122 THE EAGLE. 



The well-known crest of the Eagle and Child, 

 borne by the Stanley family, is supposed to have 

 been founded upon a tradition of one of their 

 ancestors, when a child, having been carried off by 

 an Eagle; and a story is told in a very old book on 

 English history, which, whether true or not in all 

 its particulars, proves at least the prevailing belief, 

 that Eagles occasionally flew avvay with children: 

 indeed, there was an ancient Act of Parliament 

 " anent the slaying of the Erne," that is, concerning 

 the slaying of the Erne, the name of a particular 

 species of Eagle, in which, on account of its being 

 "a terror to farmers, from fowls to children," a reward 

 was granted to the person who should destroy a nest 

 or a bird. The story alluded to from the above- 

 mentioned old book * is as follows : " Alfred, king 

 of the West Saxons, went out one day a hunting, 

 and passing by a certain wood, heard, as he supposed, 

 the cry of an infant from the top of a tree, and 

 forthwith diligently inquiring of the huntsmen what 

 that doleful sound could be, commanded one of 

 them to climb the tree ; when in the top of it was 

 found an Eagle's nest, and lo ! therein, a pretty sweet- 

 faced infant, wrapped up in a purple mantle, and 

 upon each arm a bracelet of gold, a clear sign that 

 he was born of noble parents. Whereupon the king 

 took charge of him, and caused him to be baptized, 

 and because he was found in a nest, he gave him 

 the name of Nestingum, and, in after time, having 

 nobly educated him, he advanced him to the dignity 

 of an earl." 



In all the above instances of carrying away 

 * Monast. Aug., Vol. I. 



