Nomos 17

NETHERLANDS. The Dutch Republic. Medal (Silver, 71 mm, 110.00 g, 12 h), on the lynching of the De Witt brothers in the Hague, by P. Aury (1622-?), 1672. IOHANNES DE WITT NAT A 1625 CORNELIVS DE WITT NAT A 1623 Busts of the De Witt brothers facing each other; on the left, armored bust of Cornelius facing right; on the right, civil bust of Johannes facing left; below the busts, AVRY - FEC; on ribbon floating below busts, HIC ARMIS MAXIMVS ILLE TOGA (=one was great in war, the other in peace); behind the head of Johannes, INTEGER VITAE (=irreproachable in his conduct); behind the head of Cornelius, SCELERIS-QVE PVRVS (=free from crime). Rev. NUNC REDEUNT ANIMIS INGENTIA CONSULIS ACTA ET FORMIDATI SCEPTRIS ORACLA MINISTRI (=Now we recall the character of the great deeds of our burgomaster; and the speeches of our minister of state made kingdoms tremble) The De Witt brothers, heroically nude, attacked and killed by a many-bodied monster composed of savage animals (bear, bull, boar, unicorn, lion, tiger and horse); below left, AVRY.F; around, wreath entwined with a ribbon inscribed, MENS ACTIAT MOLEM ET MAGNO SE CORPORE MISCET (=Virgil, Aeneid 6, 724 one primal Mind, immingled with the vast and general frame, fills every part); in exergue, NOBILE PAR FRATRVM SAEVO / FVROR ORE TRVCIDAT. / XX AVGVSTI. (=This noble pair of brothers was put to death by an inhuman frenzy, 20 August 1672), with the year as a chronogram. Scher, The Proud Republic, 39. TMNK 00798. Van Loon III, pp. 81-82. Rare and of great historical importance. Somewhat polished surfaces, otherwise, extremely fine.