories; some of them (as we said) no where else to be met withal, others confirming things doubtful, &c.

To return to Names, Historians had not known that the Son which Antoninus had of his Wife Faustina was call'd M. Annius Galerius Antoninus, but by a Greek Medal of that Lady; or that Barbia Orbiana was Wife to Alexander Seve­rus; or Hetruscilla the Spouse of Trajanus Decius, and not of Volusianus. It is in the Reverse of Medal, that the know­ledge of many antient Families are preserved, which neither Ursinus, or any other Author makes mention of; as among several more Alitia, Barbatia, Carrilia, Epira, Fabricia, Gra­nia, Helvia, Iuventia, Menia, Nautia, Papilia, Sextilia, Trebonia, Vatinia, &c. enough to fill an Alphabet. It is in the Reverse of Medal only where we are shew'd in what manner that Statue of Coloss Magnitude, representing the noble Emperor Trajan, was clad and plac'd (which that egregious Painter Iulio Romano has design'd, and the learn'd Ciacconius describ'd) upon that stupendous Column, vested in his Imperial Robes, and holding in one of his hands a Golden Ball, in which were contain'd his own Ashes; in the other a Scepter, with the Cancelli of Copper about the Plinth of the Capital; it being the only Column in Rome which, I think, had any considerable Figure upon it. There are besides what this Pillar exhibits divers Medals of this Prince, whose Reverses shew us his Aquaeducts, Via, Forum, Circus, Tri­umphal Arch, and the Bridge he made over the Danube, be­sides those of his Reduction of Armenia, Mesopotamia, &c.

[Page 55] We learn from the Reverses of Medals, as well as by Sta­tues, that of old they made use of no Stirups to get up, or ease their seat on Horseback, and other things of new In­vention.

Again, we gather from Reverses of Medals the extraordi­nary care they took of the Sea and Navigation, as well as to celebrate their Victories. In that of Augustus, Neptuno Conservatori; Victoria Nep. in that of Gallienus; and especial­ly that of Pompey the Great, with his Titles of Praefectus Classis, & orae Maritimae, together with a Trophy on the Prow; and in the Reverses of Augustus, whom we mention'd, fre­quently with the Rudders, Rostra, Tridents, Ships and Gal­lies, and other marks of Sovereignty.

Moreover, we behold in Reverses of Medals the manner of Military Adlocutions, Congiaries, Liberalities, and Royal Dona­tives to the People, taken, as they report from Callistratus, who, that he might incourage the People of Athens to come and frequent again the Courts and Publick Assemblies of the City (now during the Civil Wars in a manner quite de­serted) caused Money to be flung and scatter'd among them in those Places: In imitation whereof great Princes do at this day disperse Coins, Nummi Augurales, and Medals at their Coronations, and other solemn Occasions; as was that at the Nuptials of Frederick Duke of Austria, with Ann Daugh­ter to Uladislaus King of Hungary, An. 1515. Thus also the Pope, when he is Crown'd, scatters Money and Medals among his Adorers, which is first but of Brass, pronoun­cing the words of S. Peter, Argentum & Aurum non est mihi, &c. Silver and Gold have I none, but such as I have give I you; and then by and by (as soon as his Holiness is lifted up, and exalted in his pontifical Chair) he sprinkles Silver, with that of the Psalm, Dedit pauperibus, &c. He hath given to the poor; his righteousness endureth for ever. With this holy Rai­lery sporting with Scripture after a pleasant manner. But to proceed,

The Reverses of Medals gave intimation of extraordinary Laws and Ordinances; as that of Tenes against Adultery, stampt at Tenedos, and described by our learned Graves, who from a Medal of his own, recites the History at large out of Heraclides. For as it was accounted a glorious Thing to have enacted wholsome Laws and Constitutions revok­ing [Page 56] others; so was it often express'd in these more lasting Records; witness amongst the Romans, those Medals of the Families Cassiae, Papiae, Coeliae, Parthiae, &c. and in that fa­mous one of Augustus de Maritandis Ordinibus; with other excellent ones of the Emperor Cocceius Nerva to the public Benefit; the generous Remission of this noble Emperors Right over the Vehiculation, and all the Carriages of Italy, which was so grievous an oppression to his Subjects, is, I think, made known to us from the Reverse of a Medal only, which the People caus'd to be stamp'd in Recognition of the Grace. To these add his establishing free Commerce, repressing Disorders in the Commonwealth; which procur'd him those deserv'd Titles of SALUS GENERIS HUMANI in his Medals, where commonly the Reverses express some Symbols of them; as in their due place.

And now that we have mention'd Symbols in Reverses of Medals, they shew us, with the Images and Names of the Pagan Deities, Custodes, Auspices, Patrii, Genitales, Nutritores, &c. their Ensigns and Distinctions: Iupiter by the Eagle; by the Harp or Chelys Apollo, and sometimes a Gryphon; Neptune by his Trident and Rudder, sometimes on a Dolphin, but never on the Marine Horse, tho it be Consecrated to him; Pluto his Fork; by the Tyger or Panther Bacchus; Hercules by the Club and Lions Skin; by a Serpent Esculapius, &c. Venus by Cupid, or the Doves, Helm of a Ship, and sometimes VICTRIX by a Target, Cask, Bow and Arrow, to ex­press the power and force of Love. Nor was that Symbol of the Doves attributed to their noblest Venus for their sala­city, as the common mistake is, but too the veneration they acquired by the story of Semiramis, whom they report was fed by those gentle Birds, into one of which she was fain'd to be Metamorphos'd, and in that shape ador'd by the Sy­rians under the Name of Astarte. There is yet a more vir­tuous Goddess of the Name, the Celestial Venus, represented holding an Apple in one hand, and a Spear in the other; and if with a little Infant, GENETRIX or FELIX, betokening the fecundity of Marriage; Iuno has her Peacock; Diana her Crescent, quiver of Arrows, Dog, and sometimes we find her naked and full of Breasts, a Basket of Fruit on her Head, as they picture Nature, and not seldom also with a brace of Harts or a Doe standing by her: she is likewise [Page 57] accompanied oftentimes with some Egyptian Deity, as Sera­pis, Isis, or Apis, and now and then the Pharo's, for the Friendship between Ephesus and Alexandria. Others there are relating to Arcana Imperii, and Mysteries of State, Gryphons, Harpies, Syrenes, &c. requiring Study and Interpretation. And hence we now and then encounter with Sphinges in the Reverses of Augustus, signifying Prudence and Courage; and if plac'd before a Temple, the Mysteries of Religion. The Thunder-bolt according as 'tis plac'd, betokens seve­ral Passions, as well as Regal Power, or that Sovereign Princes are more immediately under the Divine Protection: For Iupiter tho but one, we find, denominated from divers Places and Attributes, according to which he is benign, propi­tious, displeas'd or offended; as where he is Capitolinus, Olympius, Conservator, Stator, Liberator, Optimus, Maximus, Ultor, Ful­gurator, &c. In like manner for his Age, Crescens,Iove non­dum Barbato. Juv Sat. 6.Iu­venis. A naked Youth with a Glory about his Head, and holding a whip in his Hand, denotes the Rapidity of the Suns diurnal Course. Mercury wing'd Cap à pie with the Caduceus, intimates peace, diligence, and conduct in Enterprises.

But to commence at the Head in this Recension also (besides what we have already mention'd) without insisting on the Laurel, which was the Symbol of Apollo (and of that Genius of the Senate [...] and [...]) every body knows, that Ears of Corn, Chaplets of Roses, and other Flowers; Ivy, Pine, &c. belong to Ceres, Flora, Bacchus, Pan, and their Companions: Casks and Helms to the God of War; and when with the Owl, to Mi­nerva. The Phrygians wore a crooked Bonnet pointing backwards, the Persians forward, and sometimes upright, not unlike the Commodes affected by our Ladys at pre­sent: The same was challeng'd by the Epicoene God Lu­nus (as of either Sex) ever represented with the Crescent be­hind his shoulders, in great Veneration among the Antiochi­ans of Pisidia: Iuno is cover'd with a Flameum, and in the larger Veil is Pronuba: If in a Goats Skin, Horns and all, she is Sospita. Pantheons are coifed, and have their heads dress'd like several of the Deities; sometimes with a Bushel like Serapis, sometimes like the Sun with beams. Iupiter Hammon wears Rams-horns; and with these, and divers other Pagan Superstitions often adorn'd they their peculiar [Page 58] Lares; nor were the Genii, Topic, as well as Personal, want­ing in Reverses: They were figur'd by naked young Men, holding the Patera in one hand, and in another a Horn of Plenty, sometimes standing by an Altar pouring out of the Patera, and were as many as there were Places, Societies, or Per­sons under their imaginary Guardianship.

The Egyptians (whose [...] was a Serpent) had their Apis figur'd like a Bull with the Flower Lotus between his Horns, a white blaze in his forehead, under a Crescent: The same have Osyris, Isis, Canopus, and the Deess Eume­nythia, with a Lily-form Flower, or as some, the Abroto­nus. We likewise find Canopus in the shape of a large Ear­then Jar or Pitcher, out of which there peeps an human Head; but the Bust of Anubis is a Dog's Head. Amazons carry the Battle-Ax on their shoulders, or a small Pelt or Buckler Crescent-fashion: In deeper Busts and the Reverses of larger Medalions, we meet some of these with Cask and Shield holding a bridl'd Horse, betokening Victory in Fight, or some Publick Shew. If the Figure have lying by it a Sledge, Hammer, Anvil, Tongs, &c. conclude it Vulcan, or some of his brawny Cyclops.

As Heads and Busts in the Reverse of Medals (as before observ'd) so are Hands, and what they hold and carry in them to be consider'd. Thus the Hasta pura, or unpointed Javelin suits with all the Gods, denoting their universal Be­nignity: So does the Scepter, rounded or blunt on both ends like a Generals Commanding Staff, or what they call Parazonium (frequently taken for a short Sword) found in some Reverses of the Emperors Galba, Domitian, Vespasian, and others, about which the Critics yet are not well agree'd; for in that of Antoninus Pius, 'tis a Javelin or half Pike arm'd at both ends.

The Patera, or some such Religious Character, did usu­ally accompany the Emperors, which sometimes they held in their hand, seeming to pour an Offering upon the Altar.

Termini, are Figures without either Arms, Hands, or Feet, so represented, says Polybius, to shew that all qua­rels and contests about the Limits were determin'd. Such is the Mercurius Herma in a Reverse of Augustus, standing upon a Thunderbolt, which some interpret to be in relation to that Emperors Device, Festina Lente.

[Page 59] A branch of Laurel in the hand of an Emperor, signifies Victory; of Olive Peace, and hand joined in hand Friendship and Unity, also Adoption, as in that of Trajan and Cocceius Nerva, where two figures take hands, inscrib'd Providentia Senatus.

In whole and intire Figures are commonly represented the Vertues applied to the Roman Emperors by their Flatterers, as Piety like a veil'd Matron, holding a Temple, or box of In­cense with a Stork standing by; but Vesta with a Taper; Pro­videntia seems to touch a Globe with her staff; Pudicitia is modestly veil'd with one finger at her lips. If pressing them with two Fingers, taken for Silence; to this add Moderatio, Quies, Indulgentia, Religio, Utilitas Publica, [...], &c. Aequitas holds the balance, and so does Moneta, who is said to be a Deity, represented by three Figures with the Cornuco­pia, and near them as many melting Furnaces, and a heap of Money, to note the three principal Metals, inscrib'd Ae­quitas publica, or Moneta Aug.

The Graces are also three naked and beautiful Virgins, holding each other by the hand; by the same number is symbolized Aeternitas shaded with a swelling sail over their heads, importing time past, present and to come, and some­times by a single Figure holding the Sun in one hand, in the other the Moon. Lastly, the Eumenides and Furies, arm'd with a Torch, a Poniard, and a Serpent: Nemesis or Re­venge is pourtrai'd with a Wheel, shewing that tho Divine Vengeance has long patience, it comes at last with speed: But the Wheel which we find at the foot of Fortuna, denotes inconstancy. She is also sometimes sitting, some­times standing, and sailing, with her hand on a Rudder, or Cornu-Copia, distributing good and bad, and is but one and the same Deity. Security is typified by a woman leaning neg­ligently upon a Chair. The four Annual Seasons are repre­sented by as many naked Figures, one excepted, who is clad for winter. The other three have an Hare, a Basket of Flowers, and a Sickle. We sometimes meet a little Child bestriding a Dolphin, and such equally appertain to Melicer­ta, Palaemon, Portumnus, three names of the same Deity. Fi­gures cumbent upon Pitchers and Jars, represent great and famous Rivers, and sometimes the Bust only emerging out [Page 60] of the Vessel. Nilus has several naked Boys playing about him, to signifie his many streams: Where we meet Figures lying along upon Beds, a Lectisternium is represented, on which they usually plac'd the Image of Apollo, Diana, Nep­tune or some other Idol, with solemn Ceremony in time of calamity, or Epidemic Sickness, as well as upon more joyful and festival entertainments.

To go on with things animate upon Reverses; the Phenix symboliz'd Consecration, and Immortality; the Stork Piety and filial Duty; the Bird of Athens Wisdom and Science, Vi­gilancy and Providence, as one sees in a Medal of Constantine: the Cock is often with Mercury; the Horse feeding repre­sents a Country in peace, rich and abounding; the Ele­phant some Publick Spectacle, and sometimes Eternity; as the Serpent Aesculapius, or the Deess Salus, and is now and then the mark of a Genius, or some famous Hero, and there­fore Victory if under foot: Nero had such a Reverse; a Ser­pent within a Garland of ears of Corn and Poppy, import­ing Plenty: the Ox signified strength and patience, and when accompanied with a veil'd Priest, some Colony; if for Victim destin'd, the Beast had Ribbons dangling about his Horn: Liberty of Commerce and Dominion on the Sea, were both represented by a Dolphin clinging about a Trident, &c.

Characters of Inanimates on the Reverses of Medals were likewise frequent. Thus the Cap, or Hat and Wand, Pro­claim'd Freedom, Slaves being uncover'd and under Disci­pline; the Cornu-Copia, or Amalthean-horn was the Symbol of Plenty; as Serapis's Bushel was of Providence: the Port or Gate of a City, found in the Reverse of some Medals, with the word Providentia Augusti, shews a Magazine and Provi­sion of Corn for the People; and if a Star appear over it, the City of Constantinople in particular: A fortified Camp is express'd by a sort of Calthorp; a Tripos with the Iackdaw and Dolphin, is the mark of the XV. Viri, deputed Keepers of the Sibylline Oracles; the Sacerdotal Cap or Miter, is known by the appendant Apex and Flamine, either alone, or with sacrificing Instruments, denoting Pontifical Dig­nity.

Bucklers and Votive Tables pro Salute Principis, and other Occasions, are very frequent in Reverses; a Wheel is the Cha­racter of some famous Way made or repaired by the Em­peror; [Page 61] as in a Reverse of Trajan. In short, the Zodiac de­scrib'd in all its Figures with the Moon in Center, was Emblem of the universal Happiness of a Princes Govern­ment; such as we meet in a Reverse of Alexander Severus; and Augustus was fortunate under Capricornus.

The Temple of Ianus shut proclaims an universal Peace thro all the Roman Empire: A Gally, or Vessel under Sail and in Course, betokens Joy, Felicity and prosperous Suc­cess; but if we find it placed beneath a Figure wearing a Turrited Crown, shews it to be a Port of Commerce; if under a Victory wing'd, the vanquishing of an Enemies Fleet.

But besides all these, Kingdoms, Countries and Provinces, are distinguished in Reverses by their respective Symbols; Europe by the Horse, or the Rape by Iupiter; some affirm there never was any Reverse at all appropriate to her: Asia is known by the Serpent and the Rudder of a Ship, as a Country of Commerce accessible by Sea, and the first of Na­vigators; Africa is Cask'd with the head or spoil of an Ele­phant, having by her a Scorpion: Of the European Provinces, Macedonia is represented by a Carter with a whip in his hand, as a Country of excellent Horses, and sometimes also by Hercules's Club; Achaia had a Flower-pot; Dardania a Cock; Spain a Coney, or Olive-branch, and woman in a Soldiers Cas­sock, a small Target and two Javelins; Gaule is with a Spear, and in the close Military Coat or Sagum; Dacia is figur'd by a Woman with a Spear also, and sometimes an Asses Head; Pannonia by two Women warmly clad, with Military En­signs, denoting the coldness of the Country, and courage of the Inhabitants; Italy is represented by a Royal Lady Crow­ned with a Tower, sitting on a Globe and holding a Scepter with an Horn of Plenty; Germany by a goodly Dame with a long Shield, and holding a Spear; Britannia represents a Virgin in a flowing Vest, sitting on a Rock or I­sland with a Spear in her hand, and leaning on the Rudder, the Prow of the Ship at her Feet; Boeotia has the God Bac­chus's Thyrsus, or a Cluster of Grapes; Rhodes the Sun, or a Rose the Solar Flower; Sicilia shews three Thighs and Legs, issuing from a Man's Head in the Center, to signifie the three famous Promontories of that Island, and sometimes by a Sickle and Ears of Corn, denoting Plenty and Felicity; of [Page 62] Asia, Iudaea is represented by the Palm-Tree; Arabia by a Camel; Persia by a Dart; Armenia by a Cap or Hood, Bows and Arrows; Parthia by a Woman in that Country Dress, with the like Weapons and a Quiver, to shew their extraordi­nary dexterity in shooting; Cappadocia has a Woman wearing a Turrited Crown, and sometimes with the Mountain Argaeus in her hand or near her feet. And now we speak of Mountains, we find in the Reverses of some Medals a rude Stone in shape of a Mountain drawn in a Charriot, representing the Sun, as he was ador'd by Helagabalus his Priest, fancying that glo­rious Planet an huge Ignite Stone with the Star or Phosphorus over it, preceding its Rising, to distinguish it from those of Cara­calla: But Stones have other significations; as that in the form of Pyramis with a pair of Turtles plac'd in a Tem­ple resembling that of Venus's worship'd at Paphos; and Iu­piter was himself sometimes ador'd in the shape of a Moun­tain; whence perhaps it is we meet Argaeus so frequently in Reverses. But to return to Countries:

Mesopotamia is represented between the two famous Rivers Tigris and Euphrates, with a kind of Miter upon her head. In Africa, Egypt has the Crocodile and Ibis for Symbolum, and sometimes the antient Taber, an Instrument play'd on by their Priests, as was the Sistrum by those of Isis. With these a Medalist has notice of the most famous Rivers by their several Figures, Tiber, Rhenus, Danubius, Nilus, &c.

With the Nymphs, Naids, Syrens, Satyrs and Sylvan Dei­ties: The true Figures of the Hippopotamus, Crocodile, Rhino­ceros, Elephant, Cameleopard, Panther, and other rare and exo­tic Animals, usually led, and exhibited in Triumph, or prepared for Combat and the Amphitheater, are expressed to gratifie and divert the People, especially during the Secular Shews. Other Reverses present us with divers Flowers, Fruits and Plants, &c.

And as Countries and Rivers had their several Emblems, so had their chief Cities: Rome her Romulus and Remus suck­ing the Wolf; Corinthus, Pegasus and Bellerophon: the Sphinx and Harp, the City Gabala in Coelosyria; Constantinople the Thunny, and other places abounding with that Fish; Ty­rus, the Spaniel with the purple Shell, the Shell is common a­lone upon those Reverses, but the Dog is rare; Ephesus is re­presented by the Hart or Stag, sacred to her Diana. But I [Page 63] confess some of these belonged rather to their Coins as Money, which, as we noted, had denomination from these Badges; for so that of Ephesus was stampt with the Image of Diana; those of Creta, Iupiter; the Aegyptians with a Crocodile or Ibis, Nilus or Serapis; Lacedaemon with the Head of Lycurgus; Delphi, Lib. 4. c. 13. the Fish of that Name; of which see more in Alexander ab Alexandrio and other Authours.

