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Transnctions. 1 29 



of the inscription was ascertained. In a paper on 'Anglo-Saxon 

 Runes" (published in the "Archreologia," vol. xxviii.), Mr Kemble 

 demonstrated that the language of the inscription was Anglo- 

 Saxon, and its construction rhythmical. He showed that the 

 inscription began with the words " Christ was on the Rood," and 

 was a poetical description of the passion of the Saviour. Two or 

 three years afterwards Mr Kemble had the pleasure of seeing the 

 entire poem, consisting of 310 lines, in their southern English 

 dress, on their being published from an old English manuscript 

 at Vercelli, now known as tlie Vercelli codex. As a proof of the 

 accuracy of his translation, it may be mentioned that after 

 examining the South English copy he had only three words of 

 his translation to correct. The Vercelli codex was discovered by a 

 German, Dr Blume, in the library of the Convent at Vercelli, 

 and was copied by Mr B. Thorpe, the eminent Anglo-Saxon 

 scholar, who was sent out by the Record Commission for that 

 purpose. The codex contains six poems, namely — 1, " A Legend 

 of St. Andrew ;" 2, " The Fortunes of the Twelve Apostles ;" 

 3, "The Departed Soul's Address to the Body;" 4, " A Frag- 

 ment, Moral and Religious ;" 5, " A Dream of the Holy Rood ;" 

 6, " Elene, or the Invention of the Cross." The poems were 

 printed under the editorship of Mr Thorpe, in a volume known 

 as " Appendix to Mr Cooper's Report on Foedera," Appendix B. 

 The poem represents the sleeping Christian suddenly awakened 

 by the vision of the Cross, which appears in the sky guarded by 

 angels, and manifesting, by various changes, its sympatiiy in the 

 sufferings of the Redeemer. At length, being endowed with 

 speech, the Cross itself addresses the sleeper in impassioned but 

 dignified language, and describes its feelings on being made the 

 instrument of the sufi'erings of the Son of God. It is from this 

 beautiful part of the poem that the verses have been selected 

 for inscription in Runes on the Rutliwell Cross. 



THE RUNIC INSCRIPTION. 



In the first column we have — 



" On-geredte hinoe 

 God Alnieyottig, 

 tha he walde 

 on galgu gistiga, 

 modig fore 

 allaB men 

 bug. . . ." 



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