80 Notes on the Great Seals between 1648 and 1G60. officers, constituted himself Lord Protector. Five days afterwards he issued under his sign manual and private seal a commission, which the Society has, and to which I direct your particular attention. It is a commission in the name of Oliver Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland, and Ireland, and the " domions " and territories thereof; and is directed to Colonel Robert Blake, Colonel George Monk, Lieut.-General of the Ordnance, Major-General John Des- browc, and Captain "William Penn, saying " We, reposing special trust and con- fidence in your approved integrity and fidelity to the cause of the Commonwealth, and in your wisdom, courage, discretion, and experience in military and naval matters, have, with the advice of our council, nominated and appointed you, or any two or more of you, to execute the office of Admiral and General of the Fleet." The seal has the anus of Cromwell, with his quarterings, viz : 1. Sable, a lion rampant argent Cromwell alias Williams ; 2. Sable, three spear's heads argent, imbrued gules Kenvvig Sais ; [This is probably a mistake for, Sable, a chevron between three spear's heads argent, imbrued gules, for Curadoc Vreicltfras, from whom he descended. He did not descend from Kenvvig Sais.] 15. Sable, a chevron between three fleurs-dc-lys Collwyn ap Tangno ; 1. Gules, three chcvronels argent Jcstyn ap Guryant ; 5. Argent, a lion rampant sable (no coronet about his neck) Meredith, Prince of POICIJS ; G. As the first ; Crest, a demi-lion argent holding a spear or ; It differs from the Seal Manual engraved by Vertuc, b in the form of the spear held by the lion, and in having an esquire's helmet only ; Vertue's having the helmet commonly used above the arms of a king. Proceeding step by step, after the dissolution of the next Parliament on 22nd January, 1631-5, we find by the Minutes of Cromwell's Council that he ordered a new Great Seal to be made for himself as Lord Protector. The entries are : " 15th Peby. 1654-5.' Order by his Highness the Lord Protector, by and with the advice and consent of the Council : " The foregoing quarterings," says T. W. King, Esq. York Herald, F.S.A., " are taken from Vincent's Collections for co. Hunts (No. 125); those on the seal appear to he intended for them the names have been supplied from several sources in Coll. Anns. The only crest I find is that mentioned above." In Clutterbuck's Herts there is a pedigree of Oliver Cromwell (vol.ii.) In Noble's Memoirs of the House of Cromwell are banners, <tc. of his arms.
- Plate jutxi. The matrix is in the Aehmolean Museum. c Draft Council Book, vol. xlviii. p. 37.
