Stowe MS 665-666

"ASPILOGIA, sive de Iconibus scutariis gentilitiis commentarius," by John Anstis, Garter King of Arms (ob. 1745), with additions by Thomas Astle. In two volumes. The first part of Vol. 1. is divided into thirteen chapters, in the autograph of Anstis, as follows:-Chap. i.-vi. Introductory treatise on the antiquity and history of seals, and their uses and value for heraldic and other purposes. ff. 1-21;-Chap. vii. Seals of the Crown. f. 21 b;-Chap. viii. Seals of the Nobility. f. 38;-Chap. ix. Seals of Knights and private persons. f. 42;-Chap. x. Seals of Ladies. f. 53;-Chap. xi. Seals of Ecclesiastics. f. 58;-Chap. xii. Seals of Communities. f. 64 ;-Chap. xiii. Seals of Officers. f. 68. The rest of Vol. I. and the greater. part of Vol. II. (ff. 1-114) contain facsimiles and copies of charters with the seals elaborately drawn or engraved, the number of the drawings being 758. In Vol. ll., ff. 114 b-117, are found facsimile, with a few autograph, signatures of the sovereigns of England from Henry VI. to George II.; and at ff. 118, 131 are indexes (a) "Of the Names of the Persons and Societies whose Seals are delineated in these Volumes," and (b) "to the Names of Places mentioned in the charters contained in these Volumes." Paper; ff. 122, 143. XVIIIth cent. Bound in crimson calf, tooled, with the arms of Thomas Astle. Folio.