A Military Ensign plac'd upon an Altar, denotes a new Co­lony of Veteran Souldiers, whose Felicity depends on the Gods. If there be many Weapons, it signifies their being drawn out of several Legions, but Military Ensigns alone, if more than one, sometimes import the Victory of some particular Legion, or betokens an Oath of Fidelity to the Emperour.

Besides the Eagle, which is the Standard-Ensign of every Legion, the Rest are distinctions of Cohorts only, or Guidons and Cornets of the Cavalry.

The Acroteria or [...], which is the ornamental ben­ding Prow, gives notice of a Naval Victory, or some Ma­ritime City: the Rudder of a Ship on a Globe with the Fas­ces, is sovereign Power: so a Spear lying cross a Curule Chair, signifies a Consul, Aedile or some person of Pontifical Dignity, it is likewise a Symbol of Iuno and Consecration: By the way, there is an Ivory Chair at Somerset-house, said to be a Roman Curule, but the Shape of it does by no means answer; for they were not only plainer, but made with arched Legs and round-back'd, more resembling that easie Chair, which is wont to be plac'd under the Imperial or Canopy of State, at Court.

The Cornucopia is common to all the Deities, Symbols of Beneficence and Abundance, especially where there are two, nor is the Caduceus always attributed to Mercury alone, but to Royal and Universal Power and Authority; for so 'tis found with a Horn of Plenty and the Pontifical Mitre in a Reverse of Iulius.

Abundance is also symboliz'd by Ears of Corn appearing out of a Bushel, with the heads of Poppy, which of all Plants produces the greatest plenty of Seeds. Other Chara­cters of Abundance and Fertility are Clusters of Grapes, Pa­niers of Flowers and Fruits, &c. With the Augural Lituus, we oftentimes see two Pullets, or some other Bird which [Page 64] they kept for Divination, and not seldom in their Coops and Cages, &c. And may these suffice with others enumerated by Mr. Walker and the late Author of the Science, and such as we have already named; where one has their descriptions more at large, but which for being so very necessary to be known and remember'd, ought not to be counted a needless Repetition: For Heads and Effigies may be easily distinguish­ed by their Inscriptions, not so Reverses, which having rela­tion to Symbol only, require particular Explication, as do other Emblems, Devises and Hieroglyphicks, inclosing Morals, recondite Mysteries and Actions; recommending and repre­senting the most conspicuous Virtues of the Persons and things they relate to. And thus all that was heroical and great, peculiar and eminent, and properly regarding Antient History, its Circumstances and Accessories, is, we see, fetcht out of Medals and their Reverses, Cap. 13. ad 17. as Agostino amply, and Suaresius more contractedly have given us a Taste.

Upon this account it is, that such Memoirs were consigned to the most lasting Materials; and that the Heroic Ages bore such Veneration to Antiquity and the Exploits of their Renowned Ancestors, that they hung up the Skins and Spoils of Lions and Serpents, and other destructive and furious Beasts as wasting whole Countries, had been killed and cleared by them.

They adorned the Vestibules and Porches of their Temples, Halls and Palaces with Armour, Weapons, Trophies, Sta­tues, Urns, Tables and Inscriptions, and all sorts of Antiqui­ties. As among the Gaditani (for instance) they shew'd Pygmalion's Auream Olivam; the Argives, Atrei Phialum; the Skin of the Caledonian Boar apud Arcades; those of Delphi, Pindar's Chair; as did the Metapontines that of Pythagoras; the Parma Antaei made Tanger famous; Phalaris's Bull, those of Agrigentum; Leda's Egg, those of Lacedaemon; the Arca Cypseli, those of Olympus, &c. Others the Spear of Achilles; the Harp of Timotheus; Fair Helens Necklace; the Lamp of Epictetus. These, and the like (long since lost and decay'd, and not to be compar'd with Medal) rendred many Coun­tries and Cities famous; and so fond they were of them, that Cicero tells us,In Verrem. Nulla unquam Civitas tota Asia & Graecia signum ullum, Tabellam pictam, ullum denique or namentum urbis, sua voluntate cuiquam vendidit, &c. They would not alienate or part with them for any price; as neither of late years [Page 65] would they of Rome sell to that magnificent Collector of An­tiquities, Thomas Earl of Arundel and Surrey, the fragments only of a broken Obelisc which had lain neglected so many Ages in the Circ of Caracalla, since piec'd together, and erect­ed on that goodly Fountain of Piazza Navona by the fa­mous Bernini, a stupendious Monument of his admirable Talent.

There are still at Rome, Florence, Pisa, &c. other Anti­quities belonging to the Cities, and daily purchas'd and aug­mented, Statues, Historical Columns, Trophies, Altars, Urns, Inscriptions and Pictures, which they keep to adorn, and for the honor of the Place and Nation, which I know not that they do in any other; for if they did, those Statues and other venerable Antiquities search'd out, and with so great diligence, affection and vast expence, brought from Athens, Delphi, Smyrna, and other parts of Greece by that noble Earl, would not have been dispers'd, as I find they were; those Inscriptions only excepted, which were frankly bestow'd on our Athenae (the University of Oxford) at my sole Request to the late illustrious Duke of Norfolk; and I had his promise of that Colossian Minerva to have follow'd, but his Grace's so unexpected Death prevented my timely getting it remov'd. I know not whether it was not since pur­chased with many other Statues by the Lord Vicount Lemster, who for his great love of all that is magnificent of this kind, and for his no less civilities to me, I think my self oblig'd to mention with much regard; glad that they are fallen in­to the hands of one who both knows how to value and preserve them. For by such Collections (as I said) Countries and Cities become Schools of Art, attracting learned Persons and many Strangers to visit their Antiquities, as now abroad to the Churches, Shrines, and reputed holy Places. Nor did all,In Verrem Orat. 4. or any of these Circumstances of old Smyrna, with the advantage of her famous Port and Haven, render it so celebrious as the antient Picture of Agathocles; nor the Ma­mertines, as that one Collection of C. Hejus, of which the Orator (describing the Antiquities of his Palace near Messina in Sicily) Messanam ut quisque nostrûm venerat, haec visere so­lebat: Omnibus haec ad visendum patebant quotidie; Domus erat non Domino magis ornamento, quam Civitati, &c. One nobly fur­nish'd House was not, it seems, a greater Reputation to the [Page 66] illustrious Owner, than to the whole City it self. And thus Thepsia for an excellent Statue of Cupid only (the work of Praxiteles) was visited by Travellers and Strangers, nam alia visendi causa nulla est: It had nothing else, says Cicero, in it worth seeing. Upon this account it is, that the Palaces and Studies of the Farnesi, Medici, Barberini, Pozzi, Angeloni, &c. at Rome; the Duke of Tuscany's at Florence; Septalius's at Milan, with their Cabinets of Medals, Statues, Inscriptions, and other Antiquities, &c. make Italy still venerable in her very Runis:Salust. And for what Use and End all this Cost and Curiosity we are told by that noble Historian (de Bello Iu­gurth,) not for nothing or merely to look upon and delight the Eye with only: Nam saepè audivi Q. Maximum, P. Sci­pionem, praeterea Civitatis nostrae praeclaros viros solitos ita dicere, cum majorum imagines intuerentur, vehementissimè sibi animum ad virtutes accendi: Scilicet, non ceram illam, neque Figuram tan­tum vim in sese habere; sed memoria rerum gestarum, eam flumam egregiis viris in pectore crescere, neque prius sedari, quam virtus eorum famam atque gloriam adaequaverit. The very sight of their Effigies call'd to their minds the glorious Actions they had perform'd, and even inflam'd them with an Emulation of their Virtues; nor did it rest there till they themselves also had done something worthy their Ex­ample. To this the incomparable Cicero again (pleading the cause of an excellent Poet) Quam multas nobis Imagines non solum ad intuendum,Orat. pro Archia.verum etiam ad imitandum, fortissimorum virorum expressas Scriptores & Graeci, & Latini reliquerunt; quas ego mihi semper in administranda Repub. proponens, animam & mentem meam ipsa cogitatione hominum conformabam, &c. And in good earnest, where there is no more Superstition paid, than what upon the sight of modest Pictures, Statues, Medals, and other productions of Art, these learned Pagans shew'd them for ought appears: I should be no Iconoclast and Demolisher, tho I abhor Idols, and cannot but wonder that Men of Reason and Power to Reform, should give and continue Scandal to so many excellent Christians, and to so many who are not Christians but would be so, were they either taken away, or (if left standing) their Cult abo­lish'd, not the imitation of the Sanctimony and Virtues of those whom they represent. For thus (to return to Reverses) it seems they so inspir'd Men with their very looks, that [Page 67] the noble Alphonsus us'd to say, he never beheld Caesar in Medal without some extraordinary Emotion, inflaming his breast with an Emulation of imitating his greatness of Mind and conspicuous Virtues. For the same reason of old, they plac'd and set up their Signa, Busts and Pictures in their Pinacotheca's and Repositories, especially in the Vestibules and Prima Aedium parte, Porches, Halls, and particularly in their Libraries, some of Marble,Valerius l. 5. cap. 8. ex­emp. 3. Plin. lib. 35. cap. 2. others in Wax; nay says Pliny, Non solum exauro, argentove, aut certe aere in Bibliothecis dican­tur illi, quorum immortales animae in iisdem locis ibi loquuntur; quinimo etiam quae non sunt, finguntur, pariuntque desideria non traditi vultus, sicut in Homero evenit; quo majus (ut quidem ar­bitror) nullum est foelicitatis specimen; quam semper omnes scire cupere, qualis fuerit aliquis, &c. Celebrating those immortal Hero's, who seem to breath and speak to us as they stand. Thus things not really present, appear at least as if they were, inciting us with a desire of enjoying the absent Person: for instance, the Poet Homer; there being in my opinion (says he) no greater felicity, than this universal Inclination of knowing what manner of Man such and such a Person was.

How strong a passion the sight of Alexanders Statue alone kindled in Caesar, when it made him shed Tears, out of An­guish or Ambition, that such a stripling in comparison to his Age, should have so far exceeded his Conquests! having subdu [...]d the whole World almost, e're himself had yet been Master of a Province. And doubtless there is nothing does more stimulate a noble and generous Spirit than a Virtuous Emulation; and therefore Sir Thomas Moor allow'd the use of Statues also, in that ingenious Idea of his Republic (where otherwise we find him very sparing of unnecessary Pomp and Expences) when discoursing of Rewards and Punish­ments; Non paucis (says he) tantum deterrent à flagitiis; sed propositis quoque honoribus ad virtutes invitant: Ideoque Statuas viris insignibus, & de Rep. praeclare meritis in foro collocant, in re­rum bene gestarum Memoriam, simul ut ipsorum posteris majorum suorum gloria calcar & incitamentum ad Virtutem sit, &c. And therefore of old they never decreed those Honors of Statue or Medals, but to such as had perform'd some signal Exploit, or Invented some useful Thing. In this manner they Dig­nified and made them Noble, as Aemilius and others: and [Page 68] again, overthrew and broke their Images in pieces, and re­call'd their Medals, when upon any vile Action, or notorious Treason they deserv'd ill, or betray'd their Country; of which Histories afford innumerable Examples. And indeed, when Men (be they never so great and well born) degenerate from their illustrious Ancestors,

They put them (as we have shew'd) not only in mind of those brave and glorious Persons they represented, but they look'd on them as yet alive, and observers of their Actions; and were so charm'd with their Conversation, that they car­ried them in their Triumphs, and went with them to their very Funerals and Graves; nor would they at any hand sell or alienate them from their Families, but fixt them as House-Looms to the Inheritance. He that could shew the greatest number of them (as we now Coat-Armor and Pedigree) was reckon'd the Noblest. Tis really strange to what prodigious numbers the Statues and Figures of this sort should otherwise a­mount, when in the little Island of Rhodes alone were counted above thirty thousand; [...] those of Olympia and Delphi more; in Corinth innumerable. By a noble Contention (says Sir Henry Wotton) in Point of Fertility, 'twixt Art and Nature, and not only arguing an infinite plenty of Artists and Materials, but likewise of magnificent and glorious Thoughts, even [Page 69] in the common Persons of those Ages, besides the Relation those goodly Monuments and Memoirs of well doing and meritorious Persons had to nobler Designs; not as a bare and transitory entertainment of the Eye only, or gentle decep­tion of the Time, but that it had a secret and powerful In­fluence, even towards the advancement of the best of Go­vernments, by their continual representations of great and virtuous Examples; So as in that point Art became a piece of State.

Remarkable for this sort of Magnificence, and one of the first was Marcus Varro (the most learned and knowing Person of the Age) who made a Collection of all the famous Men from the Foundation of Rome to his own Times. Cicero, Atticus and others, follow'd him to that height of Curiosity, as 'tis re­ported of Alexander Severus, that he sought to have the Pour­traits of our Blessed Saviour, the Patriarch Abraham and o­ther extraordinary Persons, as well as of Achilles, Alexander, Plato and others of the Gentile Hero's and Philosophers.

We have seen, how instead of Ensigns and painted Ban­ners, they carried them in Pomps and Processions of State, stampt and cut in all sorts of Metal, Stones of price, Por­phyry, and the most durable Marbles; and this they did for almost Two Thousand Years, especially in Money and Me­dals innumerable, whereof much is yet remaining, much more 'tis probable than what is yet come to light, found here and there casually in single pieces, and often in heaps, full Urns and Jars, to shew the immense Treasure of that once flourishing State, and vast Extent of its numerous Colo­nies, which not only inlarg'd their Conquests over Men, but (as in recompence of the Changes and Devastations which they made) Civiliz'd the Barbarous World by their Laws and Learning, useful Arts, and exemplary Virtues.

And now after all we have produc'd in favour of Statues, Medals and other Collections of this nature; we are far from approving or encouraging that abandon'd and passionate love which some have shew'd, in a restless and expensive pursuit of these Curiosities, and that like Damasippus Insaniunt veteres Statuas emendo, as some ill advised, and, as I may say, Luxu­rious Antiquaries have done, to the prejudice of their For­tunes, or any nobler Parts of Life, ranging over all the world, and compassing Land and Sea to feed an unbounded Appe­tite, [Page 70] and turn that into Fault and Vice, instead of a lauda­ble and useful Diversion: Est modus in rebus— I remem­ber a French man (lover of Intaglia's) who told me he had for many years long'd for the death of a Gentleman, who having an Head of the Emperor Hadrian cut in an Onyx (an­tique and very curious) which he would by no means part with; he hop'd that he might obtain it of his Executors, as at last he did. And I could tell of another [...] Person, who, when the Turks Invaded Candy, and alarmd the Ve­netians, was wont (not without some secret pleasure) to reckon, at how easie rates Statues would be purchas'd, should the Turks set foot in Italy.

Asking pardon for this digression, not altogether foreign to our Subject of Heads and Effigies, and the plenty of Sta­tues, Medals, and antient Coins which may be yet extant in the hands of the curious. That which has been perverted by ignorant Mechanicks, and Avarice of others, may, for ought we know, be as much as what remains intire.

Laurentius Pignorius, Pignor. Epist. writing to the Abbot Barisonus, tells us (with no small indignation) what a World of Antiquities lie buried, broken, and neglected. And as to Medals, of a Venetian Merchant that melted down abundance of rare Coins to make a Chain of Gold for his Wife to wear. And Schot­tus, of a Spanish Apothecary who cast a Mortar for the use of his shop of an invaluable Collection of Medals, which had been left him by his curious Father: Dignus utique ipse pistillis; sed in grandiore Mortario Anaxarchi more tundi: Nay, my Au­thor adds, that when, An. 1506. at Rome a Goldsmith was wont to cast little Shrines and Statues of gold and silver Me­dals; he did often use to boast, that he made none but of such precious things. Such another encounter I remember the noble Busbequius Busbeq. E­pist. tells us he met withal in his Embassy passing through Amasia to the Ottoman Court: That enquiring of a Brasier whether he had any Medals (or as the Truks call them, Infidel Money, using them for weights only) the Pagan Tinker told him, he had a shop-full of them a day or two before, but that he had newly melted them all, to make Pots and Kettles. But this of old the nobler Romans (as if foreseeing it) took such care of, that besides a Law expresly prohibiting the melting down of any Coin or Medals; to preserve all other noble Monuments from being so much as [Page 71] any ways marr'd or injured (expos'd as many of them were abroad in the streets and about the Cities) they had their Curator Statuarum, as well as their Tribuni rerum Nitentium; especial­ly Libraries, Buildings of Magnificence, and other publick Decorations and Ornaments.

The truth is (whatever care there was of old) 'tis not a­bove an Age since they were even at Rome it self so negli­gently Barbarous, that some Harpies would have demolish'd the Arch of Constantine, and so obliterated the Memory of that great Emperor and Revolution, as far as in these wretches lay, had not Pope Paul the Fifth taken care to prevent them: They had already pull'd down the Septizonium of Severus, so as there now remains no Vestigia of that noble and singular Antiquity, nor of many a Triumphal Arch besides (as that of Drusus over the Germans and others) except it be in the Me­dal; and were proceeding upon the only remaining Amphi­theater of Titus, miserably defac'd already; so as that renown­ed City had by this time been hardly known so much as in her Ruins.

To resume then our Subject, and at once, & instar om­nium, to shew their incomparable Use, and how vastly they might contribute to the Universal Republic of Letters, were it possible to make a complete Collection, and uninterrupt­ed Series of Greek and Roman Coins, as doubtless they have been stamp'd and distributed upon all signal Occasions, when great numbers were utter'd and dispers'd from time to time, besides those which were also frequently found under the Foundations of Public Edifices (on whose Reverses was usu­ally the Model or Picture of the Fabric) I affirm, were such a Treasure to be met with, the learned World would be furnish'd and inrich'd with a World of rare Antiquities; vouchers subsidiary to good History, and of what there has past of Memorable, with far more certainty than from any other perishable Records whatsoever, since Medals are not justified by Books and Authors, but Books and Authors by Medals rather. I cannot (says the illustrious Scaliger) but admire how many noble Records, rare and recondit Myste­ries are contain'd, and have been transmitted to us in Medals and Inscriptions, quae nos fugiunt, and of what we could never else have had such clear and perspicuous Testimony! But he who has a mind to see how Medals vindicate and support [Page 72] antient History preferrable to Books, may consult the lear­ned Spanheim's Preface and Notes on Iulius Caesar.

And here I must acknowledg, that I have been more con­firm'd by that Bass Relieve still extant on that Triumphal Arch of Titus, which at my being at Rome I caus'd to be most accurately Delineated by Carolo Morotti (since, for his incom­parable Talent advanc'd to be the Popes chief Painter, and worthily now esteem'd the first of Europe) with all the La­cunae and Detritions in so long a tract of Time, to prevent the being impos'd upon by most, if not by all those Sculp­tors (not excepting Francis Perrier, esteem'd to be the most faithful) whose Prints I have ever seen, and who presume to supply what is quite worn out with their Conjectures. I say I have been more edified by this undoubted Antiquity, and by the Medals representing to us the sad and deplorable Eversion of that once glorious Temple, and Destruction of that obstinate People for their prodigious Ingratitude and Ma­lice in putting to Death the Son of God, than by all that Iosephus, and other Historians of that time or since, have left us in their Books.

