102 



SOME MILTON ANTIQUITIES. 



The queen holds a pair of white gloves in her right hand, and 

 on her left hand is a hawk or falcon (?) of many colours, tearing 

 the wing and claw of a bird. At her feet is an animal which it 

 would be difficult to name. The queen cannot represent 

 Athelstan's wife, as he was never married. Professor Freeman 

 states that "no trace of his queen exists in any charter, grant, 

 or document, such as attest the existence of illustrious persons 

 in the Middle Ages." Perhaps the painting represents 

 Athelstan's mother Egwynna, "femina illustris" ; as according 

 to the Register of Milton she is buried in the Abbey Church. 

 ("At Milton, Athelstan founded a Monastery and Collegiate 

 Church : to this safe and holy spot he brought the mortal 

 remains of his mother, and laid them in the holy ground. "- 

 Bishop Browne, of Bristol.'} On the other hand, doubts have 

 been cast upon Athelstan's legitimacy. In some histories, but 

 not the earliest, his mother is regarded as the concubine and not 

 the queen of Edward the Elder. 



KING ATHELSTAN. 



QUEEN EGWYNNA. (:) 



