The numismatic chronicle and journal of the Royal Numismatic Society

232 G. F. HILL.
It is not the crest of Ramsey of Etonbridge ; and yet the
first and third quarters of the shield make me think that
the thing has something to do with some Ramsey or other.
I suggest that it may have been Robert Ramsey (or Ramsay),
a musician of some repute, who flourished between 1609 and
1639. He was Mus. Bac. of Cambridge in 1616, and organist
of Trinity College."
In a subsequent communication Mr. Dorling says :
"Miscellanea Genealogica et Heraldica, New Series, vol. i,
p. 89, proves to my satisfaction that the arms are not
those of the Irish Rams. There is mention there of one
Stephen Ram of Ramsford, co. Wexford, who bears indeed
Azure a chevron ermine between three rams' heads razed
argent, but with five other quarters, all totally different
from those on the medal."
So much for the heraldry and the person represented.
Possibly the publication of this beautiful piece of
engraving may lead to identification on the lines sug-
gested by Mr. Dorling.
I propose to take this opportunity of discussing the
method by which these plaques were produced. 1
In the Medallic Illustrations the plaques by Simon
van de Passe, like the silver map of Drake's voyage,
are described as being stamped in imitation of engrav-
ing. Sir John Evans 2 was the first to state a theory
of the way in which this could be done. He believed
that the process was as follows ;
"
First a copper-plate
was engraved or etched after the manner of line en-
1 There are some who, admitting that the plaques were engraved
separately, yet think that the counters, which exist in such numbers,
were, at least in many cases, struck from dies. I do hot propose to
examine the question of the counters, especially as Miss Farquhar
intends to make a study of them, from the point of view of chrono-
logy as well as of technique.
2
Proceedings Num. Sac., 1902, pp. 33, 34.