I am not ignorant that many passages of moment have been falsely grounded upon these venerable Monuments; as from that known Inscription SANCTO. SANCO. SE­MONI, Apolog. 2. &c. by the Holy Martyr S. Iustin and others since; whilst prejudice and superstition make others to mistake the most grosly; as the learned Dr. Spon clearly shews in his Let­ter to Father Chaise, who pretended to derive and prove the Antiquity of the Popish Mass from a Medal stampt in the time of Constantine the Great; because forsooth, in a certain Reverse of that Emperor, one sees a little round thing upon an Altar, which being more heedfully inspected (without the aid of Microscopes) evidently appear'd to be a Mund or Imperial Globe only; but which the zealous Iesuit took for a Consecrated Wa­fer: Thus quod volumus facile credimus. But the instances we have hitherto produc'd are Authentic and without Reproach, evin­cing and establishing what is pretended from them beyond ex­ception. And for the Historical Part, by what is already among the Curious and lovers of this Study; we cannot rea­sonably question, but those Kingdoms and flourishing States who took such care to preserve and trasmit those noble and worthy Actions to Posterity, were not less diligent and [Page 73] curious not to suffer any thing of Signal and Illustrious to escape them, than a very Modern State and Commonwealth near us, have to this day (to our reproach or neglect at home be it spoken) in their most laudable Imitation of the wisest, most renown'd and prosperous Commonwealth we find Ce­lebrated for their Wisdom and Virtue.

An egregious Instance of this may be seen in what Mon­sieur Bizot and his Continuator have Publish'd, in the Histoire Metalique de la Rep. d'Holland (Printed first in Folio, since in three elegantly Design'd and Insculp'd Octavo's) where one has the intire History of whatsoever has passed of Public and Memorable by Sea or Land, in Peace or War of any sort, relating to that wonderful Commonwealth. All of it deduc'd, represented and supported by, and from the Records of Medals, Stampt and Publish'd in the year, and at the times when such and such Actions happen'd to be done and were fresh in memory; and that from the very Infancy of that State, and defection from the Crown of Spain to this day; together with apposite Devises and In­scriptions both of Things and Persons, Monumental, and high­ly conducing to divers Passages of our Modern Histories and Revolutions (abating of some Liberties which perhaps might decently have been pass'd by, not so well becoming the gra­vity of Medal, but which are yet Matters of Fact) namely, their Wars, Sieges, Expeditions, Truces, Peaces, Alliances, Negotiations, Discoveries, Colonies, Adventures, Plantations, Companies, and Improvements of Arts and Manufactures. In a word, nothing Memorable has escap'd the Medal; nor what of other Countries that have had any relation to them: Sometimes to the Honor of their Nation, useful and full of profitable Diversion: Verily a Curiosity, together with the Historical Discourses upon them, worthy both the Collection and Cabinet of the Curious.

To proceed therefore with their Reverses: We have there represented (besides Heads and Effigies) all that has fall'n out of Great and worthy the notice of History, frequent E­vents referring to most Actions not of Europe only, but of both the Indies and the whole World, in any sort relating to (I think) the most Industrious People in it. For instance,

They have Medals of the very first occasion of their Re­volt and Emancipation from the Tyranny and Oppression of [Page 74] Philip II. under which they groan'd, upon his endeavouring to introduce the Inquisition, and in order thereunto erect­ing new Bishopricks and Tribunals, infringing their antient Immunities and Constitutions: And how from that con­temptuous Name of Geux and Vagabonds, to High and Mighty; they in less than a Century asserted their Rights and Liberties against all the Power and Policy of then, the most potent and formidable Monarch of Christendom.

We have in the Reverse of their Medals, their Original Confederation and Union with Utrecht; their early applica­tion and submission to Queen Elizabeth for her Protection; the Cautionary Towns and Fortresses made over to, and Gar­risoned by her, with their R [...]ddition; their deplorable and cruel Sufferings after their first Governor Philip Emanuel Duke of Savoy, and Governes's Margarete Dutchess of Parma; Car­dinal Granvil, under that fierce and truculent Alvarez de To­ledo Duke of Alva; his Son Frederic, Don Lovis de Requesens; Don Iohn of Austria; the Arch-Duke Matthias; the Princes of Parma; Count Mansfield; Arch-Duke Albert; Clara Eu­genia; the Cardinal Infanta; the late Fran. de Mela; Leopol­dus; Monterey and the rest.

They represent the Executions, and Catastrophes of Count Egmont and Horn; the several Massacres which follow'd; the Heroical Acts of Prince William of Nassau; his Assassi­nation; the Effigies and Exploites of those who pursued that great Persons Victories; what was (or rather indeed what was not done) during the Government of the Duke of Alen­son, and our Earl of Leicester; the wonderful Successes and Triumphs of Grave Maurice; Henry Frederic, William the Second and Third, the Renowned Princes of Orange, even to the late stupendious Revolution.

We have in the Reverses of their Medals, the Surprizes of Brill (which was their first Exploit) and Harlem; the me­morable Siege of Leyden; the Stratagem at Breda, Sluce, Ber­gen-op-zoom, Bois le Duc, Venlo, Ruremond, Sas de Gand, Hulst, the later Siege of Maestricht, &c. the famous Leagures and Battles of Ostend, Newport, Seneff, with the Heads and Pour­traits of Sir Francis and Horatio Veres, and other English He­ro's their brave Exploits and Successes against Don Iuan, Parma, Spinola, and others the most renowned Captains and Commanders of that Age.

[Page 75] There is a Medal of Prince William the Second's March to Amsterdam, and of whatsoever else has fall'n out of Remarka­ble for more than an hundred years past. But these, for being acted in their own Country, I mention together, not forgetting such Exploits as their Medals have Consecrated to their Renown abroad upon the Sea, and in other Lands; as a Reverse of the famous Battel of Lepanto; the bold Action at Damiata in Egypt; the Naval Fight in Eighty Eight, upon our dispersion of that Invincible Armada, with that other signal Combat in An. 1639. their surprizing of the Spanish Plate Fleet; several Contests with ours during the late Re­bellion, with their Admirals Trumps, de Ruyters, Opdams, &c. Engagements with the Duke of York, Prince Rupert, Duke of Albemarle, and Earl of Sandwich (worthy a kinder fate) and, to our reproach, their Insult at Chatham, and Action at Bergen; Relief of Denmark and Copenhagen, when streight­ned by the Swedes: there is a large Medalion of de Ruyters Ex­ploits in Sicily; Succours formerly yielded to other Princes their Allies, as during their Peace with Albert and Isabel, in the affair of Cleve and Iuliers; they stampt Medals of the late Incursions and Excursions of the French An. 1673. since the Peace of Nimegue, and several other Treaties and Conven­tions since that general one at Munster, and what pass'd with that Martial Bishop; Groningen, Narden, Breda; the Triple League, and several others with Foreign Princes and Po­tentates.

There is a Medal asserting their Liberty of Commerce; of their Expeditions to the Eastern Indies by the Cape of Good Hope; in sum, of their Circum-Navigations of the whole Terrestrial-Terraqueous World, penetrating to the Anti­podes, and even to the sight of both the Poles: Others of their Wars with the Indian Monarchs; the Establishment of both East and West India Companies; their Colonies, Ci­ties, Forts, Factories in the Moluccas, Iavan, Ceylon, and o­ther Spice Islands; their Fisheries and Adventures at Nova Zembla, and attempts on the North west Passages; of their Expeditions and Success of Prince Maurice in Brasile. In short, there's not a Discovery, Colony, Munition, Plan­tation, Negotiation, Factory or Scale of Commerce, City, Citadel, State-house, Bourse, Church, Hospital, sumptuous Edifice, Harbor, Canal or the like Public Charge, but they [Page 76] shew in Medal: Witness those struck of the Erection of Leiden, and other Cities into Schools and Universities; the Ef­figies of their famous Professors and Countrymen, renown'd for their Learning, Souldiers, Statesmen; Medals of the Authors of several Inventions, Arrogating the Arts of Print­ing, Painting in Oyl; Mills and Machines; their veliferous Chariot, and other great and useful Things.

They struck Medals of several Triumphs and magnificent Pomps on sundry occasions, setting forth the Reception and Marriage of the unfortunate Frederic Prince Elector, and La­dy Elizabeths Landing at Flushing; another, when the King and Queen of Bohemia took their sad flight after the decre­tory Battel of Prague; they caused Medals to be made of the Refuge which they gave to Mary de Medices, Mother of so many Crown'd Heads when she had none to shelter her own: Of the Nuptials of Prince William the Second with the Daugh­ter of England; another of the generous Entertainment which they gave our late King Charles the Second at Breda, and of his Transportation into England at his Restoration.

To these succeed their Medals of the late Duke of Mon­mouths Invasion; the Birth of the Prince of Wales; of our Bishops confinement in the Tower of London; as formerly I had found one in memory of the Gun-Powder Conspiracy; a delivery (for ought I know) wholly neglected by us who were most concern'd, with any lasting Record of this nature, or bare Inscription.

The late stupendious Expedition, and Descent at Torbay is celebrated in a large Medalion; as is likewise the Recess of King Iames II. and the Coronation following.

They stamp'd a Medal upon the memorable Siege of Lon­don-Derry in Ireland, with sundry more relating to divers o­ther Passages and Events extraordinary and worthy Record.

I have seen a Reverse of the famous Synod at Dort; of the fortunate escape of the learned Grotius (Author of so many incomparable Works) convey'd out of a strong Prison, in­stead of a Trunk of Books, whilst his unfortunate Compa­nion Olden-Barnevelt lost his head; of which, as of the un­happy De Wit and his Brother Cornelius there are Medals.

They struck a Medal and several Medalions on the Viola­tion of the solemn Edict of Nantes, and of the ensuing, and present Persecution of the French Protestants and severities ex­ercised [Page 77] upon them; another of the Prophetic Iurieu, and of that of the Count D' Avaux in contradiction to him; and to give them their due, they freely consign to the Record of Medals, as well their disasters as their Triumphs; the Inun­dations of their Country, and several Conspiracies against it.

All these, and many more which we pass over, elaborate­ly and curiously Design'd, Engraven and Coin'd in Gold, Sil­ver and Copper, together with apt Inscriptions and Symbols; so that none seem more laudably ambitious either of Im­mortalizing their Actions, or for the benefit, incitation, and imitation of Posterity, or vindication of Authors and Inven­tions than this Republique; none more addicted to Public Works and Improvements, therein emulous of, and in some things even transcending the antient Greeks and Rome hereself.

It is true, that Iaques de Bie did, in the year 1646. set forth his France Metalique, beginning at Pharamond (accor­ding to their Genius of Romance) to the Father of the present Monarch Louis XIV. exceedingly well Engraven and Ex­plain'd, but with little of those fastidious, swelling and in­sulting Titles, the Flatterers of late have publish'd in a more pompous Volume. But as it is intirely taken up in those sla­vish Deferences, so to the dishonor of those excellent Uses we have celebrated Medals for; we should altogether have omitted the mention of what we do in this kind, were not some passages so notorious, and some of them so disinge­nuous, and such as may serve to convince the present, as well as future Ages, that whatsoever impartial History shall here­after record, of Actions the most inhumanly Barbarous that any Age has produc'd among Christians (or indeed the most Savage Nations) may be justified by the Medals and Inscrip­tions both Stamp'd, and daily Publish'd to acquire the Name of GRAND, and establish it upon unheard of Ambition, Cruelty and Oppression, and the shedding of human Blood, Banishments and Desolations; which, methinks, is so far from deserving the Honor of Medal, Inscription and Triumph, as the best of Princes have merited them all, by the grateful and immortal Memory of true and lasting Glory; not by Titles only of Piety, Zeal and Justice, but by their Clemency and [...]OB. CIVES. SERVATOS.

From the year 1638. to this present, we have the Majo­rity, Coronation, Marriage, Children; Education of this [Page 78] Great Monarch; his Sieges, Conquests, Buildings, Acade­mies, Treaties, Truces, Leagues, Conventions, Parliaments, Laws, Abolitions, Military Orders, Marishals, Colonies, Forts, Triumphs, &c. It would require a Volumne but to recite a little of them all; nor indeed am I willing to believe them half approv'd of by the Prince; tho by those Royal Flatterers Perault, Carpentier, La Chapel, and other Court-Wits they seem to be, who have labour'd those Inscriptions, divers of them appearing so boldly prophane, and with Attributes of Omnipotence; others so fulsomly Arrogant and Vain-glo­rious, and some again scandalous; mean, and trifling; which, tho added to the French second Edition, are yet Historical of considerable Passages. To give a Specimen of but few.

There is a Medal representing the King standing between the two Cities of Genoa and Luxemburg, holding the World on the point of his Sword:

That is, Pyrgopolinices like, laying whole Cities and Coun­tries in Ashes and Desolation. Another, Rheno, Batavisque una superatis 1672. upon that surprizing Invasion, and since more fatal one Ultimo Aditu Hostibus Germanis Galliae, &c. and actually, during all the Blood-shed and Violation of the solemnest Treaties, Pacatori Orbis; which brings to mind that Raillant Medal Galienae Augustae, with the Legend Pax ubique, when, through his negligent Government, the whole Empire was torn in pieces by Thirty Tyrants. Thus now, as of old, Ubi solitudinem faciunt, Pacem appellant. But what is most stupendious Ludovicus Magnus XIV. &c. The Re­verse two Columns upon one Pedestal, one of which is thrown down, with the Edict of Nantes lying by on the ground [...] upon the other is ingraven Romain ou Rebel, Papist or Re­bel: On the Pedestal Edictum Nantesium, Nimesiumque abro­gatum est mense Octob. 1685. In another Haeresis extincta E­dictum Octobris 1685. And contrary to the most Sacramen­tal Obligations and Acknowledgments of the good and great Services his Protestant Subjects had done the Crown, reward­ed by Templis Calvinianorum eversis, with that Triumphal one of Vicies centena Millia Calvinianae Ecclesiae revocata, &c. For having converted Two Millions of Protestants by a Million of Dragoons; such terrible Inscriptions are extant of Dioclesian, (Nomine Christianorum Deleto, &c.) but of no Heathen Emperor else that I can learn.

[Page 79] I confess when I turn over Code Louis XIII. from An. 1598 for now almost an hundred years, comprehending at large all these Edicts with that solemnity Reiterated, Verified and Registred in several Parliaments, and other Sovereign Courts, confirmed and granted under the Hands and Seals of Henry the Fourth, and all his Successors since; together with the Oaths of the Supreme Magistrates, and Judges, to observe it as a Law perpetual and irrevocable, as if Enacted by the Medes and Persians, without any exception. I cannot, I say, but be astonish'd at what is since done, and made boast of not only in time of peace, but without the least provocation of his suffering, and (by his own confession) meritorious Subjects! But such is this Monarchs pleasure; ‘—Stat pro Ratione, Voluntas.’ But the following are modest, Sufficit Orbi.

They radiate the King with the Sun-beams (nor do they more in their Pictures of God the Father) as if alone suffici­ent to govern the Universe;

Comparing his Majesty to that illustrious Planet in no fewer than seventy five Devises and Inscriptions. To which add (what most of all they seem fond of) Nec pluribus impar. But which was indeed the Impress of Philip the Second of Spain (as already we have shew'd) written about a Globe of the World; which, how since from so glorious a Rise and Meridian it is declin'd and ready to Set, might be a Do­cument, and shew how short and transitory all worldly Pro­sperity is; but, to prevent that fate, we are told in another Reverse, Nec cesso, nec erro. And, Caesar-like, in another, Ut vidi, vici; nay, far exceeding all the Caesars, Satis est vidisse, kills with his very looks; and so does the King of Serpents the Basilisk: And in another Solo lumine terret, sending forth Rays not like the benign Sun to light and comfort, but to burn and destroy. Thus in another upon the Conquest of the Franche Compte, where the Reverse represents a Mountain of Snow dissolving at the Suns approach; and of the same kind that unsatiably Ambitious one,

[Page 80] Swallowing all under the pretence of Appennages; which re­minds me again of another of the former Philips, Non suf­ficit Orbis. The Reverse a Spanish Courser unbridl'd, and galloping round the Globe of the Earth. But we have seen how lamentably he was tired before he came to his Journeys end, within eight or nine years after.

But what may not he do, whose Law is his Will? For so 'tis declar'd in the Medal Bombarding of Genoa:

Whereas in truth, Pauciora licet ei quàm ulli, cui licet omnia.

These, and the like, exceeding all that's Modest, truely Great, and Christian, makes me with good reason question; whether these Medals were ever so much as seen, or approv­ed of by Le Roy Tres Chrestienne, the most Christian King. Wherefore, after all, I cannot but impute them all to that bane of Princes, and worst of Subjects, Sycophants and Flatte­rers; who, to shew what he has perform'd by Sea, as well as at Land,

Administrandam commisit, An. 1685. Under whom to be sure it cannot but prosper, unless they chance to meet an English Fleet, which will not so easily part with this Dominion; 'tis however a glorious Boast, and should make us look about us, whilst we see in another Reverse

That he has Threescore Thousand Seamen in Pay, &c. We pass over the Sub umbra alarum Sueciae; the Sidera Lodovicia; Satellites, about Saturn, &c. but must not omit that glorious Medalion of the Adorations paid by the Ora­tors Regis Siam, 1686. resembling that which we read, and see pictured of the Queen of Sheba, when she came from the utmost ends of the Earth, to hear the Wisdom of Solomon, Ob Famam Virtutis, as tho a greater than Solomon were here.

There are others representing the Juncture of the Ocean and Mediterranean; the mighty Aquaeduct he is leading through Rocks and Mountains to his Palace of Versailles; attempts [Page 81] truly Great; and like another Alexander (which I do not reprove) VIRO IMMORTALI. We sum up all in that Epigraph on the Reverse of another illustrious Medalion struck in the year M. DC. LXXXVII. ‘LVDOVICO. MAGNO. QVI. BATAVIS. DEBELLATIS. HISPANIS TOTIES DEVICTIS. HOSTIVM. CLASSIBVS. FVGATIS. ET. INCENSIS TOT. FERE. EVROPAE. CONIVRATAE. ET. FOEDERATAE. PACEM. DEDIT. IMPERAVIT.’ That is, in short, of mere pity, having vanquish'd all the Powers of Europe, he commanded her to accept of the Peace which he vouchsafed to offer, ‘Regna superstat, Qui regnare jubet.Sidon. A­poll. Paneg. Ant. Aug.’ Or, as another has writen under his Effigies,

Lewis the Fourteenth, King of France, the delight (truly said of that incomparable Prince Titus Vespasian) and terror of Mankind: Which I think was never recorded or said in Pa­negyric of any Christian Prince, or perhaps Pagan before, excepting Atila the Hum; which makes me persist, and still to doubt, and even to hope, that these flattering Titles are the product only of those abject and servile Parasites, the Pest of Courts and of Princes. And of this I am the more con­firm'd, by the deserv'd Censure which I find given of the Bat. Relat. Hist. Relat. 2. p. 54. Publisher, to disabuse the curious Mons. Schermeier, who valu'd and look'd upon his Collection of a great deal of this stuff, as a Treasure to his Cabinet of Medals.

And yet what is all this to the Medalion of the Statue E­rected by the Duke de la Feuillade in the Place Victoire? The egregious Vanity of which (not to say Profaneness) with all that Herba Parietaria of Emblems, and Symbols and Adulatory Devices about it, is publish'd and makes up a whole Volume too long here to recite, as they are design'd by those great Masters le Brun, Mignard, Varin, Cheron, Roussel, Bernard, Molart, de la Hay, and the rest.

Those who thirst to see, and would be entertained with abundance more of this kind of Pageantry, may please to peruse the History of Lewis the Great, set forth in a pompous Folio by the Iesuit Menestrier, 1691. whose De­dication thus bespeaks him.

