60 Notes on the Corporation Plate and Insignia of Wiltshire. 



WOOTTON BASSETT 



is an old prescriptive borough. 



In 1835 the corporation consisted of a mayor, two aldermen, 

 twelve capital bui-gesses, a town clerk or recorder, with two sergeants- 

 at-mace, a constable, and a crier. The corporation is now dissolved. 

 The robes worn by the mayor were of red cloth trimmed with black 

 velvet ; those of the aldermen and burgesses being of dark blue or 

 purple camlet trimmed with black velvet. 



The Maces. These, though much alike, are not an exact pair. 

 They bear no hall-marks. They are of silver with iron cores, and 

 the heads are heavily loaded with lead. Both are much damaged,, 

 and have been frequently mended. 



No. 1 is 15in. long. No. 2 being 14^in. They have plain semi- 

 globular heads with a cresting of fleur-de-lys and plain slender shafts 

 with only bands for bosses. Projecting from the grip at the bottom 

 are five well-developed flanges precisely of the pattern of the flange 

 of the old war mace. Mace No. 1 has these five flanges silver-gilt 

 and all of one pattern — while No. 2 has lost one, and has two 

 engraved with Elizabethan foliage. On the caps are engraved plain 

 shields of the royal arms as borne by James I., silver-gilt. There 

 is no mantling or initials or crown, only the date 1603 over the 

 shield. Mace No. 1 has the shield engraved a much larger size 

 than that on No. 2. Both have the initials R. S. on the under 

 part of the bowl of the head. 



The Sword was presented by Mr. John Attersol, one of the 

 Members for the borough in 1812, while his colleague — Mr. James 

 Kibblewhite — gave the robes. Each gift is said to have cost one 

 hundred guineas. It is really a very handsome thing, and the 

 workmanship of the gilt brass mounts is good. 



It measures 45^in. in length. The " grip " is of ivory bound 

 with silver wii-e. The *' j)ommel," " guard," and " chape " are of 

 gilt brass deeply engraved with leaf -work — the scabbard being of 

 crimson velvet edged with silver braid. The blade is straight and 

 plain without mark or inscription. 



