SEAL MATRIX

Taken from HAMP-317264: Cherry (in Saunders ed. 1991, 32; ref. 13) notes that seals with such legends and devices were relatively common in the 14th century, with popularity perhaps peaking in the 1330s; many have been recorded on this database, but are more commonly of the pedestal form, with a handle.

Irene Szymanski writes that: The central lamb with a banner was a symbol of the Church; it is a visual representation of the words of John the Baptist on seeing the approaching Christ (John 1:29), 'Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!' (Vulgate Latin: ecce agnus Dei qui tollit peccatum mundi), augmented by the concept of the sacrificial lamb (e.g., Abraham and Isaac: Genesis 22:1-13). The representation of Christ as a lamb was well known before the Conquest across Europe; it is found in a wide variety of forms. Widely used in church decoration, and often survives in roof bosses, e.g., Lincoln, south aisle of nave. Legends around this device vary; this is one of the most common, others include "PRIVE SV" (IHS-2FA644); rarely personal. The owner is likely to have been a cleric or priest due to the symbolism of the lamb and banner; the banner denoted the physical presence of the owner on the battlefield, and acted as a rallying-point for troops; by analogy here, the banner denotes the presence of God in the Church, and the cleric calls men to God.