Clear and coloured glass panel painted with brown/black pigment and silver stain depicting the arms of Thomas Cranmer as Archbishop of Canterbury. English, about 1540.

Panel. Arms of Thomas Cranmer, as Archbishop of Canterbury (1533-1556), with his motto, Nosce te ipsum et Deum, on a scroll below. The shaped escutcheon, Canterbury impaling Cranmer differenced with a crescent, is surrounded by a border of rosettes and foliage. The painting is in dark brown and silver-yellow, the design being partly executed by means of abrasion.

Bequeathed by Mr Henry Vaughan

Bequeathed by Henry Vaughan.

Note in Register: Bedford's 'Blazons of Episcopy'. The notes attached to panel - "Cranmer 1533-56 chevron between 3 cranes sable arms changed to pelicans. Henry VIII ready as he said to shed his blood for his little ones. Noscitur (sic) ipsum et Deum. Know thyself and God. The Pallium of the See of Canterbury. The gateway of the Bishop's Palace at Bekesbourne (all that remains of the Palace) bears the same motto as the glass Nosce teipsum et Deum and the date 1552 - 4 years before Cranmer's death. See Murray's handbook, and Britton & Brayley. The crescent, red with white centre, indicates that the arms were those of a SECOND son. Aslacton, scallope shells refer to great grandfather of Cranmer.

2311-1900