VI.—Notes on the Great Seals of England used after the Deposition of Charles I. and before the Restoration in 1660: by William Durrant Cooper, Esq. F.S.A.
Read December 23d, 1858.
It is many years since an impression of the Great Seal of England executed by Symons, and admitted by all to be his best work, was submitted to the inspection of the Fellows of our Society; and I believe that none of our present Fellows then belonged to us: so that its re-appearance may have in some measure the character of a new exhibition.
I do not, therefore, hesitate to call your attention to the seal; not only is it important as a work of art, and impressions of it have become very scarce, but I have this additional motive, that I am able to afford distinct evidence
1. That this seal was in use long after Cromwell's own Great Seal was made and used by his own commissioners;
2. That his own Great Seal was ordered in 1654; and
3. That the Great Seal published by Vertue,[1] in 1753, as that of the Long Parliament when it re-assembled in 1659, and inscribed "God with us, 1659," never was actually used as the Great Seal of England.
I can also add something to our printed information as to the Manual and Privy Seals of Oliver Cromwell.
The Commons having declared that the supreme power was in them, on the very day that the ordnance passed for creating a High Court of Justice, before which Charles was to be tried, on 6th January, 1648-9, a committee[2] was appointed, the members of which, or any two of them, were to take order for the framing of a Great Seal, and were to bring the form on Monday morning then next, and "the more particular care hereof is referred to Mr. Henry Marten."
On Tuesday, 9th January,[3] Col. Marten brought up the committee's report, and it was resolved, "That a great seal be graven, with the addition of the map of the kingdom of Ireland, and of Jersey and Guernsey, together with the map of England, and in some convenient place on that side the arms by which the king-
- ↑ Medals, &c. of Thomas Simon, by George Vertue. Lond. 1753. Pl. xxv.
- ↑ Journals, vi. p. 112, 113.
- ↑ Ib. p. 115.
