MEDIEVAL, 14th century. Seal Matrix (Bronze, 25x20 mm, 10.00 g), British chessman type with hexagonal handle, pierced terminal, collar and orientation mark. ALAS IE SVPRIS around a bird of prey (hawk?) pecking another bird; above, six pointed star. PAS PUBLIC-CFDAF2. Minor deposits, otherwise, good very fine.


The inscription on this unusually well-preserved seal echoes the dramatic cry ‘Alas, I am taken.’ It plays on a clever double meaning: it can refer to the owner’s prowess in the hunt, but it also hints at being overcome by love - caught and held fast, the way a falcon grips its prey.

Seals pairing this motto with a falcon in the act of seizing its quarry are known from four recorded English examples (Portable Antiquities Scheme: PUBLIC-CFDAF2, PUBLIC-980697, NLM-03CF9B, HAMP-9A1767). Among them, the present piece is by far the best preserved.