COMMONWEALTH.]

HONORARY MEDALS.

9

of Dunbar contain his effigy, and the battle in the distance, with the inscription

WORD AT DUNBAR, THE LORD OF HOSTS SEPTEM. THE 3, 1650;

and on the reverse is a representation of the Parliament. 5

A Medal called “ The Medal of the Parliament” seems to have been soonafterwards instituted; for on the 27th of August 1651, the House resolved,“ that a Chain of gold, with the Medal of the Parliament, to the value of£100, be sent to Colonel Mackworth, Governor of Shrewsbury, as a markof the Parliament’s favour, and good acceptance of his fidelity; and that theCouncil of State do take care for the providing the same, and sending it forth-with.” 6 The service thus rewarded, consisted in Colonel Mackworth’s havingrefused to surrender the castle and garrison of Shrewsbury, when summoned bythe Royal forces. 7

The “ Medal of the Parliament” cannot be described with certainty; but itwas distinct from the Naval Medal of the Commonwealth, and is presumed tohave had on one side the effigy of the victorious General, and on the other, theParliament. Several other Medals were however struck, and were no doubtworn by officers and soldiers as Honorary Badges, containing the effigy ofKing Charles the First, or Prince Rupert, or Sir Thomas Fairfax, or his son,or the Earl of Essex, or the Earl of Manchester, or the Earl of Dunfermline,or General Rossiter, or of other Parliamentary Generals; and on the reversewere their several Names or Arms, or a representation of the Parliament, or thewords, meruisti, or, pro religione lege rege et parliamento, or, forking and parliament: 8 but the exact history of these decorations has notbeen discovered.

On the 31st of July 1653, the English Fleet under Generals Blake and Monk,supported by Vice Admiral Penn and Rear Admiral Lawson, gained a signalvictory over the Dutch off the Texel; and on the 8th of August the House ofCommons passed the following resolutions. “ Resolved on Mr. Moyer’s Report

5 Medallick History of England, Plate xxii., and Simon’s Coins, Plate xii. There are twosizes of the Dunbar Medal.

6 Commons Journal, vol. VII. p. 7. i Ibid.

8 See Engravings of these Medals in “ The Medallick History of England,” Plates xxi, xxm,xxiv, and in “ Simon’s Medals and Coins,” Plates x, xi, xv. A silver gilt Medal, with a ring,struck in commemoration of Sir Thomas Fairfax’s success over the Royal Army at Nasebyin June1645, has on one side, his effigy, inscribed tho. Fairfax miles, milit. parl. dux gen. and,on the reverse, meruisti, within a circle, with the words, post h^c meliora 1645. Many of theMedals or Badges mentioned in the text, are in the collection of Edward Hawkins, Esq. of the BritishMuseum.

C