1'45. Rapin, xiv. 2. Van Loon, IV. 104.
MB. At. Hague, At. Gotha, At. Rare.
On this medal the sun, the symbol of Louis, is setting,
and the legend alludes to the title of Neptune, which he had
assumed upon his medals, and also to the fulsome flatteries
which his courtiers sometimes addressed to him. The type of
the reverse of this and the preceding medal is the same in idea
but differently treated. It is possible that the design was
suggested to both artists and that neither copied from the other.
255. B a t t l e o p L a H o g u e . ^ May, 1692.
Two officers in a naval car, &c.; same as the reverse of the
preceding.
Rev. The blowing up of Le Soleil Royal; her stern decorated
with a meridian sun, and the motto n e c - p l v r ib . im p . (Not
unequal to many.) Leg, nvnc p l v r ib v s im p a r . (N ow unequal
to many.) Ex. b r it : b a t : q . v ir t v t e m d c x c ii. (By
the valour of the British and the Dutch, 1692.)
1‘45. Rapin, xiv. 3. Van Loon, IV. 104.
MB. At. Hague, 2R. Gotha, At. Very rare.
Louis XIV. took for his emblem the sun with the well-
known motto “ Nec pluribus impar” ; it decorated the stern-of
Le Soleil Royal, which bore Admiral de Tourville’s flag in the
Battle of La Hogue. He singled out Admiral Russell, and
after a most severe contest was obliged to be towed away.
His ship was so much damaged that it had to be run ashore
at Cherbourg, where, with others, it was burnt to the water
by Admiral Delaval. Thus perished the finest ship at that
time in Europe. The legend is a retort upon Louis’s motto.
256. B a t t l e o p L a H o g u e . May, 1692.
Bust of Louis XIV., r . , hair long, no drapery. Leg. lv d o -
VICVS MAGNVS * REX.
Rev. The blowing up of Le Soleil Royal, &c.; similar to
the preceding.
1-5.
B. H. Van Gelder, AI, Gotha, At. Very rare.
This medal was made in Holland : it is not by Jan Smeltz-
ing, but by one of the medallists who so frequently copied his
designs.
257. B a t t l e o p L a H o g u e . -A-| M a y , 1692.
Bust of William III., r., laureate, hair long, in figured
armour, with lion’s head and straps on the shoulder, and
mantle round the breast. Leg. in v ic t is s im v s g v il l e lm v s .
mag . Below, p . d . w : (F. D. Winter.) n . c . a . p . (Neale,
Custos Artifex Primus.) Same as Nos. 157, 175, 210.
Rev. Inscription, pu g a t is e x . m ar i . b r it a n g a l l is . in -
CENSA CAPTA . DESTRUCTA . OLASSE . POEDISSIMUM . AD . LITTORA .
MONUMENTUM PSEUDO NEPTVNI . GALLICI LUDOVICI . x t t t t . M. S .
MDCXCII. (The French having been driven from the British
seas, their fleet burnt, taken, or destroyed, this most disgraceful
monument upon the coasts of the false French Neptune,
Louis XIV., is dedicated to his memory, 1692.) Branches of
laurel above and below.
1*85. Rapin, xiii. 8. Van Loon, IV. 102.
MB. At. Extremely rare.
For an explanation of the initials on the obverse see No. 62,
Vol. I. p. 637. By the monument referred to in the inscription,
the artist could only have meant the sunken and burnt hulks of
the French vessels. This medal was executed in England, and
lacks the pungent satire of the Dutch medallists.
258. B a t t l e o p L a H o g u e . May, 1692.
Bust of William III., r., laureate, hair long, in mantle.
L e g .WILH . I l l . D . G . ANG . SCO . FR . ET HIB . REX, DEF . FID.
Below, g . h . (Georg Hautsch.) Same as Nos. 37, 146, 224.