(His shield the security of the plundered.) Ex. A sm a ll
scroll.
2-8. Med. Hist. x. 7. Letters of Shelley, Lond. 1774,
front. Gent. Mag. 1785, p. 713.
MB. M . Hunter, At. Bodley, At. Bibl. Paris, M.
Berlin, M. Rare.
This fine medal is cast and chased and of Italian work. It was
probably executed at Venice. Sir Bichard Shelley, of a family
long settled at Michelgrove, Sussex, was born in 1514, and
was the son of Sir William Shelley, Judge of the Common
Pleas. He became one of the Knights of Malta, Grand Prior
of England, and consequently Turcopolier or Colonel-General
of Infantry in the Order. On the accession of Elizabeth he
retired to Spain, where he was well received and employed in an
embassy to the Emperor. He acquired the friendship and
confidence of the Grand Master, Jean de la Valette, and
assisted in the defence of Malta. On a new Grand Master
being appointed, Shelley retired to Venice, where he seems to
have entered into correspondence with Burghley and Walsyng-
ham, and was employed in several negotiations for Elizabeth
concerning the Levant trade. He probably died at Venice,
where he was called II Conte Conchilia, a translation of his
name. Some notices of him occur in Strype’s Memorials, and
a few of his letters were printed, from originals’in the British
Museum, in a thin quarto pamphlet, now very rare, entitled
“ Letters of Sir Bichard Shelley, who was the last English
Grand Prior of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem, serving to
illustrate the annexed Engraving of two curious inedited Medallions
in his Majesty’s Collection.” (London, 1774.)
The existence of so many varieties of his medals indicates
the popularity which Shelley enjoyed-.
73'. Sib B i c h a r d S h e l l e y . 1577.
Half-length figure of Shelley, r., &c.; same as the preceding.
Rev. Shield and crest- of Shelley, &c.; similar to the preceding,
but in much higher relief. Leg. p r o . f i d e . s p o l i a t i .
c l y p e v s . o b s e s . (His shield the security of the plundered for
faith.) Ex. A large oak branch.
2-8.
MB. ¿E. Bare.
Cast and chased. This medal and the next one are also of
Italian work.
74. S i r B i c h a r d S h e l l e y . 1577.
Half-length figure of Shelley, r., &c.; same as No. 72.
Rev. A griffin, I., ducally gorged, in a landscape. Leg.
PATRIARVM . e x c v b i t o r . opvm. (The guardian of his country’s
riches.)
2-8- Letters of Shelley, Lond. 1774, front.
MB. lead. Very rare.
Cast. A griffin’s head was the crest of Shelley, and the
legend alludes to the story of the war between the Arimaspi
and the griffins to steal the gold watched over by the latter.
It has been conjectured that this legend refers to the success of
Shelley’s negotiations respecting the Levant trade.
75.- _ - - . S i r B i c h a r d S h e l l e y . 1577.
Half-length figure of Shelley, r., &c.; similar to No. 72,
but armour more richly decorated and scarf tied round left
arm. Leg. r i c a r d v s . s c e l l e i v s . p r i o r . a n g l l® . Below,
BERN ..RANTWIC . f . (Bernard Bantwic fecit.)
^ Rev. A griffin, I., ducally gorged, &c. ; similar to the preceding,
but varied.
2’8. Med. Hist. x. 7.
MB. AS. Hunter, At. Berlin, M.
Cast and chased. This medal is copied from the preceding
one, but slightly varied, and is the work of a German artist
named Bernard Bantwic.
76. S ib B i c h a r d S h e l l e y . 1577.
Another, with figure of Shelley as on No. 72, but with inscription
on raised border, letters Smaller.
No reverse.