To which somebody has unhappily Subjoyn'd by way of Reprisal

In good earnest, who can seriously allow any Countenance to this Abuse of Medals and Inscriptions, which I look upon and esteem as the noblest Repositories of great and serious Matters? So as I have frequently wish'd, that we of this Nation had oftner imitated the laudable Examples of those Wise and Noble People, who (as we have shew'd) suffer'd nothing of truly Great and Worthy to pass, which they did not transmit to Posterity by Medals and Inscriptions; Modest and Pertinent, and far from that turgid Vanity and gross A­dulation, as to the most perennial and lasting Records.

Nor does this Excess of Flatteries reign among the Wits and Poets only, or such as Blaspheme for Bread; but is gotten among the Clergy too: nay and crept into the Monasteries and Cells of the very Minimi-Monks and self-denying Orders, without any Reprehension or Notice at all taken by their Su­periours, to discountenance or repress it: Witness their late publick and famous Theses, in which Intrepidly and sans re­serve, they compare a Mortal Prince, whose Breath is in his Nostrils, to the True and Eternal God, no fewer than twelve times; ascribing to him all those Attributes and Perfections, which the Holy Scriptures make only due to the Divine Majesty; thereby inferring, that the Transcendent Wisdom of the most Christian King, is Argument alone sufficient to Convince all Atheists of the Existence of the Deity, and of his Angels too: [Page 83] which, whilst these meek and creeping Souls, who profess so much Evangelical Simplicity (and would above all others, be distinguish'd for their extraordinary Sanctity) presume to affirm; gives not only great scandal to others, but to some worthy Persons also of that Communion; wondering that the Bishops and Clergy (who are set to be the continual Pro­tectors and Guardians of those Boundaries which are plac'd to se­parate that which is due to God alone from that of Caesars) should suffer such Bold and Impious Theses to escape the Spunge and Index, so worthily perstring'd byLa Morau de Tacite de la Flater. Paris, 1686. Monsieur Amelot in his learned Treatise of Flatterers, upon the Morals of Tacitus, to which I refer the Reader: But so (as one well observes) the Great Alexander, by his Adulators, was made at last to believe, not only to be himself a God; but that he had power to make Hephestion a God also; so True is that,

But of this Pagan and Slavish Adulation of Princes, see co­pious Instances in Casaubon's Animadver. in Athenaeum, lib. vi. c. c. 14, 15, &c.

In the mean time, let not yet the ill use which two or three Prodigies of Men, and their Parasites have made of them (for we read but of few exceeding that number, even amongst the Domitians and Pagan Emperors) who prevented those venerable Monuments of the bravest Actions; and were therefore noted with Infamy; had their Statues broken, their Medals call'd in, and Effigies defac'd: I say let them not discourage us from Imitating those Illustrious Princes and States, who have modestly deliver'd to us many brave and profitable Notices, by their Medals, which had else utterly, and perhaps irrecoverably been lost to the Learned World: For so the Lives, and worthy Memories of several Great Emperors are left and transmitted to us (as those of Iulius, Augustus, Vespasian, Titus, Nerva, Trajan, Antoninus, M. Aurelius, Septimus Severus, &c. with innumerable Rare and Remarkable Things and Passages of their Reigns, by the Study and Industry of many learned Authors upon this Subject.

[Page 84] Since then the greatest Nations for Renown and Virtue have been thus celebrated, and incited to brave and glorious Actions, by having the Memories of them, among other last­ing Monuments and Records, thus consign'd: It would raise Pity, with just Indignation, to find a Kingdom so fertile of Gallant and Illustrious Persons, so poorly furnished, to shew (by any accomplish'd History or Series hitherto extant) what has been done and atchiev'd by Ancestors truly Great, and permit me to add, worthy the Consideration in Medal; and whose Effigies alone were desirable for their Virtues, equalling many of them to the most Celebrated of the Antients, and deserving the stamp of the most precious and lasting Metals. I grieve to find so very few Medals of this kind among us, in an Age so polite and knowing, during all the Changes, Revolutions, and signal Events either of this, or foreign Countries, where we have been concern'd in Voyages and Discoveries, Conquests, Colonies and Plantations: So many prodigious Fights and Conflicts at Land and Sea, wherein those Heroes have signaliz'd themselves comparably with any which former Ages can produce: For what People of the Universe can boast of greater Men for Arms and Arts? But to name them, and yet neglect them, would be more to our Reproach.

For besides some Coronation-Pieces and Medals stamp'd on the Births, or Nuptials of two or three late Princes, &c. We have ('till Charles the First of Blessed Memory) almost nothing to shew which can well pretend to Medal: 'Tis true (speak­ing of the Barbarous Ages) we have summarily mention'd what British, Saxon and other later Coins remain among our Modern Collections, genuine, and of good Antiquity, as to this Island (exceedingly well engraven in Mr. Speed's Chronicle from the Coins themselves, collected by Sir Robert Cotton, and now augmented, and improv'd in the new Edition of Camden) without Reverse, Shield or Inscription; besides perchance a rude Cross, Name of a King, and sometimes of the Mint, with that vulgar Sentence Dieu & mon Droit, in use 'till King Iames the First, and the Union with Scotland made some little alteration; none of which are to be look'd upon, or consider'd as Medals, but as Money only.

My worthy and learned FriendNat. Hist. cap. X. Dr. Plot tells us of a Coin, or Token rather, bearing the Head of Edward Con­fessor, somewhere found in his Perambulation of Oxfordshire, [Page 85] which by an hole or appendant Ring, he conjectures to have been given to wear about the Necks of such as had been touch'd for the King's-Evil; that Religious Prince being it seems, the first who had the Charisma and Sanative Gift, de­rived to his Successors Kings of England: But this, tho' for its Antiquity, (and as it related to that particular Effect) it deserv'd our Notice; yet is it neither to be reckon'd amongst our Medals, as having neither Legend nor Reverse.

To commence then with the very first and earliest that it has been my hap to see of Historical, and which may pass for Medal: A Golden Royal of Edward the Third, repre­sents him standing compleatly Arm'd in the middle of a Ship at Sea; holding a Sword in his right hand, the Shield with the Arms of England and France, in his left: The Royal Standard arbour'd, and displaid at the Stern, &c. Justifying as well his Title to the Dominion of the Sea, as Soveraignty of France: This Medal, for so I call it (tho' it also pass for Money) being purely Historical, appears to have been struck about the time of the Treaty of Peace between that glori­ous Monarch, and King Iohn of France, in behalf of them­selves, and their eldest Sons; namely, Edward the Black Prince, and Charles Duke of Normandy, the French King be­ing Prisoner. This Treaty, dated the 8th of May, An. 1360. near Chartres in Britany, was confirm'd at Calais in Picardy; whereupon Hostages were given us by the French King, who was himself obliged to come in Person, and pay the Ransom we have formerly made mention of. The Medal follows.

NOW albeit I will not Affirm that we can boast of such Numbers of Medals and Counters, as a Great Potentate does; We have yet you see, gotten together such a Collection, as with a few Links more, would serve to compose a Series Capable of furnishing an Historical Discourse with a Chain of Remarkable Instances, and Matters of Fact, without Fiction or Vain Hyperboles.

In the mean time, what other Medals there remains of this Sort, relating to our Country in the hands of the Curious; I can give no farther Account of: I am yet well pleased to find those of his late Majesty (Charles the Second) his Return, and Restauration; Though I could have wish'd the Reverses had been more expressive of that signal Providence, as it concerned the Church and state of this Kingdom; having ever looked upon it as a Miracle (and since some there are who establish their Faith so much upon the frequency of them) next to that of the Babylonish Deliverance, rightly consider'd in all its Circumstances, extraordinary and rare Events; by far sur­passing any thing that boasting Party can produce to Affect their Cause; since the Great Constantine, to this day.

I have been the Longer in giving Account of what Holland alone has published in her Medals and Reverses (Memorial, Votive, Triumphant, Gratulatory, Inauguratory, Obsidional, &c.) because the Series is so Intire, and Historically Instructive, as may serve to shew what we have lost of the Antients; who as frequently we have noted, lest nothing Memorable in danger of being forgotten by Posterity, which might be per­petuated in some more durable and noble Matter, than Egypti­an Reeds, Skins of Beasts, Paper and Parchment. And we see with what Success the Learned and Curious have Improved their Diligence in this kind; by their being able to deduce and Justifie so much of the Greek, Roman and other noble History, even out of these few Medals alone that are come to light: Few, [Page 158] I say in Comparison of the Numbers stamp't and which yet lie buried. To how much Greater Perfection then, and Cer­tainty might it be advanced, had we intire, and un-interrupted Series's and Collections of those which were truely Antient (yet desiderate and Wanting) to supply these Chasms and defects! We should then have had our Caracticus, Cassibelan, Alfred, Athelstans; our Edgars, Arthyre, Riehards, Henries First and Fifth in frequenter Medals; Edward the First, Third, and Fourth, and the rest of our Renowned Princes.

It is yet apparent, by what we have produc'd; that as our Kings have not been altogether Negligent of their Own, and consequently, of the Nations Honor, by preserving the Memories of Sundry Famous Actions; So there are Innumerable others, both of our own Princes, and even of their Subjects; whose Virtue, Courage, and noble Exploits (Emulous of the most Heroick and Brave of Antient times) merit the most lasting Records: So as when I again Consider how many Great and Memorable things, Illustrious Persons, Renown'd for Arms and Arts, worthy Consecration, these Nations have produc'd; I go on to Inquire (but without much satisfaction I confess) what Medals were Stamp'd from the Reign and Revolutions of our Seventh and Eight Henries time, to almost this Age of ours? Had such Actions and Events happen'd among the Rest of the Polish'd World; we should not be now to seek for the Heads of Sir Francis Drake, Cavendish, Hawkins, Frobisher, Greenvil, Fenton, Willougby, and the rest of the Argonauts; And surely they that first Circl'd this Globe of Earth and Sea (in whose Entrails so much Gold and Silver, and all other Metals are contained) might at least be thought Worthy the Honor of a Copper Medal, which yet I no where find.

To these Gallant Mens further Atchivements and Merits we number the defeat of that Invincible Armada in Eighty Eight; in danger of being quite forgotten, as to any such durable Monument among us, when ever those Incomparable Tapstries that now Adorn the House of Peers (so lively Representing to the Eye both the Persons, and Circumstances of that Glo­rious and Renowned Action) shall be quite worn-out; or by other fatal Accident, miscarry: I have therefore often wonder'd, that so many Great Princes, and Noble Lords, to whom that Ius Imaginum more especially belongs (divers of whose [Page 159] Ancestors are found in the Bordures of those Rich, and well designed Pieces) should for about this Hundred years past; neglect the having them so much as Accurately Copied-out, and Publish'd by some skilful Graver: But much more, that they have not yet been Painted in their full dimensions, in the Galleries, and Romes of State of those Noble Persons (Builders for Magnificence &c.) instead of Idle Metamorphoses, and other Fictions and fruitless stories, as have of late propha­ned the Walls of so many ample Apartments.

Certainly, we might select as Choice, and Noble Subjects perform'd by our own Nation (and in which none were so much Concerned as the Progenitors of our Nobility) to Decorate and Adorn [...] their Courts and Palaces. They will there­fore pardon this Zeal and occasional Excursion.

Of like Argument are those admirable Paintings of Holbein in his Majesty's Privy-Chamber at White-Hall; representing the Persons of the Two famous Henries and their Wives; together with those other Pieces (by the same hand) Histo­rizing that Expedition to Bullogn: The Iust, and Triumph at the Congress with Francis the First; The Juncture with Maximilian the Emperor, Militating, and receiving Pay under the Banner of St. George; The Battles of Spurrs, though of an Inferior Pencil: those of Cressey, Poictiers, Floddonfield; The famous Cavalcade of Queen Elizabeth, when she went to the Camp at Tilbere, and that of the late Charles the Second through London, at his Restauration; than which there was nothing more August and Solemn, since the Triumphs of the Caesars, &c. with sundry more, whereof our Annals of former and latter times are full: And ah! what an Illustrious Table would the Conflict of Agincourt, fought by our Henry the Fifth against the whole Power of France, in the Reign of the Sixth Charles (as already depicted, and described in that noble Poem of Michael Drayton) produce; painted by the hand of a Rubens, or Verrto; as is the Apotheosis of King Iames the First in the Banqueting-House at White-Hall; and Inauguration of the Black-Prince in St. Georg's at Windsor, the magnificent Cavalcade of the Four Inns of Court. Anno 1633. described in S. B. Whitlocks Memoirs. His Majesty's Charles II. Entrance at his Restauration, 1660, and the Anabasis at Tor-bay? I say, how would these Out-shine the Stories of the drunken Lapithae, Sancho Panca, or the Golden Ass, &c. Things Ridiculous and Impossible, and that serve to no brave Thoughts.

[Page 160] But to return to such as deserv'd that of Medals for Exploits at Sea; I reckon not only those who found out New Worlds, Planted Colonies and Enlarg'd the British Empire: But even those Brave, though Unsuccessful Attempts to discover the Nor-West, and other hitherto impermeable Passages.

I know not whether there were any Medals of the Earl of Essex's Expedition to Cales, and the Heroes who accompanied him; and what though Sir Walter Raleigh miscarried at Gui­ana, he was a Person of extraordinary Merit for his Learning and Experience; and who is he that deplores not his being so unhappily cut off (and our since want of such as Raleigh was) to gratifie theConde Gon­damur Crafty and Malicious?

I have seen nothing of our taking Ormus in the Gulph of Per­sia; nor of those famous Navigators Victorious Conflicts and Discoveries of our Owen Gwinedd and his Son Madoc; of Macha, of Sebastian Cabot, born at Bristol (whom we may therefore Challenge ours) nor of the brave Iohn Oxenham; for I have already mention'd Sir Fr. Drake, Hawkins. &c. But here come in again the Valiant Sir Richard Greenvill, Sir Iohn Summers, Sir Thomas Button, Bennet, Cherry, Carfeil, Edge, Sir Henry Middleton, Sir Hugh Willoughby, the Heroical George Earl of Cumberland; our Gilbert, Chanceler, Thorn, North, Ellis, Iones, Ponnet, Poole, Iacson, Iackman, &c. who were our Nearchus's, Theseus's, Iasons and Ulysses's, that did, and Graiorum Romanorum­que Gloriae, quires olim suas Nava­les per acies asseruerunt, non dubio tunc Anglo­rum & for­tuna, & virtus re­spondit. Gro. Annal. l. 1. perform'd far greater Things and Actions in Truth and Reality, than all those put together were ever fain'd to have done: We have not mention'd the late Action at Bergen, let it be forgotten; not so the Bravery and Success of our daring young Capt. Har­man, before Cadiz in the sight of innumerable Spectators yet alive.

Have we any Medals of Blake, Lawson, Dean, Sprag, Mings, Munden, Allen, Kempthorn, Wetwang, Tyddiman, Young, Curtis, Haines, Haward and others, and of what was Acted on that angry Element? I say nothing of our Buccaneers, Morgan and the rest; because the most daring Exploits and Events, fa­mous only for Spoil, Robberies, Cruelty and Injustice, ought to blot the Memory of their very Names were it possible: but when the Cause is Just and Laudable, Brave and Heroick Facts merit all Encomiums.

And here may some perhaps perstringe me for Celebrating the several Bloody Conflicts during the late War, and diffe­rence with our Neighbours of Holland, &c. I enter not into those Politicks, leaving them to such as were supposed to be [Page 161] the Judges of Right and Wrong; whilst yet the Actions of those Great Captains and Sea-man in National Wars, not tainted (that ever I heard) with barbarous Cruelties are highly worth our Remembrance: And such in the first Rank, was his then Royal Highness the Duke of York, the Illustrious Prince Rupert, George Duke of Albemarle; the Noble Earls of Sandwich, Marl­brough, Portland, Muskerey; Sir Thomas Smith, Ayscogh, Holmes and other stout Commanders, who signaliz'd themselves: Their Names are yet fresh, and both their Actions and Effigies due to Medal for what they did and suffer'd: Nor do I believe there were braver Men in all that numerous List of the [...],Iliad. 2. (States-General of those Provinces) mentioned and celebrated by Old Homer, and now on Record above two thousand Years.

Nor are we wanting of such as Honor'd their Countries, as well by Land as Sea: The Black Prince and his Glorious Fa­ther, Humphrey Duke of Glocester, Richard Plantagenet, Thomas of Woodstock, Iohn of Gaunt, Charles Brandon, the Noble Talbots ter­rible to the French; Sir Iohn Hawkwood (whom the Italians have honor'd with a Statue of Brass;) the Illustrious Veres, Sidneys, Cecil, Norris, Sir Charles Carlisle, Erpingham, Clifford Earl of Cum­berland, the Ogles, Basset, Burrows, Cotton, Paulets, Chester, Gilbert, Pellham, Udal, Knolls, Broughton, Valvasor, Baskerfield, Harbert, Gerrard, Tyrell, Sutton, Bingham, Wilford, Ashley, Audley, &c. these and more abroad; the famous Wallworth, our Lindsey, Montross, Capel, Lucas, L'isle, Birons, Langdale, Hopton, Granvil, Stawel, Cavendish, Smith, and such as unspotted Loyalty ingag'd at Home; too many to ennumerate without Envy and Regret: Others, to be deplor'd for being the Occasions which depriv'd these Kingdoms of so many Generous and Magnanimous Spi­rits, whose flagrant Courage, Performance and Behaviour in the Field (abstracted from the Cause) pretend to Records of Medal: But ‘Cedent Arma togae—’

For how should one rejoyce to find in more lasting Matter than painted Cloth, the true Effigies of such as were Famous for both! Such as were our Sidney, Raleigh, Henry Howard Earl of Surrey, the Cardinals Poole, Allan; the Chancellor Cromwell, Burleigh, Cecil, Buckhurst, Leicester, Sir Fran. Walsingham, Sir Thomas Smith, Carie, Challoner, Isam, Wotton, Randolph, &c. with several others, who served their Princes and their Country with their Prudence [Page 162] and Counsel, to the Envy and Reproach of the following times.

Our late Discoveries of New Worlds, and Conflicts at Sea, the Sanglant Battels that have been fought at Land, the Fortitude and Sufferings of an Excellent Prince, the Restauration of his Successor, the Conflagration and Re-edifying of the Greatest City in the World in less than Twenty Years, (which had been near Two Thousand in Building, nor then half so vast, &c.) call aloud for their Medals a part: We yet see none of the Co­lumn (erected in Memory of that dreadful Fire) the Biggest, and I believe, theTrajan's Col. 147. Roman feet. Antomne's 175. Lon­don 2 [...]9. English feet. Highest all Europe has to shew: And infinite pity 'tis, that it had not been set up where the Incendium and Burning ceas'd, like a Iupiter [...]Stator, rather than where it fatally began; not only in regard to the Eminency of the Ground, but for the reason of the Thing, since it was intended as a grateful Monument and Recognition to Almighty God for its Ex­tinction, and should therefore certainly have been plac'd where the devouring Flames ceas'd and were overcome, more agree­ably to the Stately Trophy, than where they first took Fire and broke out, and where a plain Lugubrous Marble with some apposite Inscription had perhaps more properly become the Oc­casion: But this was over-ruled, and I beg Pardon for this pre­sumption, tho' I question not but I have the Architect himself on my side, whose Rare and Extraordinary Talent, and what he hasThe Thea­tre at Oxon. St. Pauls. Chelsey-College. The Royal Palace at HamptonCourt, &c besides so ma­ny Churches. The Library at Trinity-College Cambr &c. perform'd of Great and Magnificent; this Column and what he is still about, and advancing under his Direction, will speak and perpetuate his Memory as long as one Stone remains upon another in this Nation.

