232 On the Seals of the Bishops of Salisbury. 



unknown to our annalists, since he is onlyset down as Canon of Lincoln 

 and Lichfield ; or that the ordinance of Archbishop Boniface was 

 somehow or other superseded. Then comes his seal as " elect and 

 confirmed/' which is interesting as being the only one of our series 

 which has any reference to the Papacy. It has the legend : — 

 S* ROBERT! DEI GRA. ET Sedis aplke eleCTI ET CON FIRM ATI SARUM. 



It represents the Blessed Virgin Mary with the Infant Saviour on 

 her left arm under an elaborately-canopied niche : below is a priest 

 praying. This seal has a counterseal of the same character. The 

 use of the word Sarum appears for the first time on these two seals, 

 but it does not come into general use at any time in the series. 

 Lastly he has a beautiful seal, apparently to be dated some years 

 after he had become fully Bishop, in which, having climbed to power 

 by the aid of the Pope, he discards all mention of his aid, and 

 simply writes : — 



S' ROBERTI DEI GRACIA EPI SARESBIRIENSIS. 



In this the mitre is enriched, the staff crocketted, the hands gloved, 

 the border of the chasuble embroidered, as also the sleeves and 

 skirts of the dalmatic, and the niche and canopy work more elabo- 

 rated than any that have preceded. On two of the pillars of the 

 niche are hung shields, the dexter of the arms of England, the 

 sinister the Royal arms in the rarer form of England (1 and 4) and 

 France, ancient (2 and 3), quartered. It is said that Edward IIL, 

 who became King in 1327, first quartered the arms of France in 

 1889. If this be the case, this seal must have been a new one, ! 

 made in compliment to the King, nine years or more after Wyvill j ji 

 became Bishop; and during his long episcopate it was natural that at 

 he should require more than one seal. This would be an admirable % 

 seal to engrave, but unfortunately, though I have two examples of | 

 it, they do not make up one complete specimen. Another imperfect 

 copy of this seal is described in the Proceedings of the Society of | 

 Antiquaries, vol. iv., p. 18, 1859, attached to a deed dated 1355. It | % 

 gives the owner's arms at the base, the cross fretty between four i w 

 mullets, which are defaced in my examples. I have to thank Mr. 

 J. E. Nightingale, of Wilton, for this reference. \\ 



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