found at Bremeridge Farm, Westbury, Wilts. 135 



covered to whom the money belonged about A.D. 1399,, and whether 

 it was hidden by a thief or by an honest man in fear of thieves, or 

 marauders, in troublous times such as attended the deposition of 

 Richard II. 



One lesson to be learnt from the particulars of this discovery is, 

 the importance of upholding the laws of treasure trove, amending 

 them if need be, and making it understood that the Treasury will 

 deal liberally with finders if they act frankly and loyally. The re- 

 search which has been made in the preparation for this paper further 

 illustrates remarkably the value of contemporary evidence, the im- 

 portance of having recourse to the most authentic sources which are 

 accessible, and the help which may be derived from numismatists 

 and heraldry, but, above all, from the fraternal intercourse and 

 readiness of communication which exist amongst antiquaries. I am 

 bound especially to acknowledge valuable hints received from Mr. 

 Franks, Mr. Bond, Mr. Poole, and other officials of the British 

 Museum and of the Mint. 



The chief points now fully illustrated, but before more or less 

 obscure, are, the hold of Edward III. on Flanders ; the significance 

 of the device of the armed figure in a ship, 1 and the special intention 

 of the text on the reverse ; the English originality of the noble, and 

 yet the French influence traceable in the cross and ornaments of the 

 reverse ; the coinage of English nobles in Flanders and their cur- 

 rency both there and in England from 1346 to 1417, i.e., seventy-one 

 years ; the identification of the Flemish nobles found at Bremeridge 

 as belonging to Philip the Bold, Duke of Burgundy, who was Count 

 of Flanders from 1384 to 1404, and not to his grandson Philip the 

 Good, who held the same possession from 1419 to 1466. 



1 In order to appreciate more fully the appropriateness of Edward III. repre- 

 senting himself as an armed figure in a ship, and also to account for the persistence 

 of this device on the English coinage, it should he remembered that he was a 

 great admiral as well as a great general, the army and navy not being distinct 

 services, as in later times, that he expressly took the command ofE Sluys, displacing 

 for the nonce the official admiral, Sir Thomas Beauchamp, that he was also a great 

 promoter of commerce, especially of the Flemish trade in wool. The form of the 

 ship is well illustrated by comparison with the illuminations of the Froissart MSS.^ 

 and with the seal of Tenterden, of which there is an impression in the Archi- 

 tectural Museum, Tufton Street, Westminster. 



