[36] A possible source of error in the communications, which may describe occasionally as still existing, things which have perhaps been rooted out by vandals of modern date.
[37] I.e., the Abbot's "rebus" (F.B.B.). A rebus is the enigmatic equivalent of a name. Many of these are known to have been adopted by Bishops and other ecclesiastics of note. In the case of Bere, the significance is obvious. Where a name ended in "ton," as Morton, Pereton, etc., a "tun," or barrel, has been used to complete the rebus.
[38] This seems written in defence of the feminine form "Phocis" used in the original. This is the right Greek form for the country, whereas "Phocas" would be the proper form in which to designate a man of Phocis. A correspondent had raised this point in a letter to F.B.B., but J.A. was totally unaware of it.
[39] The right forearm was afterwards found to be fractured.
[40] Radulphus Cancellarius. This we supposed, at first, to refer to the great Radulphus or Ralph (FitzStephen), who was responsible for the rebuilding of the Abbey Church after the great fire of 1184; but this would be eighty-three years after the time of Turstin, first Norman Abbot (1082-1101). Malmesbury tells us of the trouble that ensued from the tyrannical methods of Turstin, and the slaughter of the monks by hired soldiers. But the story of Eawulf is new.
[41] Eawulf, Yarl of Edgarley. The name was quite unknown to us. Edgarley is about a mile out of Glastonbury on the south-east. There is an ancient chapelry there, dedicated to St. Dunstan. Subsequent reference to the old English Chronicles brought to light the following entry under date A.D. 885:
"Eanwulf, Earl of Somerton, buried in Glastonbury Abbey." Somerton is about six miles from Glastonbury on the same side as Edgarley—i.e., south. This is interesting, as suggesting a family name perpetuated for some six generations, or about 200 years, in the district.
[42] Turstin, whose violence caused his dismissal by the King, and exile for a time to Normandy, was succeeded by Herlewin, whose Saxon name receives interesting corroboration by the script.
[43] Written "Turstinus."
[44] Which may be freely translated as: "Listen to me, you very dull barbarians!—to me, the Emperor, who have been trying to make these things clear to the minds of you islanders."