PREFACE. XVli 



quicldy, splitting their skulls with a stroke of his beak, 

 A large bird, perhaps a heron, is introduced into the 

 scene. 



Feather beds, with bolsters and pillows, were in use 

 in Saxon times. ^ 



It seemed necessary to pave the way for an examina- England 

 tion of the work now published by some such remarks ^^^' ^^^ ' 

 as these, which are not all trite or matters of course ; 

 in order that the minds of readers not very familiar 

 with these early times might give the rest of our facts 

 a readier acceptance. The entire scope and tenor of 

 all that we possess in the way of home literature, laws, 

 deeds, histories, poems, regarding these Angles and 

 Saxons, implies a tolerable degree of civilization ; and 

 many modem writers have persistently misrepresented 

 their customs, and pretended to unloose the very bonds 

 of society among them. I take leave to touch on one 

 or two points, tending still to prepare us for the facts 

 on the face of the present volume. 



Tacitus says that the German races were well pleased Coins, 

 with Roman money, and that such coins as were of 

 approved value, the milled edged, and the pair horse 

 chariot stamped,^ had currency among them. In Eng- 

 land the kings, great and small, learned to imitate on 

 their own account the currency of Eome. Writers on 

 the subject dwell upon this, and we are, in our mended 

 age, ourselves guilty of this want of originality. Saxon 

 pennies are common enough, but the numismatists say 

 that they coined no gold, because no gold coins have 

 been turned up. Saxon gold mancuses are mentioned 

 in twenty different passages of manuscripts : they were 

 not money of account, for we read of mancuses by 

 weight ; and a will, nov/ in the hands of a zealous 

 editor, settles the question by the following words : 

 " Then let twenty hundred mancuses of gold be taken 



' Gl. Soiun. p. 60 b, line 40. | - Serratos bigatosque. 