Here the Improvement of Arts Liberal (as they are call'd) and Mechanicks put in their Claim to Medal: For if Aristotle pronounc'dArchyt [...]s. him worthy of a Statue, that first invented [...], Rattles and Childrens Baubles, because they serv'd to busie and hinder their restless Spirits from spoiling better things: How just a Title to the Honor of Medal have they, who have at any time excell'd in Mechanical Works, useful and necessary to human Life, Ease and Refreshments? To this we might add the Example of Simon Coriarius, whose Shop the Great and Wise Socrates was us'd to frequent,Card. de Con­solat. lib. 1. let us hear Cardan; Non contemnenda Eruditio Artificum, & caeterorum literis carentium, tanquam ab intellectu aliena; sed ut dici solet, Quantum ab Athenis Megara, tantum à Megaris Athenae: Sic quantum Eruditus loquendo Artificem vincit, tanto Artifex sua cognitione praestat Erudito, &c. [Page 163] Scholars and Learned Men (says he) have no reason to de­spise the ingenious Mechanick, because forsooth, they are not so profoundly Book-learn'd as themselves: For as the Proverb goes, Megara is as near to Athens, as Athens is to Megara: What our Doctor exceeds the Artist in Talk and Speculation; the other may go as much beyond him in the Knowledge and Skill of real and useful Things.

Leo Africanus tells us, That in Cairo, the first Inventor of any Ingenious Devices, rides thro' the City in a kind of Triumph, vested in Cloth of Gold, accompanied with Musick and other circumstances of Ovation, the People throwing him Monies as he passes along; and we not only admire the Machinaments of Daedalus, Archytas, Cetesibius, Hero, &c. But Myrmecides and Callicrates's Pismire, little Ships and Chariots that a Flie might cover: Regiomontanus's Wooden Eagle, none of which (says Ae­lian) a Wise Man would much commend but as triflers of time.Var. Hist. l. c. 17. Yet to these, and even to him who enclosed the Iliads in a Nut­shel, I might oppose our Calligrapher See CAP. VIII. Peter Bale, and Mark Scaliot's Flea, with the Chain of three and forty Links, Lock and Key made all of Steel, and weighing a single Grain only, and these Recorded by many grave Historians too; whilst to our Reproach, we have not so much as theLe [...] or Leigh, a Cu­rate in some obscure part of Sussex. Name (or very un­certainly) of that ingenious Scholar, who Invented the Weaving or Knitting Machine, which with a pair of hands only, dispatches such variety of Work in so short a time, enough to Em­ploy an hundred. It is about Sixty Years since, that the poor Man's Wife it seems, being fain to Knit for the Support of her Indigent Family, he turn'd his Head to find out by what ho­nest way he might alleviate the continual Pains she took, and at last lighted on this wonderful Invention, which being by stealth gotten abroad, and now propagated thro' France, Italy and other Countries of Europe; earns the Livelihood of many, who would otherwise want Bread to sustain them: And does not this Person deserve a Medal of Copper, who merits a Statue of Gold?De Leg. Yea, and as Plato says (speaking of those that found out such useful things) to be look'd upon as of middle Natures between Gods and Men, and were sometimes number'd among the Deities.

Who was the first Author of the so accurate dividing In­strument, for the exact cutting the Teeth of Wheels, and Fuste Machine for Watches and Clocks? Sir Iohn Backhouse (Assistant with Sir Hugh Middleton for the bringing Water to the City) [Page 164] produc'd (as 'tis said) the first Way-Wiser, an Instrument of so great Use and Pleasure, were it improv'd, that I have often wonder'd it has been so much neglected, and not applied to more sorts of Vehiculation and Measuring.

Who does not admire Watson the Black-Smith of Coventry's late elaborate Piece of Clock-Work? Its intricate, regular, and irregu­lar, Periodic, and yet constant Mo [...]ions and Revolutions far ex­ceeding the Silver Heaven sent by Ferdinand the Emperor to Solyman the Magnificent; and what a Reputation have our Tompion Watches gain'd for the Justness of their going, which give Sound, and are heard to the farthest parts of Europe! Works, I affirm, and Workmen, that would have been Celebrated by a Claudian, as was the Sphere of Archimedes.

Nor may I here omit, without Injustice to his Merits, that IngeniousDockwr [...]y. Gentleman, who has brought to perfection the now so Useful, Cheap, Certain and Expeditious Intercourse of Letters by the Peny-Post; such likewise as first set on foot the late Ex­pedient for the Extinction of Casual and Ruinous Fire, or that have Invented more convenient Lights in Cities, &c. Authors and Perfectors of whatsoever other Polychrests, Inventions and things of universal or multifarious Use: Such as these (how tri­vial and mean soever the Instances may seem) would have had their Statues in my Lord Verulam's Solomons's-House.

Nor let the Misadventure of the Double Keel in the least ex­tenuate the Merit of the late Sir William Petty, whose accurate and expedite Survey of a large and ampleIreland. Kingdom, admi­rable and comprehensive Genius, highly deserved the Honor of the richest Medal, for tho' in the first we name he did not succeed, ‘—magnis tamen excidit Ausis.’ nor did it perish (for ought I can yet learn, or is believed) thro' any defect of the Machination, or rather Contignation, but where 'tis likely no Vessel whatsoever could have then escap'd, no fewer than Seventy Sail besides suffering in the same Misfor­tune in a Sea reputed the most Tempestuous and Dangerous the whole World has upon its Surface, namely the Bay of Biscay, and that after it had already made a prosperous Voyage and Return before: I mention this the more particularly, and with the Circumstances of that brave Adventure, to stop the unkind Censures of such as would turn it to the Reproach of that extra­ordinary [Page 165] Person, and and discourage all Attempts that do not emerge upon the first Essay: But they who imagine and con­demn for foolish and impossible all things which are not Ac­complished, or Succeed not on [...] est, inc [...]it. S [...]n. Q Nat. Iib. 6. cap [...] first or second Trial, but which afterwards come to be the happy Products of Time and united Aids, may repair for Cure of their Prejudice to my Lord Bacon's Instauration, Quaest. Nat. l. 7. c. 25. remembring that of Seneca, Veniet tempus quo ista quae nunc latent, in lucem Dies retrahet, & longio­ris aevi diligentia.

We Read that Columbus was first Ridicul'd in England, and are told by Divines, that Noah was laught at for an hundred Years together, whilst he was building and preparing the Ark, and doubtless he was thought a bold and daring Man;

And yet five hundred Wrecks deter not from adventuring still to the remotest Indies: It is not therefore the Conceit or Fancy of Men alone, that is sufficient Authority to condemn the most unlikely things for Impossible, unless they have been often at­tempted in vain by many Eyes, many Hands, many Instru­ments, many Ages: Then

[Page 166] Under this Head therefore I place the celebrated Naupegi of our late Monarchs: The Royal Sovereign, the Prince, Bri­tannia and other Capital Ships, for the Nobest, most Useful, and in a Word, most Stupendious Creatures that mortal Hands produce: In the mean time

I do in no sort put the late Reverend Author of the Real Cha­racter among the unsuccessful, whose ample and generous De­sign shall one Day find a more grateful Recognition, large and universal as was his Mind, and as is that incomparably useful Work, manuductory to no less Real Knowledge.

Once more, and to Atone for all that may be thought Redun­dant or Deficient on this Occasion, (and e'er we take leave of these Great Men) To whom is the Consecration of Medal, Statue or even Pyramid more justly due, than to our Sagacious Harvey, and the late Illustrious Boyle? the one for finding out the Circu­lation of the Blood, the other for the happy Improvement of Otto Guericks Magdeburg Exhauster, and for his Profound and Noble Researches into all the abstruser Parts and Recesses of the most useful Philosophy, and his Generous communicating of them, both of them Celebrated by all the Learned World, with a world of more to be enumerated, with all his other Vertues and Performances, by that Learned Hand (for so it needs must be) who ever shall oblige the Publick with his Life.

Other new and rare Discoveries, Instances both of Light and Fruit, have been made in Anatomy, Astronomy, Opticks, and other Parts of the Mathematicks, due to several of our Country: I might here also name the Author of the Medicina Infusoria, and that of the Transfusion of Blood, attributed to a Clergy-man somewhere about Wiltshire, now more than fifty Years past (improv'd by Sir Christ. Wren) however turn'd since into Ridicule by our Fat Buffoons, and late Virtuoso-Mastix: I conclude then with him, who ever the Person was, that first brought to so clear a Light, the late surprizing both Dry and Liquid Phosphorus and Nocti­luca's, [...]na. whether Extracted out of Blood (or that which flows from, and is tinctur'd with it) perfected from the Principles of the most Noble Boyle: Nor name I this bright Experiment with­out Reflection on a Providence extraordinary; that it being found out, and so improved by Persons of much Integrity, it has escap'd the Hands and Heads of some who (before 'twas divul­ged) might possibly have made strange and prodigious Use of it to Religious Impostures and Pious Frauds: Some more to this Glorious Class I yet might add, but I have named the Illustrious Boyle, and fix his Trophy here.

[Page 167] May these then suffice (for I am not transcribing Pancirollus) but confine my self to a few Instances instead of infinite others, the Product of our own Nation, inferior, as I said, to none for what they were wont to Deify their Antient Hero's and Demi-Gods, Patriots, Benefactors, and Persons any way Eminently ex­celling, as who have just Right and Title to the Honor of Me­dal; and even He, that Glorious Man among the most Illustrious (if I may predict without Offence to the Envious, and Tribe of Scoffers) who shall one Day emancipate from a yet precarious Station, and by Building, or some noble and ample Endowment, enlarge the Conveniences of that SOCIETY at Gresham [...] College, will be the noblest Subject of Medal and Statue, and of all that I have hitherto said of Great and truly Honorable, to Crown the Memory of the most Munificent Benefactor of this or any Age: This Period, if to any obnoxious, they shall find it justified in the Preface to the last Edition of Sylva.

And now let none of these Inventions here and else whereSee. cap. 8. ci­ted, be the less Esteemed, because Modern, seeing the most An­tient once were so; and therefore we should be Curious to Col­lect, besides the Inventions and Improvers of other Arts; Print­ing, Chalcographie; Painting in Miniature, Oyl, Fresca; in Glass, A­mel; the stupendious use of the Magnet, Algebna, Specious Arith­metick, Tactics, Engyscops, Microscops, and other Optick Glasses; Pumps, Quench Fires, &c. What our bold Urinators and Divers have excogitated and brought to that perfection for the taking up of Treasure, submerged Ordnance and other Wrecks from the bottom of the profoundest Seas; improvements in Shipping, Coaches, Plows, Mills, Barometers, Thermometers, Speaking-Trumpets, Dulcifying Sea-Water, Sheeting of Ships with Lead, and sundry o­ther Polychrests, Machins and Instruments useful to humane Life, most of them due to the English and those of the Royal [...]Society: To these add Tachygraphy and Short-Writing as they call it (so far exceeding the Orator Tiro, for its singular Use and Expedition) as of things, many of them altogether New, and unknown to the Antients; but by whom the Authors would have been Cele­brated among the Minervas, Vulcans, Dedalus's, and as we said, even the Demi Gods, and should have Mercurius on the Reverses of their Medals, as by some of which (to name only Printing, Gun-Powder, and the Nautic Box, in Re literaria, Militari, & Navali) the whole Face and Frame of the World, (as my Lord Bacon observes) has almost quite been chang'd.

[Page 168] Nor this out of Vain-Glory, Oftentation, or Ambition of a Name (tho' Honos alit Artes and is its due) but for Encourage­ment, aud the Benefit of future Ages, as well as of the present: For who can Divine (as all things are in continual Flux in this sublunary State, obnoxious to Changes and Vicissitudes) what, or when the Period of things, seemingly never so fixt and stable may be? since we our selves have seen, daily read, and have be­fore us the Fate and Catastrophe of the most polish'd and civil Nations; the Greeks and Romans, that of China and other Fa­mous and Antient Empires, over-run by barbarous People, who burnt and destroy'd all those goodly Monuments and re­mains of Learning and Ingenuous Arts, subject to such Deluges, Invasions and Revolutions: I say, who can tell but Medals may yet revive, survive and out-live the Generations and Ages to come, as they have since done this of ours? For how many obscure Passages of History, Geography and other parts of useful Erudition have been, and still are illustrated and supplied from Medals and Inscriptions alone! They have we see (and is abun­dantly made out) discover'd the Religion, Rites and Superstiti­ons of the Antients, the Deities of the several Countries, the Ori­ginals and Rise of Illustrious Families, Brave and Heroical Acti­ons and Things as well Facinorous and Tragical, Events which have escap'd the Teeth of Time, and surviv'd all its Revoluti­ons; they have given us the antient Names of many Cities, Si­tuation of Countries, Rivers, Monuments, Temples, Solemn Feasts, and a thousand other useful Notices, no where else to be met with, or if nam'd, very corruptly, and so of divers Pontifs, Governors and Proconsuls, &c. not to be found in any Book: In a word, Medals (the truest Lydian Touch) have often prov'd the Best and Truest Comments on Authors, and are the most De­lightful and Instructive Compendia's and Maps of the Antient World, in the most flourishing State.

But to go on, or return rather to the modern and later Cen­turies (which we left behind) one shall find, who among the most Curious and publick Spirited had begun the Metalick Bizot tom [...] 3d. p. 3. Au Lecteur. History of Holland antecedent to Bizot, namely the Antique-Mo­dern Medals of the Famous Princes of Sicily, Milan, Florence, Ve­nice, Genoa, &c. for the most part moulded, and in the large Volume and richer Metal; with these may Luckius and Typa­tius be consulted as the only Authors (I conceive) that have taken any considerable Notice of the several States and Republicks, and as Molinet, those of the Popes; to which may be added other [Page 169] Famous or Infamous Persons, celebrated or mentioned in later History, whether Princes or private Persons.

The Studious therefore will sedulously inquire after the Me­dals of Iohn Huss, and his Companion Ierom of Prague, Maxi­milian, Francis the First, and Charles the Fifth his Expedition into Africa, Anno 1535. as before this of Solyman the Magni­ficent's Siege of Belgrade, 1521. and that of Vienna Eight Years after; Philip Villier's de l' Isle Adam brave and strenuous Defence of Rhodes, Anno 1522. Of Charles Duke of Bourbon's Sacking of Rome, and Imprisoning the Pope, 1527. &c. Of the Smal­caldian Famous Convention of the Protestants, 1530. &c. Of the Difference between Henry the Second of France, and our Sixth Edward when Bulloign was gotten from us already menti­on'd. That of Charles the Fifth's (indisputable) Abdication and Recess, 1555. That remarkable one of the Use of the Cup in the Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist indulg'd to the People of Bohemia, 1564. Valetta's glorious Defence of Malta, besieg'd by the Turks, 1565. with the Reddition of Nicosia in the isle of Cyprus to Selymus, 1570. Of the Famous Battel and Victory of the Venetians at Lepanto, Anno 1573. and the Year before that of the barbarous, bloody and inhumane Massacre perpe­trated by Charles the Ninth thro' France, inscribed, Virtus in Re­belleis, the Reverse is two Columns, which was the King's De­vise or Symbol, with this Inscription, Pietas excitavit Iustitiam: In another, round his Head, Carolus Nonus, Rebellium Domitor; the Reverse Hercules fighting against Hydra with a Flaming Torch and Club: But above all, Pope Gregory the Thirteenth Reversing his stern Effigies with a Representation of that base and Antichristian Murder of the Admiral, the words Hugonotorum Strages, so honestly and impartially described and detested (as we noted) by the Pen of the Illustrious and LearnedTunc e­tiam, nequid ad summam insaniam de­esset, aemula­tione vete­rum Imperatorum Laus in tam detestando facinore quaesita, nam cusi Numi Argente [...] & [...] Regi (que) III. Non VII br. Oblati in quorum antica pax [...]e Regis in Throno sedentis Effigies depicta erat, cum Inscriptione, &c. Thuan, Hist. Lib. III. A^o. M.ICLXXII. Thuanus; to which one may oppose that observable Medal of Lewis the Twelfth, upon his being interdicted by Iulius the Second. PERDAM. NOMEN. BABYLONIS.

Moreover, there are Medals of all those signal Persons and Passages, Sieges, Battels, Treaties, Marriages and other remark­able Actions (Argument of History) not only happening in Europe, but in other parts of the World, where Christian Princes have been concern'd: But before I dismiss this Paragraph, I [Page 170] must not omit such as have on small Occasions, and unlikely Causes and Accidents, produced wonderful Effects, threatning the sudden Subversion of States and whole Kingdoms; besides some of antient Times, those nearer our own. Instances of these are the Medals which those notorious and truculent Enthusiasts, Iohn of Leyden, Knipperdolling and their Associates, stamp'd with their Effigies and Heads during the Siege of Munster, Anno 1534. whose Story you have in Sleiden. To this Series belongs Masinello of Naples, Sabbati Sevi, and such as like him have endeavour'd to make any sudden Changes among the Mobile.

There is a Curious Medal (but very rare) struck with the Prince of Condi's Head, about which was inscrib'd, ‘Premier Roy Chrétien des Francois.’ as Brantome affirms in his Hommes Illustres; but from what o­ther Author Spondanus has it, I know not: Sunt (says he) Autores qui asserunt, Condaeum apud Sandionysium Regem à suis Co­ronatum esse, Monetamque auream impressam cum hac Inscriptione, ‘LODOVICVS. XIII. DEI. GRATIA. FRANCORVM. REX. PRIMVS. CHRISTIANVS.’ Monsieur le Blanc affirms that he found such a Medal in a Gold­smith's Shop in London, which he could not procure for any Price. Lastly,

Not to pretermit such as among us here at home have lately distinguish'd themselves (besides those already mention'd, and during our flagrant Broils and Exile of Charles the Second) un­der several Denominations; Divines, Lawyers, Physicians and Soldiers; Mr. Prim, Dr. Bastwick, Burton, &c. The Loyal Judge Ienkins, Mr. Clement Walker Author of the History of Inde­pendency, or Cromwell's Slaughter-House; to which may be added, Killing no Murder; and that Stout and Couragious Assertor the Famous Lilburn, who stood the no less Famous Tryal under the late Arbitrary Usurper, whose Medal is a Record.

INSCRIPTIONS upon whatsoever Species, as they pass'd for Money, and were only valu'd as such, were doubtless, at first but very plain and simple things, bearing only some Mark or Character denoting the Weight and Worth of the Metal; but when ambitiously they began to set Heads and Pictures, and to blaze their Actions on the Tables and Reverses of them; it was then they became valuable, not only for the intrinsic Worth of the Metal as Money, but for the Light they afforded to the Learned; and that so much Superiour to the other, that a small piece of Coin, or morsel of Copper came to be estimated above its weight in Gold or Silver: This, as we shew'd, being first begun by the Monetarii, and follow'd by those Princes and Great Men who affected Glory; they often present us with their Names, Families and Titles, even before the Cesars durst so much as shew their Faces on a Medal; that is, till the aspiring Iulius usurp'd the antient Government: Nei­ther yet did the Flatterers of those who succeeded him so far prevail, as that they used any Superscription about their Effigies, save that of the bare Name (and that with Caution too) or Quality of the Person for a considerable time.

