118 PAPERS, ETC. 



by Mr. ITaIgh seems borne out by expresslons in BicdcVs 

 Homilies. In both tliese Inscriptioiis are several blunders 

 in tlie cutting of the letters, some omitted or redundant, in 

 some cases wrong letters used. 



If, however, anything more can be made out, or any mis- 

 take has been committed in the reading, it is llkely to be 

 rectified, as the Society of Antlquaries liave had drawings 

 of this cross, as well as carefal tracings of the inscriptions, 

 submitted to them, so that it is hoped in time fall justice 

 may be done to tliese interesting reniains whicli commerao- 

 rate ladies of singular piety in a rüde and barbarous age. 



Of the persons herein coramemorated, Oedilburga is 

 doubtless the abbess who acconipanied ^fled to visit King 

 Aldfrid on his death bed, and who reported to iEddi, St. 

 Wilfred's biographer, Avhat transpired on the occasion, A.D. 

 705.* This Oedilburga appears to be twice mentioned in 

 the Chroniclesof John of Wallingford. Oedilburga, Hvvget- 

 burga, and Ecgburga were three sisters, daughtcrs of King 

 Aldwulf, King of the East Angles, and successively 

 abbesses of the monastery at Hackness, founded by their 

 great aunt. 



The name at the commencemcnt of the second inscription 

 is read by ]\Ir. Haigh, Hüjjtburga, an abbess of this name 

 occurring in the epistles of St. Boniface. It appears from 

 tvvo letters, one written A.D. 717, the other after A.D. 723, 

 that Huajtburga had resigned her charge some time before 

 the first was written, and gone on a pilgrimage to Rome. 



It will be remarked that this inscription differs from the 

 others, and seems to imply that she was then living, as 

 there is no prayer for the repose of the departed soul, as in 

 the other inscription. 



* See Notes on tJie Eistori/ of St. Beyn a.ml St. Eihl , p. 30. 



