212 TRANSACTIONS OF THE PLYMOUTH INSTITUTION. 
name was so derived, also showed that certain place-names, with 
which the family names of Edye, or Eddy, were connected, had 
undergone somewhat analogous changes. 
The great difficulty in settling definitely the origin of the name 
is, that our earliest instance of it is of the date of 1478 only. 
Captain, now Major Edye, pointed out that philological experts, 
like Professor W. W. Skeat, were of opinion that the Edi, or Ede, 
of the early forms of Eddystone, might very possibly be derived 
from one of several Anglo-Saxon personal names, or from the 
word Eadig = happy, fortunate = saint, which is constantly found 
spelled Edi in the 13th century. 
The authorities cited by Major Edye, with those whom I have 
myself consulted, are quite conclusive as to the etymological 
possibility of the derivation of the prefix Eddy in this way. 
But these authorities equally agree that it may just as well have 
been derived in the way I shall endeavour to show later on. 
To my mind the objections to the view that the prefix is a 
corruption from some personal name are too serious to admit of 
that solution of the question. Places with designations derived 
from personal names obtain these appellations through some 
connection between the person and the place, either of possession, 
or of residence; or on account of the occurrence at the place of 
some special event in his history. Now at the Eddystone only 
the last of these reasons is applicable, for no one could have ever 
lived upon it, or had it for a possession. 
We can only suppose, then, that some prominent Anglo-Saxon 
chief might have met his death on the Eddystone, or been wrecked 
upon it, and fortunately escaped death. 
But is it likely that if such a thing happened all trace of the 
event or of the particular person would have perished Eor his 
name to have been given to the rock he must have been some one 
of great importance ; and if so, it is not likely that the individual 
and the event which is supposed to have caused the original name 
to be given to the Eddystone would have been lost sight of 
altogether. 
The fact of the Casquets, off Alderney, being the place where 
the son of Henry I. was lost, is kept in memory, though the 
name has no connection with the event. The very circumstances 
of the Eddystone would render utterly improbable the idea that 
its name could have been derived from the Anglo-Saxon word 
