“Cette opinion, que je soumets au jugement des archéologues, est confirmée d’ailleurs par l’orthographe de certains mots et par l’emploi de certaines lettres dans les légendes du monument. On y trouve, jusque dans le nom du duc Guilluame et dans celui de la ville de Bayeux, des traces de prononciation anglo-saxonne: Hic Wido adduxit Haroldum ad Wilgelmum normannorum ducem; Willem venit Bagias; c’est le g saxon qui figure ici avec sa consonance hié. Wilgelm pour Wilielm, Bagias pour Bayeux. La dipthongue ea, l’une des particularités de l’orthographe anglo-saxon, se rencontre dans les légendes qui offrent le nom du roi Edward: Hic portatur corpus Eadwardi. Une autre légende présente cette indication de lieu, correctement saxonne: Ut foderetur castellum at Hestenca castra. Enfin le nom de Gurth (prononcez Gheurth), frère du roi Harold, est orthographié avec trois lettres saxonnes; le g, ayant le son de ghé l’y, ayant le son d’eu, et le d barré, exprimant l’une des deux consonnances que les Anglais figurent aujourd’hui par th.

“Ainsi, je crois, avec la majorité des savants qui ont écrit sur la tapisserie de Bayeux, que cette tapisserie est contemporaine du grand événement qu’elle représente; je pense, avec M. Bolton Corney, qu’elle a été exécutée sur l’ordre et aux frais du chapitre de Bayeux; j’ajoute, pour ma part de conjectures, qu’elle fut ouvrée en Angleterre et par des mains anglaises, d’après un plan venu de Bayeux.

“Agréez, Monsieur, l’assurance de ma considération la plus distinguée.

“AUG. THIERRY.

“Le 25 juin 1843.”

NOTE C.—[Page 25].

In the Northumberland Pipe Rolls,[118] we have an interesting trace of Edgar Atheling.—He had been owing the crown 20 marks of silver, probably for the right to institute some law proceeding. Of this sum he paid 10 marks to the Sheriff of Northumberland in 1157 or 1158, and the remainder in the following year. Ten years later he paid 2 marks to the crown for the right to bring some plea. At this time he must have been about 120 years of age. He came with his father to England in 1057, as a child; supposing him to have been 10 years of age at this period, he would be of the great age already mentioned at the time the last payment was made. How much longer he lived there is no evidence to show. The exact place of his residence, at this time, is not known. Edlingham Castle, situated about six miles to the south-west of Alnwick, has, upon the supposition that the neighbouring village of Edlingham takes its name from him (Ætheling’s ham), been by some considered to be the spot.

NOTE D.—[Page 87].

The appearances presented on the examination of the remains of St. Cuthbert in Durham Cathedral are in consistency with the opinion that the mitre was not in vogue in Saxon times. Before the body of the saint was put in the shrine in 1104, it was inspected. Reginald, who gives us an account of this circumstance, says, “Upon the forehead of the holy bishop there is a fillet of gold, not woven work, and of gold only externally, which sparkles with most precious stones of different kinds, scattered all over its surface.”[119] In 1827, when the remains were again examined, Mr. Raine tells us. “The scull of the saint was easily moved from its place; and when this was done, we observed on the forehead, and apparently constituting a part of the bone itself, a distinct tinge of gold of the breadth of an ordinary fillet.” It would thus seem that a gilded fillet was the only mitre, if such it can be called, which St. Cuthbert wore.

FINIS.
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