Medieval Bronze Double Seal Matrix

On a heater-shaped shield with pierced loop at the apex, three horizontal bars with the remains of red enamel; possibly descended from Rochefort de Chars of Gasc. 10.05 grams, 39.64 mm



Found Norfolk, UK, circa 1990s.

Of chess piece type with looped handle; the shield-shaped die with a stag's head, cross above and an inscribed panel above. 5.47 grams, 20 mm



Found Northampton, UK.

The cross alludes to the Vision of St Eustace (also of St. Hubert) who saw the Crucifixion between the antlers of a stag. For a similar seal see PAS database SWYOR-1ES497 where the inscription above reads LELS (for LEL SV, ‘I am loyal’) – the present inscription is probably a debased version of this.

Formed with a slightly curved profile and with suspension loops; buff-coloured. 298 grams, 26.5 cm



Acquired 1990s-early 2000s. East Anglian private collection.

Apart from badges as souvenirs of visits to various saints’ shrines, pilgrims might also bear away with them various noise-making items such as horns, whistles, rattles and bells. The miniature horn-shaped lead whistles known from London and Salisbury bear various inscriptions including bla me [blow me] and ave maria. In the contemporary ‘morality’ play Mankind (c.1465-70) of East Anglian provenance, the character Nought says I kan pype in a Walsyngham wystyll, which suggests that such souvenir whistles were available from the shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham too, and that already such ‘tourist’ trinkets were regarded as a proverbial type of worthlessness, ‘not worth a whistle’, indeed.