THE EAGLE. 
119 
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 olf 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 away with children : 
indeed, there was an ancient Act of Parliament 
44 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 
44 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 : 44 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. Ang. } Yol. I. 