But here, before we pass any farther, there is an hypercriticism started by the late Author of the Science, concerning the Diffe­rence between Inscription and Legenda, as to Propriety and nice Application; whether one to the Head and Effigies (or rather instead of Reverse where there is no Figure or Head at all) the other to them both. The First (according to this Learned Man) is properly where the Words or Epigraph are on the Table of the Reverse without any Figure or Emblem at all, as in that Medal of Antoninus, (besides the Head side) COS. IIII is all we can find on the Reverse; which nicely, and according to our Critic, is a lawful Inscription: That only allow'd to be the Legenda, where the Words are engraven about the Figure and explain the Meaning. In this Sense every Medal then may be said to have two Legends, one about the Head or Image, and another about the Reverse. The First notifies the Person by his proper or acquir'd Name, Office or Dignity; the Second [Page 178] proclaims his Virtues, Memorable Exploits and Glorious A­ctions: Such for Instance is another Medal of the same Prince, with the same Title on the Head-side, Antoninus Augustus. Pius, Pater Patriae. Trib. Pot. COS IIII: where we have his Name and Quality: On the Reverse three Figures representing the Emperor sitting, before whom stands a Woman holding an Horn of Plenty, and a Tablet marked with four Points; ano­ther spreading her Lap in posture of Receiving; the Legenda, LIBERALITAS QVARTA, intimating the Fourth Act of Bounty confer'd by the Emperor on his Subjects, in distributing certain Measures of Corn among them. By this it appears that the Rule is not always constant, but that now and then, both Office and Names are mingl'd and interchang'd, part on the Front-side and part on the Reverse, with this Note, that the Title of Pater Patriae is most usually on the Head-Table, or that of Censor, Pontifex Maximus, Augur, &c. on the Table of the Reverse, together with the Symbols and Instruments of their Dignity, as may be seen in a Reverse of Vespasian and other Emperors. Nor are these Offices without their different Rela­tions in Medals of Families, distinct from the Royal and Impe­rial. In Medals of the First occur the particular Charge and Office only, whereas in the Imperial, mention is made of the highest Office and Dignity, as Sacred and incommunicable to any other, as we shall see anon. In the mean while the Legend is then properly turn'd into an Inscription, when (as we said) there fortunes to be a Reverse without any Head, as in that of Tiberius, struck in Memory of the Care he took in Re-edifying certain Cities in Asia, which had been subverted and ruined by an Earthquake. Here we find that Emperor on his Curule Chair, Civitatibus Asiae Restitutis; and upon the Reverse, a simple Legend, without any Head, Tiberius Caesar Divi. Aug. Filius. Augustus. Pont. Max. Tr. Pot. xxi.

But these Examples indeed concern Imperial and Royal Me­dals only: Those of Cities or Provinces bear commonly the Head of some Genius or Deity in particular Veneration among them; the name of the Place, Magistrate, or both for the Le­gend; for the Reverse, some Emblem or Symbolum; and for the rest, the worthiest [...] and most signal Action of the Person repre­sented in it, whether by Figure or Device explained by the Le­gend, and is therefore to be looked on as the Key of the Type, and as already we have shew'd in that of Trajans concerning the Parthian King. Rex Parthis datus; or by the Emblem, as where [Page 179] Iulius and Augustus's Victories are symboliz'd by the Crocodile with Aegypto Capta; the like by Trophies, Palms, Asia Subacta, &c. determin'd by the Legenda, celebrating their Singular Vir­tues and Actions of the Person, and that in a short and concise Mot, apposite to the Subject, proper and unaffected; yet Great, Noble and as Comprehensive as may be, reserving the longer ones for Publick Edifices, Columns, the Fronts of Temples, Tri­umphal Arches, &c. where they are in their proper places, but in Medal would be impertinent, and instead of gracing, detract from Roman Majesty. Thus we meet the Name of an Emperor or Cypher only, and sometimes nothing more; other whiles that of the Magistrate, as Q. Aemilius. M. Agrippa. Cos. designatus: In another the Simple mention of the City or Inhabitants only. Caesar. August. Sagobriga, or perhaps an Epoch without any fustian or swelling Epithets: In a word, that one word [...], served to express whole Provinces assembling at publick Shows, and other solemn Occasions. For they did not then (no not in the time of their greatest Pride and Elevation of Empire) farce their Titles and Inscriptions with haughty and insolent Expressi­ons, like the present Eastern Sultans, and some that are nearer to us: But as a Learned and IngeniousMr. Fleet­wood's S [...]l­loge Ins [...]r. p. 13. Author of ours ob­serves, Licet veteres ingenio planò divino pollebant, elegantius ta­men nimias laudes & numeros plusquam perfectos, semper consultò fugiebant, & in Inscriptionibus, brevitati, non obscurae studebant semper, &c. So extreamly mistaken in this point is Monsieur Perault in his late Parallel between the Antient and Modern Learning, so amply perstring'd by the Learned Mr. Wotton.

What we have alreadyPag. 78. noted of a present Monarch's charging the Marbles with large and lofty Titles, seems here­ditary to the late French Louises, but a remarkable Modesty in Louis le Grand's ascribing to himself the Expugnation of Ducen­tas Civitates, Two Hundred Cities only, whilst we read in an Inscription (erected by Cardinal Richlieu) under his Fa­ther's Statue, the taking of no fewer than Three Hundred Ca­stles (in the Air) and Rochelle above all; in which Action, Om­nia Mundi Elementa vicit. The Epigraph contains above Fifty Lines of this Stuff, but to which it seems, somebody has made an Antilogium with much more Truth. And now, tho' I do not affirm this Vanity to be only French, since 'tis reported that Francis the First, to whom Charles the Fifth sent a Letter fill'd with innumerable Royal and Imperial Titles (how many Kingdoms and Mighty Territories he was Monarch of) began [Page 180] his Answer with only Franciscus Dei Gratia Franciae Rex, & Do­minus Gonessae (which is one of the wretchedest little Villages in all his Dominions) I know not whether were the more Am­bitious of the two.

But however the Stile runs now a-days, it was then suf­ficient so they open'd the Meaning of the Type without those horrid Sentences and Additions promiscuously used by the Bas Empire, and for the most part among the very worst of them (Commodus, Caracalla, Iulian, &c.) with the most flatttering Epithets, Publica Orbis & Temporum felicitas, that were the most unhappy and pernicious to the Ages they liv'd in: Of this sort are those with Saeculum aureum, &c. comparing them to Bacchus, Hercules, Serapis, Alex. Magnus, &c. but with­out the least Title to those Vertues which render Princes truly Great and Grateful to their People, and which indeed are the most ordinary and familiar in Reverses, as that of Clement, Pious, Iust, which is sometimes join'd to their worthy Name: So Con­stantia Augusti, Spes. Augusti, &c. So far, I say, were these Heathens from this turgid Exuberance of some in our days, that even thatTrajan so called from the great number of Inscriptions which were set us in his Reign. Herba Parietaria himself, is said to have gloried more in the Title of Optimus and Clemens, (Qualities of real Me­rit (not as afterwards of Custom) which the Senate bestowed on that worthy Emperor) than he did in Magnus, Parthicus, Dacicus, and all those other lofty Attributes and Strains of the Flatterers of Princes, so as nothing was more short and concise, especially where any Benefit was express'd: v. g. Fundator Pa­cis, Gaudium Reipublicae, Assertor Publicae Libertatis: Recogniti­ons S. P. Q. R. Ob Cives Servatos, &c. and sometimes more di­stinctly, Via Trajana, Restitutor Monetae, Vehiculatione Italiae re­missa, &c. which were Graces, Concessions and publick Bene­factions: To these add, singular and extraordinary Events, Victories and things highly monumental, distinguished by the Legend, as Victoria Navalis, Portus Ostiensis, Forum Trajani, &c. In a word, the shorter and plainer the better, and therefore fragments of Verse and points of Wit, were always rejected, and to be suspected wherever we meet them in Medals, and to­lerable only in Devises and Emblems of Parade and Ca­rouzels.

As to other Adjuncts, that of Surname was given for distin­ction of Families, and therefore continu'd Hereditary among the Romans, even after the Coalition with the Sabines; and such as they assumed were the Gentilitia, Cognomina & Agnomina (reser­ving [Page 181] still the Praenomen as we noted) as being deriv'd from the Place, Exploit, Vertue or what other Accident or Circumstance happen'd: Thus TITVS. QVINTVS. PVBLIVS, &c. Some­times the Binomen, as SCIPIO AFRICANVS, who was the first that assum'd a Surname, affected and follow'd afterwards by others, as that of GERMANICVS by Commodus; by Severus PARTHICVS; and tho' rarely after this singly and alone, yet in Medals seldom or never exceeded three: But above all was the Name CAESAR AVGVSTVS taken up by all the subse­quent Emperors as a Dignity, and AVGVSTA by their Wives, nor (more veterum) for any Noble Action or Vertue extraordi­nary, but by whatever Art or Policy they obtain'd the Power, and since of Custom retain'd to this day. As to the Name of Caesar, one is sometimes to consider it as Successor to the Em­pire, sometimes as Cognomen, and again, as denoting only the Family; and so Titus Caesar differs from IMP. Caesar Vespasian Aug. &c.

After these came the Offices and Dignities frequently annex'd to the Family, as III. VIRI: Monetarii. A. A. A. F. F. Aediles, Quaestor distinguishing them from the Imperial, in which we only meet the most Eminent and Considerable, PONT. MAXI­MVS. IMPERATOR. TRIBVNITIA POTESTAS. CEN­SOR. PATER PATRIAE, which last was introduc'd with the Orator Cicero, upon his detection of the Catiline Conspi­racy, tho' given at first to Iupiter only as Chief of the Gods: So COS. or COSS. Consul, Consules. Lastly, as to Families, we may not forget, that they often put the Effigies of some Emperor, as in that of Gentis Corneliae, Arriae and others, stamp'd by their Friends in Honor of their Relations.

They had also their Cognomina, not only as an Adjunct, but [...], from some more conspicuous and superlative Ver­tue, as was that of PIVS given to Antoninus; the Clemency, Moderation and pacific Disposition of other Princes, honoring them with those Epithets, as did that worthy saying of his, Malle se unum Civem servare, quam mille hostes occidere, which was indeed the brave Scipio's before him, as Capitolinus tells us.

And in this manner were distinguish'd the Imperial Medals by their Legenda, from such as bare the Images of the Gods; to whom yet (as we shew'd) even some of the Emperors would be joyn'd: Others we have expressing their Devotion and Re­cognitions to them as Patrons and Protectors: Hence that of Gordian IOVI STATORI. &c. The like among the Empresses [Page 182] IVNONI LVCINAE for easy Travel, and VENERI GE­NETRICI, &c.

In the Inscriptions of Fortresses, Provinces, Rivers, and the like, we sometimes meet Tiberis, Danubius, Nilus, &c. and so of Dacia, Africa, Alexandria, Bilbilis, together with their Quali­ties and Immunities, v. g. COLONIA IVLIA AVGVSTA FELIX BERVTVS: MVNICIPIVM ILERDA, &c. of which we have given Instances before.

Moreover the Legenda acquaints us with the Names of the Military Ensigns, Legions, Cohorts, and indeed of whole Armies, as that Anthony had no less than xxx. by the numbers express'd, LEGIO. I. II. III. &c. together with their distinctions, whe­ther design'd for Land or Sea [...] Service: v.g. LEGIONIS PRI­MAE ANTIQVAE. LEGIONIS XVII. CLASSICAE. LEG. xx. Hispanicae, &c. So in like manner COH. PRAETO­RIANAE. Armies and Expeditions. EXERCITVS. BRIT. Expeditio Iudaica, Parthica, &c. And when the Emperour him­self design'd to lead it, we read PROFECTUS AUG. AD­VENTVS AVG. Trajectus Augusti, &c. To these add their Discipline, Adlocutions, Oaths of Fidelity, Publick Shows and VOTA, which rarely extended beyond xxxx. few Princes Reigns exceeding that number, tho' in their Muchios Annios, VOTA X. MVLTIS, and Acclamations, they flatter'd them with abundance more, of all which, consult the Learned Monsieur Cange.

In like sort the Consular (whilst that Wise and Glorious Re­publick flourish'd) are known not only by their Heads, Gar­ments and Reverses, but by the mention of their respective Charges and Employments in the Legend. TRIVMVIR. AE­DILE. QVAESTOR. PROCONSVL, &c. I say, whilst the Republick flourish'd, and some short time afterwards, especi­ally during the two first Emperors Iulius and his Successor; for so long they retain'd indeed some sort of Credit, but soon it became a Title of Courtesie, till they quite lost them both. Great Light in the mean time would the Dates of the Consulates afford both to History and Chronology; and it were desirable Au­tiquaries had oftner given us the Heads as well as the Reverses, since it is on that side is frequently found the Marks of Consulate, which reached down as far as to Iustinian: But this may be much supplied and assisted out of our Countryman Thomas Lydiat's Series Summorum Magistratuum, & Triumphorum Roma­norum, or by the Tribunitia potestas, which does not seldom [Page 183] make up the defect, by shewing the Year of the Emperors who since Tiberius usually assum'd the Title. I say usually, because not always, some for Years only, others refusing it, or confer­ring it on others, yet for the most part, taking it upon them­selves, so as one may reckon the Tribunitial Power to keep even pace with the Years of the Emperor. Thus Vespasian gave it to his Son Titus, with the addition of Augustus, two Years after he was made Emperor, and so X or XI. TRIB. POT. tho' he Reign'd but three Years after his Father. Other Examples occur in M. Aurelius, Caracalla, Geta, &c. mention'd by the Learned both in the Greek and Latin Medals.

We have already shew'd how tenacious these Princes were of whatever venerable Title created any distinction, as that of High Priest, Censor, Tribunitial Power tho' usurp'd from the Com­mons as the other from the Consuls, reducing that once Illu­strious Character to a Cipher only; and yet with what ten­derness they at first seem'd to take them up, especially that of King (nomen invisum) and odious only but to Name, and therefore wisely contenting themselves with that of Emperor, as then signifying no more than General of the Forces, till the Successors of Iulius, insensibly, and by little and little, assum'd all those Dignities and Degrees without controul: Augustus yet himself appear'd at first with Caesar Divi Filius only, after­wards Imperator, and by Degrees, Triumvir Reip. &c. Domi­tian being both the first and last who stiled himself Censor per­petuus, and none before Aelianus or Aurelianus using that of Dominus, thence descending to Basileus of the Greek Emperors, who also afterwards omitted it, or very rarely bore any ex­traordinary Title, or so much as the Sculps of their own Effi­gies, to give place to that of JESUS CHRISTUS, or to some peculiar Saint, first begun by Zemiscus already mention'd.

In Medals of the later Emperors of Constantinople, we read, [...], which (like that of Seignior or Dominus) was certainly an abatement and decadence from that of King, as in a manner answering what the Name of Caesar did to that of Augustus. For albeit the Greeks gave antiently the Title Ba­sileus to the Caesars, yet they would no more indure the Name of Rex, than that of Tyrannus (which was at first a Glorious Title) to shew what malevolent Influence the abuse of Power has upon the best of things: Notwithstanding some they yet flatter'd with the most blasphemous Titles of [...], as so many God Almighties; nay, [...] [Page 184] which tho' 'tis said Augustus did not like, yet proceeded they to that height of Insolence and Pride, as that some of the Greeks would be call'd Kings of Kings, Eu­patores, [...], Saviours (as in some Medals with Apollo and Aesculapius) Epiphanes, Theopatores, in short, [...] Gods; arm­ing themselves with Thunderbolts, and other Symbols of Deity as already we have shew'd. With the same Adulation to the Romans (when under their Dominion) we find [...], with the Monster Nero, and tho' more frequently Divus only, yet seldom read we Deus in the Latin, tho' they often made too bold with his Divine Attributes, as Magnus, Maximus, In­victus, Iustus, Felix, Beatissimus, &c. In summe, nothing was more false than the slavish and flattering Eulogies attributed to some of the very worst and most abandon'd Emperors and Empresses, auguring long and happy Reigns and many Years to them, whom they wish'd dead a thousand times, and pro­claiming them Chast, Pious, Iust, &c. who of all others were the most vicious and impiously wicked, and this towards some of the later Emperors especially, whilst with more modesty the very Pagans were content with that of Pius, first us'd by that most excellent Prince Antoninus, and their Empresses, with Pia, Felix, Augusta, tho' by some indeed who were not of that De­gree; nor was yet that well deserved Surname given and be­stow'd upon him by the Senate, granted to his Successor on the same account, but as a peculiar Honor to him alone, as was Optimus to Trajan: The Name of Pius Felix usurp'd by Commodus and those who follow'd, being a mere Title only, and as such affected by their Wives, without the least Merit or Right to it.

Other exorbitant Titles were Iulia Genetrix Orbis, Mater Se­natus; and as Pater, so would they be also Matres Patriae too. In the lower Empire V. N. M. R Venerabilis noster Mater, we find on a Medal of an Apotheosis or Consecration, Coin'd by those of Naples in Honor of Constantine, with the Effigies of his Mother Helena: Nor indeed were Mothers honor'd in Medals only, but Kindred, Friends and Alliances, as in the [...] of Ariobarzanes, Philopator, Philadelphus, &c. The Names of Pater, Mater, Filius, Filia, Soror, Cognatus, &c. of no small light to Hi­story.

And here we may observe how the same Person now and then quitted their adopted Names, &c. for some other Com­pellation: Instance of this we have in Trajan's taking that of Nerva (who indeed first advanced him) and not long after [Page 185] leaving that off again; the like did Hadrian. Others ambiti­ously affected Titles of such as had them both. Thus the pro­per Name of Antoninus was usup'd by no fewer than six Empe­rors, even down to Caracalla, and the Monster Elagabalus; that of Trajan assum'd by Decius, &c. which not seldom creates no small Difficulty among our Latin Medalists, as find­ing, neither Date or Epoch to direct them, which one does commonly among the Greek, religiously exact in that particu­lar; and it is indeed of great Importance, since but for that, all History would be imperfect, and hardly would Authors have distinguish'd the Antiochus's, Ptolomees, and other Princes fre­quently found in them, without this Assistance to give Instance in no other.

Of this, and much more which I am yet to say (as in par­ticular of the Names of Magistrates both in Greek and Latin Medals) Authors afford plentiful Accounts. One thing as to Families (which I had almost forgotten) is to be observ'd, that among the latter Greeks, Comnenus and the following Emperors took the Title of [...], from that splendid Apartment or Chamber in the Royal Palace, which was pav'd and curiously inlay'd with that precious Marble, and in which it seems the Empresses were brought to Bed; the Heir when born being also wrap'd in purple Mantles.

We have already noted, that the Title of Princeps Iuventutis, belonged to the young Heir Apparent, or so design'd, from the time of Augustus, tho' not found in the more antient Medals: Caesar with Augustus was afterwards taken up by the Emperors themselves; but neither Caesar given as a Title, but a Name only, 'til Adrian's Adoption of Aelius Verus. The young Philip Augustus was stiled Nobilis Caesar, a Title given afterwards to those who had part of the Government committed to them, such as were those four Caesars which Dioclesian created; much of which may be illustrated by that Noble Medal in which we find Adventus Severi & Filiorum, after the Conclusion of the Parthian War, in which their several Faces may easily be di­stinguished, tho' in so small a Volume, as they sit Galloping in a Posture of Commanding, and tho' unarm'd; Severus in the middle, Caracalla on his right side Laureated as principal in the Expedition, and acknowledge'd Partner in the Empire; Geta on the left hand, with the Name of Caesar, bare-headed.

Now as they were Concise and Frugal of the Legend on Re­verses, in like manner were they no less sparing in the Inscrip­tion [Page 186] about Heads and Effigies, so as in some (and those no very modern ones neither) a Monogram oftentimes serv'd the turn, as we find in those of Martianus, Placidia, Valentinian and the Labrum of the Great Constantine, with divers of the lower Em­pire, especially from Charles the Great (who 'tis said, could not so much as write his own Name) and thence down­wards, tho' 'tis not always to be taken for a single Letter only, but many time for the Cipher or Character of the Prince (as now our Merchants use to mark their Goods and Embalments) as may be seen in some of Trajan; but of this,Lib. 11. c. 10. Mabillon de Re Diplomatica abundantly.

