By the Rev. E. E. Gorldard. 57 



WILTON 



is mentioned as a borough in Domesday. The first charter was 

 granted by Henry I., others by Henry II., John, Henry III., 

 Edward I., Eiehard II., Henry IV., &c. In 1688 James II. granted 

 a new charter, but the corporation soon returned to the older ones. 

 In 1836 the corporation consisted of a mayor, high steward, recorder, 

 five aldermen, town clerk, two sergeants-at-mace, &c. In 1885 a 

 new chaa'ter was granted, and the present corporation consists of a 

 mayor, four aldennen, and twelve councillors. The robes worn by 

 the mayor and corporation and mace-bearers are of black cloth 

 trimmed with black satin and velvet. The beadle wears a dark 

 blue suit trimmed with red, knee breeches, and red stockings. 



The Maces. 



No. 1. The Great Mace is of silver-gilt, measuring 37Mn. in 

 length, and is a good example of the ornate type of later mace. The 

 only remaining hall-marks are the lion passant, and the maker's 

 mark T. I., with two escallops between the letters. 



The head has the usual open-arched crown, with the royal arms 

 on the cap with the supporters and mottos and the initials J. R., the 

 motto reading" DIE u est mon dr." Winged ai-mless caryatides 

 divide the compartments of the bowl, in which are the royal badges 

 crowned. Caryatide projections occur immediately below the bowl. 

 The bosses are chased with leaf-work, the shaft itself having a 

 spiral pattern of roses and fleux-de-lys and thistles. On the foot 

 knop is inscribed : — 



" To ffilton, in ye \&l yeare of ye reigne of King James ye %nd 

 Ano Bom 1685 By Oliver Nicholas Esqr." 



No. 2. The older Mace is a beautiful silver-gilt example of 

 the earlier tj'pe, measuring 24|in. in length. The only hall-mark 

 is a maker's mark which looks like I. G. The head is semi-globular, 

 with a cresting of fleur-de-lys, and winged cherub heads on the 

 bowl. Mr. St. John Hope thinks the open arches of the crown 

 have been added later. Their details, however, would suggest that 

 they are contemporary. On the cap are the royal arms of Charles 



