Beschreibung

Charles II. 1660-1685. Silver Medal 1678, 26.18 g. Murder of Sir Edmundbury Godfrey. Unsigned, by G. Bower. Bust draped, being strangled with his own cravat by two hands. MORIENDO . RESTITVIT . REM . E . GODFREY. Rv. A prostrate figure being strangled by a man leaning over him; the scene blessed by a papal figure holding a papal bull with BVLLO written on it. TANTVM . RELLIGIO . POTVIT. Edge: CERVICE . FRACTA . FIDEM . SVSTVLIT . ATLAS . XNS . 1678. 39.1 mm. Eimer 257. MI i 577/247. Sehr schön-vorzüglich / Very Fine-Extremely Fine. Feine Patina / Nicely toned. Kleine Randfehler und Kratzer / Small edge nicks and scratches.

Purchased from S & B, Great Missenden, November 1998, lot M130.

Sir Edmund Berry Godfrey (23 December 1621 - 12 October 1678) was an English magistrate whose mysterious death caused anti-Catholic uproar in England. Contemporary documents also spell the name Edmundbury Godfrey.

The inscription on the edge compares Godfrey to Atlas who required his whole vigour and strength to sustain the world while Godfrey sustained the true faith with a broken neck.