By the 'Right Rev. the Bishop of Salisbury. 233 



The only counterseal of this class not mentioned is that of Roger 

 de Mortival, representing the coronation of the Virgin. This must 

 have been a very beautiful design, in the best style of art ; but un- 

 fortunately it is broken, and the legend cannot be made out exactly. 

 Mr. Nightingale has lent me the copy of a deed dated 1325, to 

 which it was appended, but that impression too is imperfect. The 

 letters that remain appear to be : — 



DA AS REX REGINA ROGERE COronaM. 



I regret that I am unable to fill the vacant space to my satisfaction. 



Class III., from 1375 up to the latter part of the reign of Henry 

 VIII. , contains the seals of nine out of fifteen Bishops, viz. : — 



20 * Ralph Erghum, 1375—1388, afterwards Bishop of Wells. 



21. John de Waltham, 1388—1396, Lord Treasurer and Chancellor of 



Richard II. 



22. Richard Mitford, 1396—1407, previously Bishop of Chichester. 

 24. Robert Hallani, 1408 — 16, appointed Cardinal, June 6th, 1411. 



26. Robert Neville, 1427—37, son of the Earl of Westmoreland and nephew 

 to Henry VI. ; made Bishop at twenty-two, afterwards Bishop of 

 Durham. 



27 * William Ayscough, 1437 — 50, confessor to Henry VI. 



28. Richard Beauchamp, 1450—82, Chancellor of the Garter. 



29. Lionel Wydville, 1482-85, brother-in-law of Edward IV. 



34. Lorenzo Campeggio, 1524—35, Cardinal, and Bishop together of Bologna 

 and Salisbury. 



These seals are distinguished from those that precede them by the 

 legends being in black letter, and by the multiplication of niches 

 and canopies, and of figures of sacred persons and of saints in them. 

 The Bishop entirely ceases to be the principal figure, and appears 

 only in a subordinate position, as on the earlier counterseals, or not 

 at all, as on that of Robert Neville. The old counterseals in fact 

 seem to be combined with the seals, and where counterseals are used 

 they are small and of the character of gems. 



Both art and sentiment are here seen in their gradual decadence, 

 though great richness of design is often found. The materialised 

 and anthropomorphic representations of the Blessed Trinity, and the 

 exaggerated cultus of the Blessed Virgin, mark the century-and-a- 

 half which preceded the Reformation. The principal subjects repre- 

 sented are the Blessed Virgin Mary, crowned and enthroned beside 



