Cloth Seal, German, Mansfield, Image & Found by Darren Shaw.
Found in the grounds of Hinchingbrooke house, Huntingdonshire, 40mm.
Mounted knight in full armour with sabre held above head with supine dragon beneath the horse, around // Double headed crowned eagle displayed R S to sides,
Mounted knight in full armour, sabre held above head with supine dragon beneath, the horse has a caparison and three lobed plume above tail, C(OM.E.DO.I.MAN)SF.E.NO.DO.I.HE around // Double headed crowned eagle displayed R S to sides, ...O*LIVE*EVER around
A 16th to 17th century cloth seal from Mansfield Germany. The full legend would read COM E Do I MANSF E NO DO I HE translating to Comes et Dominus in Mansfield et Nobilis Dominus in Heldrungen - Count and Lord of Mansfield and Noble Lord of Heldrungen. See No.315, Fig.42 in Egan's BM Paper 93. Egan's example did not have the second disc but he quotes another from the Museum of London (MOL ABO92 acc.no. 1168) that shows the inscription being SOE LIVE ..OE.. EVER. It is difficult to reconcile this with the layout and inscription on this example. The original MOL example will be examined. However the combination of the two seals now on the Gallery with Egan's interpretation shows the full inscription on the second disc to be SOE*LIVE*TO*LIVE*EVER
