found at Bremeridge Farm, Westlury, Wilts. 127 



particularly of Louis IX. (St. Louis), A.D. 1226—1270. This king 

 copied his florin from the " fleur de lis " of Florence, and afterwards 

 originated the " agnel d'or," having on the obverse an " Agnus Dei," 

 with the inscription " Agnus Dei qui tollis peccata mundi miserere 

 nobis," and on the reverse " XPC vincit XPC regnat XPC imperat." 

 This coin with its inscriptions was imitated by Edward III. of 

 England and by John II. of France. Hence the " aignels d^or," 

 afterwards vulgarly called " moutons d'or/^ when the sacred signifi- 

 cance of the emblem was forgotten. 



The inscription " XPC vincit, &c.," was continued on the gold 

 coins of France till Louis XVI. ^ 



French example and art had doubtless great influence in England, 

 but the particular device of the armed figure in the ship and the 

 quotation from St. Luke were originated by Edward III, and his 

 advisers. 



The significance of the armed figure in a ship and of the quota- 

 tion as being both commemorative of the great naval victory off 

 Sluys, 24th June, 1340, is clearly explained by Thomas de Burton, 

 who was elected Abbot of Meaux, in Yorkshire, A.D. 1396 : — 



" Ipsae autem naves Prancorum prius catenatae erant, ne ab invicem possent 

 separari. Sed, ante primum congressum, Edwardo rege cum sua classe fugam 

 simulante, catenas suas rumpebant, et regem Edwardum inordinate sequebantur. 

 Quod videns Edwardus Eex, ordine disposito per medium ipsorum transibat, et 

 de illis victoriam ut praedicitur adeptus est. Quapropter iste rex Edwardus im- 

 pressionem monetae suae aureae f ecerat commutari. Unde in suo nobili, dimidiam 

 marcam valente, ex una ejus parte navem cum rege armato in eo contento, regio 

 nomine circumscripto, et ex altera ejus parte crucem imprimi constituens, banc 

 circumscriptionem adhibuit, ' Jesu autem transiens per medium illorum ibat.' " * 



' Cf. " Tresor de Numism," above cited, p. 3. The agnel d'or as adopted by 

 Edward III. or the Black Prince, had edwaed inscribed under the feet of the 

 lamb in place of lvd. hex. 



Since the above paper was printed in " Archseologia," vol. xlvii., I have found 

 that the words Christus vincit, &c., are prescribed with triple iteration at the be- 

 ginning of a litany of the time of Charlemagne, A.D. 800, in Pai-is MS. 13159, 

 quoted in " Swainson on Creeds," p. 351, note, cf . p. 352 ; London, Murray, 1875. 



An Edwardian agnel is in the British Museum, and also agnels of John II. of 

 France, &c. J. Baeon. 



• *' Cluon, Monast. de Melsa," toI. III., p. zxidi, 45. 