In this manner we meet the Greek Ω in the Coins of the first Christian Emperors; and as for that ☧ of Constantine which is sometimes found upon his Cask and Banner; it had indeed been born long before, asSymbol. E­pist. xxiv. Pignorius well observes in divers Medals of the Aegyptian Ptolomies, and might happily compendiously signifie the Name of the Monetaries, as Chrestus, Chrysogonus, Chremes, Chrysippus or the like, and yet be afterwards made use of for the Venerable Character of our Blessed Saviour, who first took away the Ignominy of the Cross; there being likewise several other things profan'd by the Pagans, which were afterwards introduc'd among the Christian Rites and Usages. Thus the Cross it self ✚ (decussated at Right Angles) forming a Stigma of Infamie (abrogated since by the same Constantine) and commonly branded on the Fore­heads or Collars of fugitive Slaves, with the Names of their Patrons and Masters to whom they belong'd (as do now our Falkners and Masters of Field-Sports, on the Vervils of their Hawks and Dog-Collars) is now exalted to the sublimest part of the Papal and Imperial Crown.

The very same Character we likewise meet with among the [...], Notes us'd by Criticks, as Loci Laudabiles, of which Plato seems to have made use of several, as both the Learned Casaubon and Menagius in their Comments on Laertius describe the Figure.

Epoches are sometimes noted in words at length, as ΕΤΟΣ ΔΕΚΑΤΟΝ; but more frequently by the Cipher and Abbrevia­tion, v.g. ΕΤ. Α. Β. Γ. &c. and usually too for the Year L. So ELNATON. N. L. E. for the fift Year; the Numeral some­times placed thus, L^E the ninth Year. So "Λ by the Greek for Annus, tho' as an ambiguous Figure rarely met with. Nor in any Authentick Medal the Number IV, but by IIII strokes. Epoches of [Page 187] Cities began at the lowest Letter; for Instance, that Pompeiopolis, which bears the Heads of Aratus and Chrysippus. Θ. Κ Σ not Σ. Κ. Θ &c. And now we mention Cities, it was a piece of errant Flattery in Complementing the Emperor, to begin a new Aera or Epoch upon some signal Action, or extraordinary Benefit received, and in token of Recognition; as did they of Antioch upon Iulius Caesar's permitting them to be govern'd by their own Laws. And so in another Medal of Augustus after his Victory at Actium, of which see the LearnedAntirr. de Numis. An­tiq. Col. & Municip. Hardoin Monsieur Vaillant believes that by one of these Antiochian Aera's (of which he reckons four) may be made out the certain Year of our blessed Saviour's Nativity, which according to his Com­putation happen'd on the 749^th. Year V. C. Lastly,

In the Bas Empire of the Greek, we sometimes meet the Year in the Latin Letter, as in that of Iustinian thus,

Caution is here given, that in Reading Inscriptions we mi­stake not the Names of Letters, as HS. LL. &c. (which are the Marks of Sestertius, Dipondius, Bilibris, &c.) for the Le­gend, and especially not to take them for Praetors, or Numerals for Provinces, and Vice versâ, as it seems some have done; and others that exceed ordinary Ciphers and cannot be reckon'd for Epocha, such as (tho' rarely) are met with in the Reverses of Families, and in the Lower Empire xxx. xxxx▪ xxxxv. &c. by none hitherto clearly explained. Lastly, Whilst we speak of Numbers, the Gift of Largesses and Congiaries in Provisions of Corn, &c. appearing in the Reverses of those bountiful Princes, by Figures specifying how often the People had been thus sup­plied: Congiarium and Liberalitas Aug. II. III. IIII. V, &c. which is the true Reading: In like sort where one meets COL. AN. X. XII. XIII, &c. denoting how many Years that Colonie had been supplied under the Emperor named.

In some Greek Medals, Letters are now and then plac'd sini­strorsum, like the Phoenician; and in other Roman we sometimes find the Legend varied as to place: For Example, that of Optimo Principi in Trajan's is not constantly in the same Table: That of Felix Pius in Commodus's (which his Successor took up) is ever on the Head side: And such as betoken Victory over [Page 188] Provinces, as Britannicus, Dacicus, Germanicus, &c. we meet sometimes on the Head, and sometimes the Reverse; but such as denote Grandeur and Power, always on the Reverse, as Genio Populi Rom. Restitutori Orbis Terrarum, &c. found in se­veral Medals, unless it happen to be where the other Sex is con­cern'd, as Genetris Orbis in that of the young Lady Faustina, Mater Patriae, &c. of which we have already spoken. The same alteration of Locality, may be also taken notice of in Me­dals of Consecration, where we read Divus, Diva; [...], Me­moriae aeternae, and the like.

We have likewise shew'd how the Title of Imperator was given, or wisely taken up by Caesar and his Successors as a Surname, to decline the odious Name of King (tho' we some­times find [...]) since it did the business as effectually as [...]; which is tant a mount Augustus, and Soveraign Power; albeit, given now and then by way of Acclamation, or otherwise, as Cognomen to a great Captain after some signal Victory, without other Epithete or Addition. The distinction to be heeded on this account is, by observing the Locality, and placing such Titles as we find before and after the Name of Emperor, and of the Figure or Number which often shews how the same Person merited both the Titles: Thus IMP. II. sometimes repeated in the same Inscription, speaks his having been more than once saluted Emperor.

It is further to be heeded, that the Position of the Legenda distinct from the Superscription, is generally but since the Em­peror Nerva within the Grand Circle; beginning to read from the left Hand to the right, which was usually the contrary in those Medals of the first Caesars; some on the Exerge only, others in parallel Lines one above the other beneath the Type, and some few Salterwise; others in Pale, or at the side of the Figure in the middle, and Fesse-point, (to speak in Heraldry Language) cut as it were by the Head or Figure; some in Bordure. In short, 'tis likely as pleas'd the Artist without any invariable Rule; nay, some Medals were without so much as any Legend at all, shewing an Head only, and consequently a Body without a Soul; for such are not only met with among the Consular, but Imperials, as before is noted. There are Re­verses likewise that are but half animated; several Augustus's bearing no Inscription, and a world there be of stark Mutes, or speaking only the Mint-masters Name, or the simple S. C. of which sort there are three or four very rare Medals of Pompeius, [Page 189] with very curious Reverses; two of Iulius Caesar's, and others of Galba, &c. all of them charg'd with several remarkable Figures and Historical Emblems: But the fatall'st Error is, when either Letters or Numbers are mistaken, which causes great Con­fusion, especially in Epoches, and only to be rectified by com­paring them with other Medals of the same Emperor: Those in the Orthographie are not so dangerous and material, tho' H be frequently omitted, as in Ercules, Abe for Aue, Bixit for Vixit, Benus for Venus; for Valens, Balens; Iubentus for Iu­ventus, Renobatio for Renovatio, Fabe for Fave, and the like.

The Capital REST, Restituit betokens some Renovation, or the Memory of some Famous Predecessor, v. g. Claudius's restoring certain worn out Medals of Augustus: Nero, Titus, &c. those of almost all their Royal Ancestors; Gallienus (without any Inscription) new Coining the Consecration Medals of the pre­cedent Emperors.

Now as above it was observed of the Latin, so have we likewise the Names of some Archon or Magistrate in Greek Me­dals (of whomMarm. A­rundeliani terminus. Diognetus was the last among the Athenians) as of the Roman Kings Romulus, Quirinus, Ancus, Tullius: Those of Mauritania, Numidia; Macedon; Philip Iuba, Iugurtha, and the rest. But of

Nummi Iconici, such as represent Heads and Effigies only, without any History, and such as have neither Head nor Name to shew (for such there are) the Collection is little worth.

In the Inscriptions of Christian Emperors of Constantinople, one is not seldom puzzled and perplex'd what to make of them, where one meets Initials only, as in that Medal of Constantinus Copronymus C. LEON. PAMVL. [...] (id est) Con­stantinus Leoni Perpetuo Augusto, Multos Annos, at least as Mon­sieur du Cange renders it; and in a Latin one of Antoninus Pius S. P. Q. R. A. N. F. F. Optimo Principi Pio; that is, Senatus Po­pulusque Romanus Annum Nonum Faustum, Felicem. Here also note, that F standing with P, if in Elogie of some Legion, it should be read Fidelis, as LEG. II. PART. VII. Pia VII. Fidelis, &c. Lastly,

One thing more is to be observed in Reading of Greek Inscri­ptions, (not so in the Latin) that the Proper Names does for the most part run in the Genitive, as if [...] or [...] were under­stood; so [...], the Effigies or Money of Alexander. In the Roman Medals we meet with almost all the Cases, v. g.

[Page 190] In the Good Fortune of Princes, Fortuna Augusta, Perpetua, Fortunae Felici, Fortuna Redux, Marti Ultori, Propugnatorem, &c. The same likewise of Names, as Caesar Augustus, Divi Iulii, Imp. Nervae; the Accusative excepted, or very rarely used among the Latin. Others there are more abbreviated, especi­ally Roman Titles both Consular and Imperial, and accordingly give no small Interruption to the unacquainted; we will there­fore borrow the Assistance of the LearnedHistor. Nu­mis. C. xxiii. Patin for our Tyro with some few Additions.

• A.
  • A. Aulus.
  • A. A. A. F. F. Aere. Argento. Auro. Flando. Feriundo.
  • ACT. Actiacus, vel Actium.
  • ADIAB. Adiabenicus.
  • AED CVR. Aedilis curulis.
  • AED. PL. Aedilis plebis.
  • AEL. Aelius.
  • ALBIN. Albinus.
  • AET. Aeternitas.
  • AFR. Africa, vel Africanus.
  • ALIM. ITAL. Alimenta I­taliae.
  • ANT. Antonius, vel Antoni­nus.
  • AQVA. MAR. Aqua Marcia.
  • ARAB. ADQ. Arabia Adqui­sita.
  • AVG. Augustus, vel Augur.
  • AVGG. Augusti duo.
  • AVGGG. Augusti tres.
  • AVR. vel AVREL. Aurelius.
• B.
  • BRIT. Britannicus.
  • BRVT. Brutus.
  • BON. EVENT. Bonus Even­tus.
• C.
  • CAEL. Caelius.
  • C. Caius.
  • C. A. Caesarea Augusta. Car­thago Antiqua.
  • C. vel CAE. vel CAES. Caesar.
  • CAESS. Caesares.
  • CEN. Censor.
  • CENS. P. Censor perpetuus.
  • CEST. Cestius vel Cestianus.
  • C. G. I. HP. A. Colonia Gemella Iulia Hipponensis Augusta.
  • C. L. V. Colonia Julia Victrix, vel VALENTIA.
  • CIR. CON. Circum condidit, vel potius Circenses conces­sit.
  • CIVIB. ET. SIGN. MILIT. A. PARTH. RECVP. Civi­bus & Signis Militaribus à Partitis recuperatis.
  • CN. Cneus.
  • COL. Colonia:
  • COL. NEM. Colonia Nemau­sensis.
  • CONS. SVO. Conservatori suo.
  • CONCORD. Concordia.
  • [Page 191] CL. V. Clypeus Votivus.
  • COMM. Commodus.
  • CLOD. Clodius.
  • CL. vel CLAVD. Claudius.
  • COS. Consul.
  • COSS. Consules.
  • CORN. Cornelius.
  • CVR. X. F. Curavit Denari­um faciendum.
  • CARTH. Carthago.
• D.
  • D. Decimus.
  • DAC. Dacicus.
  • D. M. Diis Manibus.
  • DES. vel DESIG. Designatus.
  • DICT. Dictator.
  • DOMIT. Domitianus.
  • D. N. Dominus noster.
  • D. D. N. N. Domini nostri.
  • DID. Didius.
  • D. P. Dii Penates.
• E.
  • EID. MAR. Idus Martiae.
  • EX. CONS. D. Consensu Decu­rionum.
  • EX. S. C. Ex Senatus Consulto.
  • EQ. ORDIN. Equestris Or­dinis.
  • EX. A. PV. Ex Argento pub­lico, vel Autoritate publica.
  • ETR. Etruscus.
• F.
  • F. Filius, vel FILIA. vel Felix, vel Faciundum, vel Fecit.
  • F F. Flando feriundo.
  • FEL. Felix.
  • FELIC. Felicitas.
  • FL. Flavius.
  • FORT. RED. Fortunae reduci.
  • FOVRI. Fourius pro Furius.
  • FONT. Fonteius.
  • FRVGIF. Frugiferae (Cereri.)
• G.
  • GERM. Germanicus.
  • G. P. R. Genio Populi Romani.
  • G. T. A. Genius tutelaris Aegypti, vel Africae.
• H.
  • HEL. Helvius.
  • HER. Herennius, vel Herennia.
  • HEL. Heliopolis.
• I.
  • JVN. Junior.
  • JAN. CLV. Janum Clusit, vel Clausit.
  • IMP. Imperator.
  • IMPP. Imperatores.
  • I. S. M. R. Juno Sospita Ma­ter Regina vel Magna.
  • ITE. Iterum.
  • IVL. Julius, vel Julia.
  • IVST. Justus.
  • H. S. Sestertius.
  • I. O. M. SACR. Jovi Optimo Maximo Sacrum.
  • II. VIR. Duumvir.
  • III. VIR. R. P. C. Triumvit Reipublicae Constituendae.
  • IIII. VIR. A. P. F. Quartum Vir, vel Quatuorviri Auro, vel Argento publico feriundo.
• L.
  • L. Lucius.
  • LAT. Latinus.
  • LEG. Legatus.
  • LEG. PROPR. Legatus Pro­praetoris.
  • [Page 192] LEII. Legio Secunda.
  • LEP. Lepidus.
  • LENT. CVR. X. F. Lentulus curavit Denarium faciun­dum.
  • LIBERO. P. Libero Patri.
  • LIC. Licinius.
  • LVD. SAEC. F. Ludos Saecula­res fecit.
• M.
  • MES. Messius.
  • M. Marcus.
  • M. Manius.
  • MAR. CL. Marcellus Clodius.
  • M. F. Marci Filius.
  • M. OTACIL. Marcia Ota­cilla.
  • MAG. vel MAGN. Magnus.
  • MAC. Macellum.
  • MINER. Minerva.
  • M. M. I. V. Municipes Munici­pii Iulii Vticensis.
  • MON. vel MONET. Moneta.
  • MAX. Maximus.
  • MAR. Martia (aqua)
  • MAR. VLT. Marti Vltori.
• N.
  • N. C. Nobilissimus Caesar.
  • N. Nepos vel Noster.
  • N. N. vel NOSTR. Nostri vel Nostorum.
  • NAT. VRB. Natalis Vrbis.
  • NEP. RED. Neptuno reduci.
• O.
  • OF. Officina.
  • OPEL. Opelius.
  • ORB. TERR. Orbis Terra­rum.
  • O. Optimo.
  • OB. C. S. Ob. Cives Serva­tos.
• P.
  • P. Publius, vel Pater.
  • P. P. Pater Patriae.
  • P. M. vel PONT. MAX. Pon­tifex Maximus.
  • P. F. Pius Felix.
  • PAPI. Papius vel Papirius.
  • PARTH. Parthicus.
  • P. L. N. Pecunia Londinii No­tata.
  • PERT. vel PERTIN. Perti­nax.
  • PESC. Pescennius.
  • P. R. Populus Romanus.
  • PR. Praetor.
  • PROP. Propraetor.
  • PROC. Proconsul.
  • PROQ. Proquaestor.
  • POMP. Pompeius.
  • PRINC. JUVENT. Princeps Juventutis.
  • P. vel POT. Potestate.
  • PERP. Perpetuus.
  • PLAET. Plaetorius.
  • PRAEF. CLAS. ET. OR. MA­RIT. Praesectus Classis & Orae Maritimae.
  • PRON. Pronepos.
  • PROV. DEOR. Providentia Deorum.
  • PRIV. Privernum.
  • PVPIEN. Pupienus.
  • PAC. ORB. TER. Paci Orbi Terrarum.
• Q.
  • Q. Quintus, vel Quaestor
  • Q. C. M. P. I. Quintus Caecilius Metellus Pius Imperator.
  • [Page 193] Q. P. Quaestor Praetorius.
  • Q. PR. Quaestor Provincialis.
  • Q. DESIG. Quaestor Designa­tus.
• R.
  • R. P. Respublica.
  • R. P. C. Reipublicae Constitu­endae.
  • RECEP. Receptis (signis) vel Receptus.
  • REST. Restituit.
  • ROM. ET. AUG. Romae & Augusto.
• S.
  • SARM. Sarmaticus.
  • SALL. Sallustia.
  • S. C. Senatus Consulto.
  • S. P. Q. R. Senatus Populusque Romanus.
  • SEPT. Septimius.
  • SER. Servius, vel Sergius.
  • SEV. Severus.
  • SEX. Sextus.
  • SCIP. ASIA. Scipio Asiaticus.
  • S. M. Signata Moneta.
  • STABIL. Stabilita (Terra.)
  • SIG. RECEP. Signis recep­tis.
  • SEC. ORB. Securitas Orbis.
• T.
  • T. Titus.
  • TI. Tiberius.
  • TER. Terentius vel Tertium.
  • TEMP. Temporum.
  • TR. P. vel TRIB. POT. Tri­bunitia Potestate.
  • TR. MIL. Tribunus Militum.
  • TRIVMF. Triumphator.
  • TREB. Trebonianus.
• V.
  • V. Quintum.
  • VII. VIR EPVL. Septemvit Epulonum.
  • VIB. Vibius.
  • VIL. PVB. Villa Publica.
  • VIRT. Virtus.
  • VIC. Victoria.
  • VESP. Vespasianus.
  • V. C. Vir Clarissimus.
  • VOT. X. MVLT. XX. Votis Decennalibus Multiplicatis Vicennalibus.
• X.
  • X. Decimum.
  • XV. VIR. SACR. FAC. Quin. decim-vir Sacris Faciundis.
  • XIV. Quartum-decimum.
  • XIIX. Octavum-decimum.

With abundance more, assistant to the Reading of such and other Inscriptions, as either occur in Medals or antient Marbles; for which may farther be consulted Goltzius, Ser­torius, Ursatus's Commentary de Notis Romanorum; or the Abbreviation of him subjoin'd to the end of Mr. Prideaux's Edition of the Marmora Oxon-Arundel. Mr. Fleetwood and o­thers.

