THE ECCLESIASTICAL SEALS OF CORNWALL. 71 



Hitherto no description of this seal has been given. It is a 

 leaden disc, about l^- inches in diameter, and about } uf an inch 

 thick. It is stamped on both sides, and was so struck as to 

 enclose the cords (said to have been of silk) which, passing 

 through it, attached it to the document — which has perished. 

 The hole, left by the cords, extends through the seal from top 

 to bottom. 



Obverse, — Within a circle of dots, a cross rising from a base 

 which is contiguous to the lowest part of the circle, the top of 

 the cross reaching to the middle of the seal. On either side of 

 this are two dotted enclosures, intended for nimbi, containing the 

 heads of St. Paul and St. Peter, respectively, dexter and sinis- 

 ter. Above these are the following letters SPASl'E (for Sauctus 

 Paulus, Sanctus Petrus). St. Paul is shewn with straight hair 

 and long pointed beard, whilst St. Peter appears with his short 

 and crisp. 



Reverse, — Within a dotted circle, the Pope's title in thick 

 Lombardic capitals, the words being interspersed with minute 

 Roman symbols. The arrangement of them being in the follow- 

 ing order : — 



A small eagle's head erased at neck. URB 

 ANUS. Another small eagle's head erased. 



Another such head erased, PP, another erased head, VI. 



A small spread eagle. Another small spread eagle. 



A plate illustrating Papal Bulls, with very similar seals (but 

 without the eagles), may be seen in Astle's "Origin and pro- 

 gress of Writing" (p. 158). 



SEAL of a PARIS Confraternity, dug up in St. Burian 

 parish. It has been noticed and figured by Blight (Ancient 

 Crosses, &c., in West Cornwall, p. 63), and described by him as 

 being in Mr. J. J. A. Boase's possession. According to the 

 engraving the legend appears to be, 



^ : Qfratcrnttatifi : gcepconiei. bte : m : o.i : set : auffustint : 

 partcitag. 



(The Seal of the Confraternity of the Conception of the Bh^ssed 

 Mary, of the Order of St. Augustine, Paris). This inscription is 



