Cloth Seal, Somerset, Alnage, L R Ligate, 1624 onwards
Cloth Seal, Alnage, Crown over L R Ligate, Somerset, Image & Found by Doug Turner.
Found in Somerset.
Coronet over LR ligate with inscription around - SOMERSET. The other side has a single large fleur de lys.
The ligature is a similar to that on No.102, Fig.24 in G.Egan, 'Lead cloth seals and related items in the B.M. (B.M.occ.papers 93)' "The ligature is for one of the Dukes or Duchesses of Lennox and Richmond who held the alnage collection patent in the seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries."
Dating of the seal:-
"Ludovic Stuart, second Duke of Lennox (see Lennox (district)) (1574–1624), who also held other titles in the peerage of Scotland, was created Earl of Richmond in 1613 and Duke of Richmond in 1623 as a member of the Lennox line (not unlike King James himself) in the House of Stuart. These became extinct at his death in 1624, but his Scottish honours devolved on his brother Esmé, Earl of March. Esmé's son James, the fourth Duke of Lennox (1612–1655), was created Duke of Richmond in 1641, the two dukedoms again becoming united. In 1672, on the death of James' nephew Charles, 3rd Duke of Richmond and 6th Duke of Lennox, both titles again became extinct." From Wikipedia.
In 'Some account of the Stuarts of Aubigny, in France 1422-1672' by Lady Elizabeth Cust, she records the following:- "Charles Stuart, the only son of George, 10th Signeur of d'Aubigny, was born, 7th March, 1639. After his mother's death in 1650, his cousin General Charles Fleetwood took charge of his interests, and wrote to tell Secretary Thurloe, 27th September 1654, that he had lately received a letter from my Lord Aubigny's agent about the alnage duties: ..... He reminds the Secretary that Ludovic Duke of Richmond and his brother Esme, Duke of Lennox, to whom the alnage had been granted, had both died intestate [and recommends that Charles receive the alnage money]."
This suggests that the alnage rights were granted to the second Duke of Lennox, Ludovic Stuart who died in 1624, therefore it must have been granted before this date.
This is confirmed by Geoff Egan, 'Lead cloth seals and related items in the B.M. (B.M.occ.papers 93)', P.10 :-
"the Duke of Lennox ... was appointed alnager general for England and Wales in 1605."
Also WALTER ENDREI & GEOFF EGAN, The Sealing of Cloth in Europe, with Special Reference to the English Evidence:- "the 'Lenox' referred to is the second Duke, who was alnager-general for England and Wales from 1605 to 1624."
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