But besides these, different are Languages and Inscriptions, according to the several Countries and Nations where Coins [Page 194] and Medals receiv'd their Stamps and Impressions; especially those of modern Times, whether Medals or Money, of which there are some Persons as Curious in Collecting, as of the most Antient; tho' they be by no means of equal Consequence to the Learned upon that Account

By the truly antient Medals (in what Countrey or Place so­ever struck) we find the Greek and Latin Tongues still pre­vailed, as the most Dominant and Universal; and as first be­gun by the Greeks the Romans followed: and even after their having subdued that Nation, yet they seemed to submit in this, and do Honor to the Greek Language in their Medals, tho' stamp'd in Italy it self, and other parts of Europe out of Greece. It is true, we meet also with some Imperial Medals Coined among the Greeks and Gauls too, wearing Latin Inscriptions, but not frequently; for the Greeks in flattery to the Emperors, and indeed before they were subdu'd, would often imitate the Latin Inscriptions, as [...] &c. for Concordia, Bona Fortuna, Providentia, &c. Medals are also found to speak the farthest Oriental Languages, Hebrew, Arabic, &c. but such as are liable to great Exceptions, as to their genuine Antiquity; tho' there may probably be many, which might perhaps have course among those Na­tions with Hebrew or Samaritan Letter, as upon the Shekel and Half Shekel, and other Pieces of various Type, as already we have shew'd. Those in Arabic are not so rare, some of them bearing the Head of Roger King of Sicily, Saladin, and other Famous Mahumetan Princes wretchedly Insculp'd. But the Punic and Carthaginian (altho' Minted in Spain, and among the Moors and Saracens in Africa, whose Inscription Characters are much alike, and pity it is they are not legible) are not to be rejected; some of them being of good Antiquity, Coin'd by the Libyan Kings since Iulius Caesar; as that of Iuba, with a Reverse in Characters, not yet revealed; and others in the Punic Letter, as what we mention'd of Queen Dido, &c. con­cerning which, Antiquaries are not yet agreed. We have also spoken of the Barbarous and Gothic, whereof some do yet retain obscure Footsteps of the Roman Majesty; as do those of Theodosius, Athalaricus, and a few of the Vandal Kings reigning in Spain and Afric, of which see Ant. Augustinus. For the rest, they are so frightful both in Figure and Letter, as betray an extream Stupidity: Very odd Inventions and extravagant Fancies we likewise sometimes meet with in divers of our [Page 195] Saxon both Coins and Marbles; of the latter of which see Copious Types in the late Edition of Cambden's Britannia ex­plained by Mr. Walker, where you have the Runic and other Alphabets out of Bouterovius, and an Account of Afred's changing the Old Saxon Letter near the Roman as then in use. Lastly, Those of the Turks struck since Mahomet, are by some thought worth notice, as of use for the History of the Caliphs and Saracen Emperors.

And now tho' both the Greeks and Latins did certainly compose the most Noble, as well as the most Antient In­scriptions, whether in respect to the Purity of the Language, or to the Proportion and Elegancy of the Letter: Yet as there is nothing under Heaven remaining long without change and alteration, so these had their Turns, Acme and Decadence at last also to a strange degeneracy. The Greeks (who as we said, struck Medals before Rome had so much as a Name in the World) us'd the large and ample Capital, without any considerable Mutation: Indeed the Letter [...] was unwrinkl'd into the smoother C after Domitian; but the Beauty of the Character lasted down to Gallienus; albeit, afterwds not al­together so full and round. In some Medals we meet with Mixtures of Greek and Latin, as E for H. O for [...]. Z for [...] and è contra, and sometimes even in the Colonies of the High Em­pire we read SRF. for CP [...] (of which the Illustrious Spanheim) and therefore one is not always peremptorily to condemn such Encounters.

Since the Reign of Constantine, for the space of Five Hun­dred years, they made use of the Latin only, tho' the Medal were stamp'd in the City, bearing his Name; yet now and then with a mixture of the Greek Character on the Reverse, v. g. [...] K. for Focas, &c. Michael Curopalata, Master of the Pa­lace, who came afterwards to be Emperor, being the First where the Legenda began to appear in Greek again; if so one may call the Tongue and Letter, both which then began to decline and be corrupted with the Latin; whilst yet the Latin Letter in its highest Perfection, Elegancy and Beauty had preserved it self as unmix'd, as it was in the Reign of Augustus: I say, till the Greek Empire it self fail'd and was no more. Tho' one might perceive it languishing, and by degrees decay from the Reign of Decius, when the Character was nothing so well shap'd and easy to be read, so that hardly one could distinguish the N from M; tho' it reviv'd again, and so conti­nued [Page 196] till Iustinian, after which it not only re [...]apsed into Rude­ness and Barbarity in Shape and Character, but the very Words and Language were corrupted: Not to insist on Orthogra­phical Errors, because they are not always an infallible Sign of a modern or uncultivated Age; since we frequently meet with V for B. O for U. F for PH. as in Danuvius, Volcanus, Tri­umfus, &c. all of antient use. Peireskius sent the Ectype of a Medal to Sir Robert Cotton, in which Britannia was with both a double and single N.

To Medal-Inscriptions of the several European, &c. Nations both of the present and latter Centuries, their most considerable Actions and Exploits, as likewise concerning Counters and Mock-Medals (which usually have the Legend and Epigraph of the Language and Letter where they are Coin'd) we have already spoken. And of such of greater Antiquity, as have their Letters so mise­rably defac'd, exeded and worn out by Tract of Time, or the Nature of the Metal, or other Accidents; that they either are not at all Legible, or with much Difficulty to be recover'd; there's nothing more to be said, but to deplore the common Loss, because there are many such; tho' there have been Attempts to restore them by Cunning Artists, with the Puntion, the use of Aquafortis and such like Corrosives; by the one to raise the Letter a new, and by the other, to take off the roughness of the Stroak, so as a Skilful Medalist shall not suddenly discover it: But when all is done, they will by no means bear a thorough Inspection, especially what they do by the Puntion. In the mean time, it seems as if some Inscriptions (tho' I remember not to have read of above one) have been very neatly Inlay'd, after the manner of Dama [...]king in Relievo, as they heretofore raised Flowers and other Fancies upon our Spurs, Knives and Sword-Handles. For such a Piece, bearing the Effigies of young Augustus (when going under the Name Thurinus) Suetonius seems to say he himself presented the Emperor, who received it as a very precious Jewel; you may be sure he means to the Emperor Trajan or Adrian, whose Secretary that Noble Hi­storian was.

And now how infinitely more easy had been the Reading of thoseIt were to be wish­ed that there were extant a yet better Alphabet of the various Characters and shapes of Letters met withal in an­tient Manuscripts, Coins and Saxon Monuments, with an Explication of the Abbreviations. See Philos. Trans. N. 189. Anno 1687. Inscriptions which succeeded the Antient ones, had they still continued the Old Capital and Uncial Letter, which [Page 197] the Barbarous Goths first deform'd both in their Coins, and indeed wheresoever they left their Cruel Marks. Thus we often meet the Micron or little o among the tallest Capitals, and so of other Letters both on Metal and Stone; and as to their Money (for one is to expect no Medal of Account from them) we sometimes find an Head with a Fillet or Coronet, without any Name at all, unless it be sometimes of the Mint: The same shew also several of our Saxon Coins, together with the Names of the Place, when struck, and Master of the Work, whereof in the Chapter following the next. In the mean while as concerning other Titles and Superscriptions, that of GRATIA DEI, &c. worn about the Head and Effigies of all Christian Princes (that of Russia, I think, excepted) how long our British Monarchs have successively Challeng'd it, is no part of our Enquiry here; and as for those we have spoken of above, let Monsieur de Cange be consulted; and for the rest (namely the genuine and truly Antient) farther facilitating the Interpretation of Titles and Inscriptions as they relate to the Topics of lawful Medal (besides Goltzius's Thesaurus, digested after the Method of Adversaria) the Learned and singular­ly Judicious Adolphus Occo, as improved by his late Editor Mezzobarbi, is so instructive as little can be more desir'd, as far as concerns the Roman Emperors, Wives and Families; and were the Second so much expected Volume publish'd, doubtless the Greek likewise.

AND thus we are almost arriv'd to the conclusive Part of this Discourse, to which after one Chapter more we shall put a Period, recommending here some brief and necessary Directions how to procure such Medals as are wor­thy the Charge and Pains of Collecting; what to Choose, Reject, Avoid, be Cautious of, that one be not Impos'd upon, with some few other Observations not Impertinent to the Subject

For the First of these: The means of Procuring the most Authentick and likeliest to be truly Antient, is frequently from Countrey People, who Labour with Plow and Spade, and such as are Employ'd in Digging about old Banks, Mounds, High-ways, Foundations and Ruins, where happly Stations, Castrametations have formerly been; where Legions have Quar­tered, Battles been Fought,Under which they used to strew Medals, as did of latter times, Pope Paul II. who caused great store of Gold and Silver Medals stamp'd with his Effigies, to be laid un­der the Foun­dations of his Buildings, More Ve­terum. Buildings and publick Works Erected, and the like. For as we noted, the Roman Wealth was dispers'd thro' all their Conquests, and that not in drib­lets and inconsiderable Sums as casually drop'd and lost, but in vast Quantities: Full Jarrs, Urns and Vessels of large Ca­pacity, being often sound deeply buried in the Earth, or left in places appearing more like deserted Caves, Vaults and Magazins, which probably were heretofore, parts of Stately Edifices, and where sometimes they might have Publick A Mint reported to be lately found at Valagnes near a large Theatre, not far from the the Sea in Bas-Nor­mandy, where was taken up a great Treasure of antient Medals, both Consular and Imperial, and abundance more, said to have been found in Denmark by Labourers this present Year. Mints, and Coin'd Money; abundance of their Flasks and Casting-Moulds, made of the finest Clay, being not seldom turn'd up among the Rubbish of such Places. There is hardly City, Town or Castle, Port, Old Roman Fosse, Causeway or Remarkable Eminency near them, whether now or anti­ently standing and appearing in any County of England, [Page 199] where Medals and Coins, Roman, Saxon, Runic, Norman, &c. have not been found, and are daily yet discover'd: Nay, I have been told that in some such likely Places, they will give more by the Acre for Land in purchase, in hope of some lucky Chance.

After this it will not be hard to satisfy some that I have known to wonder, how such mighty quantities of Treasure should be found thus buried here in Britain: It is to be con­sider'd, that the coming of the Saxons upon the Romans (nine Years after the Sack of that dominant City) was so sudden, with such a Flood, and so unexpected, that running away into France with all the hast and speed imaginable, they had no leisure to transport and carry away their Riches a­long with them, and that which they could not carry, they hid under Ground in several places, as carefully as the time would permit, not without hope that they might possibly one Day return again, as our Saxon Chronicle informs us:CHRON. Sax. Anno CCCC VIII, Hic Romani Thesauros omnes qui erant in Britannia (inventi) coacervaverunt, quorum aliquot in terra occultarunt, nè quis homo inde reperire possit, aliquot autem secum in Galliam abduxerunt, &c. I repeat this therefore, that Countrey People and Labourers should be encouraged to bring to Gentlemen what ever of this kind they commonly offer the next Market-day to the Gold­smith of the Neighbouring Town, or to some Brasier, who for a trifling piece of White current Money, gets now and then a rich Prize under a rusty out-side. These poor People seldom come to Curious and Learned Persons here, as they do commonly in Italy, and other Foreign Countries, more Inquisi­tive, and abounding in Anticaglia of this Nature: Goldsmiths, and other Shops, who expose Curiosities, and such as deal in Pawns and Brokage; Tinkers and Founders are often to be visited. Moreover, by Acquaintance and the Favour of Ambassadors, and Assistance of such Factors and Travellers as reside at Constanti­nople, Smyrna, Aleppo, Alexandria, Cairo and other parts of the Levant: But above all, Inquiry is to be made, where any Cabinets or Collections of Medals are to be disposed of, whe­ther by Auction or privatly. Since by this means (as he who would furnish his Library with excellent Books) more may happly be procur'd at once, and at tolerable Price, than one shall be able to find, and get together in many Years, by Collecting them one by one. And there is likewise this En­couragement, that Traffic for Medals between Gentlemen and [Page 200] the Curious, either by Money or Exchange, is ever esteem'd an honorable Commerce. Now as among the most Esti­mable, the Choice and Rarity of a Medal consists in its Beauty, (for it cannot, as one observes, be affirm'd of them; what the Italians say of Military Ensigns, Quanto lacera più, tanto più bella, the more torn and ragged, the more honorable;) so does it in Excellency of the Design and Workmanship of the Person, with its Historical Reverse, Legend and Inscription, whether about the Figure, or upon the Exerge; some of which there are yet so fresh and well preserv'd, as after so many Ages to look as if but newly Minted, and who would not be glad to see the Faces of those Famous Princes of Macedon, Syria, Aegypt, Sicily, Pontus, Bithynia, Mauritania, &c. of what use and utility, see Monsieur Vaillant.

One is also to consider the Composition well (or as Artists and Painters call it, the Groupe) that it be with Judgment; for the Antients do seldom crowd many Figures together, and in Clusters, but as they might stand loose and easy by one another, as one sees in Allocutions; where in one of Faustina's, tho' indeed we meet no fewer than twelve Persons, yet they are plac'd without the least Confusion. Such another is that ample and noble Medal of a like number, doing Sacrifice be­fore a Temple, [...] B. [...] with more of the like, as I find by a very Learned Persons taking occasion to speak of the [...] we so often meet withal in Medals, frequently taken for those Assemblies usually resorting to the Temple of some famous and peculiar Deity: Such, for Instance, as was that dedicated to the Ephesian Goddess, xix. Act. 35. which City the Town Clerk tells the unquiet People, was the [...] the devoted Editua or Cultrix of the Great Diana; such a­nother also was that of Aesculapius at Pergamus, that of Venus at Miletus, &c. The like Consecrated Places they flatter'd some of their Emperors with, where Conventions, Feasts, Publick Shews, Vota, Panegyrics and Speeches were made and celebra­ted upon Solemn and Festival Days; the Numerals B. [...] &c. now and then marked on the Reverse, denoting how often they had been held under such and such a Prince; the People, Inhabitants or Corporation to whom this Honor and Privi­ledge, and the Title of [...] was granted as Guardians of those Shrines and Holy Places (as now our Ladies at Loretto, St. Iames's of Compostella, &c. not failing to set it forth [Page 201] in publick Medal with all the Lustre,More of this see in a learned Passage of Clem. Ed­monds, annex'd to his Observations upon Caesar's Commentary. Pomp and Magnificence imaginable, and with the most exquisite Sculpture: But this by the way only.

With this of the Groupe, it is also requisite that a just Decorum (le Costume, as Italians call it) be duely observed, as, that the Persons represented be properly Arm'd and Vested after the Guise and manner of the Age: For Example, setting forth an Adlocution, or any such signal and solemn Occasion, that the Emperor or Tribune have on the Paludamentum; See Pet. Petit Dis­sertat. de A­mazonibus. that Amazons be Arm'd with their Pelta and Bipennis, and as these are clad, so that Genii be always represented naked and unclothed, &c.

From what has now been spoken above concerning the Number of Figures in Medal, our best Painters (and in par­ticular the Famous Annibal Carraci) would seldom or never represent above Twelve Persons in a Table or Picture, ex­cepting such an History as the Rape of the Sabines, or some Battel, rarely I think, met withal in Medal. Painters there­fore should be skill'd in these Antiquities, as well for the ac­curateness of the Design and Draught, as that both these Arts were almost Coevous in Perfection and Decadence; the one, long before the Caesars, at its height in Greece; the other, al­most totally extinguish'd, till within little more than Two Hundred Years, after it had so barbarously been abus'd and neglected for above a Thousand.

Moreover, a perfect Medal has its Profile and out-stroaks sharp (Nummus asper) and by no means rugged; the Figures clean and well polish'd; the Contours neatly trimm'd, and ex­actly round and carefully preserv'd; that the Extancy and Relievos correspond with the Ingraving, and have not suffer'd in Percussion; in all which, there is a certain Spirit of Anti­quity and Excellency to be discern'd in Antient Medals almost inimitable.

And forasmuch as some are with greater Difficulty to be met withal than others, 'tis to be observ'd, that those in Gold are most Estimable, not only for the Matter and intrinsic Value of the Species (which if truly Antique, is ever the more refin'd) but that almost universally, they are the best and rarest Medals, especially if the larger Size; those of Silver are more frequent, yet neither in abundance; for the Greeks being under the Roman Yoke, were very sparing of the more . [Page 202] precious Metals, whereas there are plenty of Copper in the smaller Volume, and of the ordinary Form and Size innu­merable, especially of the latter Empire down to Gratian, of which, store are daily found meanly sculp'd, not so thick and substantial, well finish'd and exactly round, as in the antient Medal, by any comparison.

Of this sort, namely of the smaller Size, most of all Rare and Estimable (that we may give a Tast of some few) are the Greek, of which those are to be reckon'd, as bear the Heads of their own Emperors with Greek Inscriptions, equal, if not in Number more than of Latin, and for the Workmanship, some think Superiour.

Alexander Magnus, clad like Hercules with his Club, Bows, Quiver in the Reverse.

Alexander Theopator. Silver.

Alliances. All Medals of Alliances are Good and Rare, as Cities with Cities, &c. seldom found in History.

Amyntas, King of Macedon. Gold.

Antoninus Pius with Hercules, or where Crown'd with a Victoria. Another with a Reverse of Plenty, offering the Cornucopia. Another Inscrib'd A. N. F. F Annus Novus, Fau­stus, Felix. as some read: Also with Col. Caes. Antioch. &c. A Medalion; the Reverse, Orpheus, Beasts following him. And here we are to note, that there being so many of this Good Emperor's Name, 'tis no easy thing to distinguish them from those of Caracalla and Elagabalus, both affecting the Name of that Excellent Prince, without the least Title to his Vertues. But the Usurper, or Monster rather, may be discover'd by his blubber Lip, and Caracalla by his surley and ill natur'd look; tho' the surer Mark be the Star in those Medals of Elagabalus, as the Title Germanicus to the other; but in some there is neither: Those in Greek, M. [...] ex­pressing the Name only, are the most obscure; the Heads are also less resembling. Rare is likewise this Prince with the three Goddesses and Paris. And so

Antoninus and Faustina, as are all with Two or more Heads.

Antiochus Eupator, a Medalion. Silver.

M. Aurelius, a Medalion; Reverse a Temple, with [...].

Artemisia with the Mausoleum in Reverse, a large Medal.

Britannicus, Greek; very Rare.

[Page 203] Bruti Filia, Rare. The

Caesars Heads Laureated before they came to be Augusti and Emperors.

Caracalla with the Funamble: Also a Medalion, Reverse, the Ephesian Diana betwixt Castor and Pollux.

Cities in general Rare, especially of the High Empire in Gold (few of the Antient being in Silver) if Coin'd in Italy, as were some of the Greek, and very few of the larger Copper, till Severus, but of all other Cities common: And here note, that many Cities derive their Names from Persons, and di­vers Persons from Cities, which renders us as many Heads of Homer, as Places that contend for his Birth. Rare like­wise are those Inscrib'd [...] Senatus or Conventus Senio­rum.

Colonies universally Rare, according to the Type and Hi­story; the Reverses (for Colonies are without Heads) is com­monly a single Ox, or a Yoke drawing a Cart, and led by a Priest, or with some Military Ensign, and sometimes the Cart is alone, importing that the Colony was planted by the People only; if accompanied with Soldiers, or with both Horse or Foot, the Standard shews it: Sometimes also the Legion is express'd, and now and then the Founder, v. g. Colonia Iulia Berytus, &c. of which see the Learned Vaillant. Lastly, There sometimes is the Epoch, and by the like Reverses we learn what Famous Cities had Privilege of Roman Denization, expressed by Romulus and his Brother sucking the Bitch-Wolf.

Cleopatra; Silver, Rare, and as a New Goddess [...] Gold.

Commodus, with the word Magnificentia, or the Navis fru­mentaria, as are all those Medals, where one meets it, de­noting some extraordinary Shew; and so in general are all such as mention any antient Plays and Spectacles, Certamina, Floralia. The Nemeaean Agones &c. The Pythian in Honor of Latona Tripolitanorum. Those with [...] ce­lebrating some Marriage, as that of Proserpina and Pluto: Also the Medalion where his own with the Head of Hercules, Ianus like, the Reverse, Tellus half sitting, four Figures about a Globe.

Constantinus, with the Sun stamp'd before he was Christian.

Consular, Medals in general. L. CL.

Cornelius Cossus, Rare. And so is

Crispina.

[Page 204] Didius. Decried.

Dionysius Syriacus.

Domitianus Princeps Iuventutis, with a Ram, or a Woman and an Elephantine Helmet, denoting Alexandria.

Elagabalus; Medalion, in the Reverse a Chariot, [in it an Eagle] drawn by four Horses; many others of his decried and call'd in for his Infamous Life.