22 
Perhaps the most singular example of the imitation of the coin of 
one nation by another is that practised by the Arab Moslems, 'vrho 
placed on their coins the heads of the Byzantine Emperors nrith 
Latin letters on the reverse, forming the initials of a Mahommedan 
confession of faith, In Nomine Domini Non Est Dens Nisi Dens, or 
In Nomine Domini Miserentis Misericordis.^*' In this case the object 
of the imitation does not appear to have been to defraud, but merely 
to take advantage of a type generally recognised in the commercial 
dealings of the East. It is possible that this may have been the 
case with some of those which we call Counterfeit Sterlings, and 
that they only prove the estimation in which the English silver 
coinage was held in the Low Countries. The coinage of Edward 
the Confessor appears to have been imitated by a contemporary 
King of Ireland. Num. Chron. I., 78. Oim English Kings struck 
coins for their dominions in France. Hemy II. acquired by 
marriage the duchy of Aquitaine, and put Aquitaxie on his coins. 
On Henry the Sixth’s coronation, a. d. 1423, coins were issued with 
the Legend, Ebaxcouijm et Axglie Eex and Sit Nomex Dxi 
Bexedicttjm, and the shields of England and France, the lilies 
being placed quarterly in the shield of England. 
April 7.—The Pev. J. Kexrick read an extract from a commu¬ 
nication he had received from the Pev. W. GreenweU, relative to 
the explanation of the devices on the boss of a shield found in the 
Tjme, together with one of the cheek pieces of a hehnet. “The 
shield has eight divisions, each containing some device. 1. A 
naked figure, holding something over his head, which appears to 
be blown out by the wind. 2. A figure with a spear and shield, 
possibly Mars. 3. A naked figure with a scjdhe. 4. A naked 
figure, holding a bunch of grapes in one hand and a basket in the 
other. 5. A bull, above it a crescent. 6. A figime, clothed appar¬ 
ently in skins. 7. The standard of the legion. 8. A boss, with an 
eagle, and a wreath round it. 1, 3, 4, 6, I take to be the four 
seasons; 5, the emblem of the legion. The owner has rudely 
punched his name where I have placed a row of dots. So far as I 
can make it out, for there is a slight damage at the commencement, 
it reads ON MAGN E IVNI DYBITATI. f Circular bosses have 
been frequently found, but I believe this is the first instance of the 
* Salatier, Monnaies Byzantines i. 89. 
t Dulitatns is a name whicli occurs in inscriptions. Grater, dccxxxi. 1. 
MCXXXI. 8. 
