lis ANCIENT POKTKAITL'KES OF OUK LORD. MVNDi. On the reverse (in small capitals), '• rnesentes fioure ad similitiKlincm Domini Ihesu Salvatoris nostri et apostoli Pauli in amiraMo imprcsse per magni Theucri pre- deccssoris antea singulariter observate misse sunt ab ipso magno Tlicucro s. D. x. Pape lunocencio octavo pro singiilari clenodio ad hunc finem iit suuni fratrcm captivum retineret." Here it will be observed that the true motive seems for the first time to be expressed, ^which induced Bajazet to propitiate the Pope in favour of the captive Zcmes. His desire Avas in fact not to redeem his brother from captivit}', but to ensure liis safe custody ; to this end, as alleged, i3ajazet engaged to remit to the Pope annually 40,000 gold crowns, for fear lest Innocent should release the prisoner, on account of the expense of maintenance. Innocent, it is believed, had been desii-ous to retain Zemes for certain political reasons, pro- bably at the instance of Sultan Bajazet, with whom Zcmes had violently contested the sovereignty. Zemes remained at Rome till the invasion of Italy in 1489 by Charles VIII. of France, to whom he was delivered up, and died not long after, as suspected, by poison. This medal, of the obverse of which a rcpi-csentation accompanies these Notices, measures 3| in, in diameter ; around the head there is a cruciferous nimb, the limbs of the cross are pierced, as shown in the woodcut. Tiie face is rather long, in prolile to the left, and of Ilebi'ew expression, somewhat deficient in grace and dignity. The type, how- ever, is evidently identical with that from which the various paintings above described were taken. At the top there is a small loop for suspension. There is also in the Iving's Cabinet, as I am informed by Mr. 1 ranks, the com))anion medallion of ►St. Paul, to which the inscri])tion on lliaL last described makes allusion, it bears the head of the apostle, to the right, with the inscrip- tion — VAS i:m:ct1()NIS pavi.vs ai'o.stoi.vs. On the reverse — " licncdicite in oxcelsis Deo domino do fontibns Israel ibi boni anirni adcjlosccntulus in mentis cxcessu." In the ][useum colk'Ction there is moreover a me<lallion with the h(>ad of GUI- Loid oil the obverse, and that of Si. r.iiil on the reverse. it is with gratification that 1 would here mention the fiif iidly courtf.'.sy oi" .Mr. lortMinM, wlio.so troasmcs of medi- eval art have so often been IVccly pj.-iccd :[ our ilisposal. I am indebted to him for another e.ani])le of tlio striking
Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 29.djvu/148
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