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Description: | A cast lead seal matrix, which has been carved. The seal matrix is a circular, flat type, with an un-pierced lug on the reverse. The face of the matrix is flat and circular in shape. The face of the die has been slightly damaged by an incised line cutting across some of the letters.
The lug on the reverse is irregularly shaped. It has been positioned at the ??top?? of the matrix (the lug relates to the position of the initial mark ?? indicating the beginning of the legend; showing the user of the matrix which way around to hold the seal matrix). Tapering vertically down form the lug there is small rib. Apart from these features the reverse is undecorated. The surface of the lead on the reverse has begun to deteriorate. The lead has gone a light whitish-grey colour.
The die depicts an elaborate fleur-de-lis design. The basic shape of the motif is a cross. The four terminals of the cross have been finished with a fleur-de-lis, the way in which these have been executed is not uniform. In the centre of the cross, extending outsides into each field ?? there is a small lobe.
The initial mark (at the beginning of the legend) is a diamond shape, made up of four drills. The legend is further punctuated by three vertical drills (these will be represented by a colon).
The legend reads ?? S??:IOhIS:D??:BORDE: Above the h and the D (of Borde) there is a mark indicating that these words have been shortened. This legend can be translated to mean: Sigillum Joh[ann]is d[e] la Bord[er]e (in Latin) and the seal of John Bordere in English.
A search of the Sussex Record Societies ?? Sussex Subsidies (Volume 10), revealed that a Robro le Bordere lived in Glesy (within the Medieval parish of Beckley) in the year 1296. There are also other references to the le Bordere family within the Subsidies. This example however happens to be listed in the same parish, that the seal matrix was found in. | Source: | Portable Antiquities | Creator: | Andrews-Wilson, Liz - Portable Antiquities Scheme | Identifier: | http://www.findsdatabase.org.uk/hms/pas_... | Language: | en-GB | Go to resource |
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