Henry Frederick

Henry Frederick, Prince of Wales (1594-1612), death, silver medal, 1612, by Charles Anthony, bust of Prince Henry three-quarters left, in decorated armour and lace collar, HENRICVS PRINCEPS, rev., crowned shield of arms, FAX MENTIS HONESTÆ GLORIA, 28.5mm (MI 200/29; H & P Pl. 27, 7; Farquhar I, 214). Very fine and very rare.

The reverse legend, FAX MENTIS HONESTÆ GLORIA, was used as a motto by Prince Henry and James I was to use it some 7 years later as the motto for the Knights of Nova Scotia. It is a quotation from a long and truly epic poem, Silius Italicus's Punica, Book vi, 332; translates as "Glory is the flame of an honourable mind".

Provenance: Bt. S. Lipton, November, 2000.