MEDAL. 
jKedallionS, the edge of the piece is two or 
three lines thick, where the relief is three 
or four. A hollowness is, indeed, given in 
the ancient to the inner field around the 
relief, both to give more elevation and 
boldness, and that the edge may something 
protect the subjects of the field.” The 
medals of Charles would, without doubt, 
have exceeded all others made by his pr e- 
decessors, in a very great proportion, had 
his politics been more successful : still they 
deserve approbation ; though Simon, em- 
ployed by the Commonwealth and Crom- 
well, soon after his death surpassed them. 
Had this celebrated artist received the pa- 
tionage of the dethroned monarch, in a 
state of peace, the correctness of his judg- 
ment and experience must have produced 
most superb pieces, which would probably 
have rivalled those of the Greeks when in 
the zenitli of their fame. 
Charles II. had several good medals, par- 
ticularly the three struck on his leaving 
Holland, at the Restoration, and at. his 
Coronation. Catherine of Portugal, his 
consort, decorates some, one of which has 
her head, and on the reverse Pietate 
Insignis, Mr. Walpole comnjunicated to 
Mr. Pinkerton, from Vertue’s manuscripts, 
an account of a rare and singular medal, 
made by command of this licentious mo- 
narch, representing the Duchess of Ports- 
mouth on the obverse, and Cupid on a 
wool-pack on the reverse ; besides the 
above there are the Favente Deo ; the Pro 
talibus ausis; and the Felicitas Britannice. 
The same author adds, “ The short reign of 
James II. has several medals. The most 
remarkable are the Nemo me impune laccs- 
set; that with his queen, Fortes Radii sed 
Be)ugni; those on the Pretender’s birth, 
Felicitas Publica. Others have Orbata luce 
luciduin obscurat; Magnis interdum puna 
nocent ; Pro glandibiis A urea poma.’’ 
The Pretender, though unsuccessful in his 
attempts to regain the throne of his fore- 
fathers, and an exile to the hour of his 
death, vyh® still so much of an Englishman as 
to require notice in this article, particularly 
as his history is a collateral branch of that 
of England : this Prince caused a medal to 
be struck by the Papal medallist, Hame- 
rani, on the occassion of his intended cqn- 
.sort’s escape from the arrest procured by 
the English minister at Vienna, and which 
took place in the Tyrol, on her way to the 
Pretender. The lady was represented on 
the obverse by her bust, with the legend 
Clementina M, Britan, Fr. ^ Hib, Regina ; 
and on the reverse she is shewn seated in a 
chariot, giving the rein to two horses which 
are drawing it at full speed, the legend 
Forlunam Causamque sequor ; and on the 
exergue, Deceptis Custodibus, mdccxix. 
Another medal was struck by him on the 
birth of his eldest son ; this exhibits the busts 
of the Prince and Prince.ss, with the legend 
Jacob. III. R. Clementina R.; and the re- 
verse has the lady supporting the child on 
her left arm, which rests on a pillar, an em- 
blem of constancy, the right hand extend- 
ed points to a globe, presenting England, 
Scotland, and Ireland, with the legend 
Providentia Obstetrix; the exergue, Carolo 
Princ. Vallice. Nat. Die ultima, A. m.vcc.xx. 
To return from this digression to the time 
of James II. That weak and unpopular king 
either caused or permitted malignant me- 
dals to be circulated satirizing Monmouth’s 
rebellion, and exulting in his death ; the 
legends on those was Parum successit feci 
sedulo; superi risere ; Caput inter nubila; 
Providentia improvidentia, S^c. The leign 
of William III. was productive of a series 
of most uncommon events, each of which 
made admirable subjects for medals ; indeed 
his birth was celebrated by the striking of 
one, representing his mother on the obverse, 
and himself in childhood on the reverse. 
After his accession to the throne of Eng- 
land, he had his own bust and that of 
Queen Mary almost universally placed on 
the obverses of his medals, particularly in 
tliose known by the following legends ; the 
Ataius par nobile ; Atarum pro libei'tate ; 
Nec Lex est juslior ulla ; Nisi lu quis tem- 
perit ignes, Sj'c. : others, which have the 
king’s bust alone, are the Apparuit et dissi- 
pavit the Gul. Nass. in Torbay, Sfc. ; the 
Victis ac fugatis Hibernis-, the Imperium 
pelagi nobis; the Nunquam impune lacessi- 
tus, S^c. 
Equally fortunate and prolific in great 
events was the reign of Anne. This Queen, 
illustrious in virtue, perpetuated the vic- 
tories achieved by her armies, under the 
incomparable Duke of Marlborough, in a 
regular series of medals ; but here we are 
compelled to cease. Although the subsequent 
history of this country linnishes repeated 
occasions for a rich display of medallions, 
they have nearly been passed unnoticed in 
this particular ; and most of the medals v.'e 
possess, of modern execution, have been 
struck by private persons, sometimes to 
honour the memory of worthy men, but 
generally to procure present emolument; 
in the latter class, may be included Dassier, 
