From the godlike or heroic sons of Wóden descend all the races qualified to reign, and some of those whose names are found in the Anglosaxon genealogies may be easily recognised in the mythological legends of the continent. In some one or other of his forms he is the eponymus of tribes and races: thus, as Geát or through Geát, he was the founder of the Geátas; through Gewis, of the Gewissas; through Scyld, of the Scyldingas, the Norse Skjoldungar; through Brand, of the Brondingas; perhaps through Bætwa, of the Batavians[[638]]. It seems indeed not wholly improbable that every name in the merely mythical portion of the genealogies represents some particular tribe, under the distinctive appellation of its tutelar god or hero; and that we may thus be led in some degree to a knowledge of the several populations which coalesced to form the various kingdoms.
Legends describing the adventures of Wóden either in a godlike or heroic form were probably not wanting here, or in Germany; it is only in Scandinavia that a portion of these have been preserved, unless the tales of Geát and Sceaf, to be hereafter noticed, are in reality to be referred to him. Equally probable is it that he had in this country temples, images and religious rites, traces of which we find upon the continent[[639]]; and that trees, animals and places were consecrated to him[[640]]. So numerous indeed are the latter, so common in every part of England are names of places compounded with his name, that we must admit his worship to have been current throughout the island: it seems impossible to doubt that in every quarter there were localities (usually rising ground) either dedicated to him, or supposed to be under his especial protection; and thus that he was here, as in Germany, the supreme god whom the Saxons, Franks and Alamans concurred in worshiping. The following names of places may all be unhesitatingly attributed to this cause, and they attest the general recognition and wide dispersion of Wóden’s influence.
Wanborough, formerly Wódnesbeorh, in Surrey, lat. 51° 14´ N., long. 38´ W., placed upon the water-shed which throws down streams to north and south, and running from east to west, divides the county of Surrey into two nearly equal portions, once perhaps two petty kingdoms; the range of hills now called the Hog’s-back. It is a little to the north of the ridge, nearly on the summit; the springs of water are peculiarly pure and never freeze. In all probability it has been in turn a sacred site for every religion that has been received in Britain. Wanborough, formerly Wódnesbeorh in Wiltshire, lat. 51° 33´ N., long. 1° 42´ W., about 3½ miles S.E. of Swindon, placed upon the watershed which throws down the Isis to the north, and Kennet to the south. Woodnesborough, formerly Wódnesbeorh, in Kent, lat. 51° 16´ N., long. 1° 29´ E., throwing down various small streams to north and south, into the Stour and the sea. Wonston (probably Wódnesstán) in Hampshire, lat. 51° 10´ N., long. 1° 20´ W., from which small streams descend to north and south, into the Test and Itchen. Wambrook (probably Wódnesbróc) in Dorsetshire. Wampool (probably Wódnespól) in Cumberland. Wansford (probably Wódnesford) in Northamptonshire. Wansford in the East Riding of Yorkshire. Wanstead (probably Wódnesstede) an old Roman station in Essex. Wanstrow, formerly Wódnestreów Wanborough or Warnborough, formerly Wódnesbeorh, two parishes in Hampshire. Wembury, formerly Wódnesbeorh, in Devonshire. Wonersh (probably Wódnesersc), a parish at the foot of the Hog’s-back, a few miles from Wanborough. Wansdike, formerly Wódnesdíc, an ancient dike or fortification, perhaps the boundary between different kingdoms: it extended in a direction from east to west through more than one of our southern counties. Its remains are visible three or four miles W.S.W. of Malmesbury in Wiltshire, and it crosses the northern part of Somerset from the neighbourhood of Bath to Portshead on the Bristol Channel, where it ends in lat. 51° 29´ N., long. 2° 47´ W.
In addition to these references, which might be made far more numerous, if necessary, we have many instances in the boundaries of charters, of trees, stones and posts set up in Wóden’s name, and apparently with the view of giving a religious sanction to the divisions of land. In this, as in other respects, we find a resemblance to Hermes. It is also to be borne in mind that many hills or other natural objects may in fact have been dedicated to this god, though bearing more general names, as Ósbeorh, Godeshyl and so forth.
One of the names of Odin in the Old-norse mythology is Osk, which by an etymological law is equivalent to the German Wunsch, the Anglosaxon Wisc, and the English Wish. Grimm has shown in the most convincing manner that Wunsch may be considered as a name of Wuotan in Germany[[641]]; and it is probable that Wúsc or Wísc may have had a similar power here. Among the names in the mythical genealogies we find Wúscfreá, the lord of the wish, and I am even inclined to the belief that Oisc, equivalent to Ésk, the founder of the Kentish line of kings, may be a Jutish name of Wóden in this form,—ésc, or in an earlier form óski, i. e. Wunsch, Wýsc[[642]]. In Devonshire to this day all magical or supernatural dealings go under the common name of Wishtness: can this have any reference to Wóden’s name Wýsc? So again a bad or unfortunate day is a wisht day: perhaps a diabolical, heathen, accursed day. There are several places which appear to be compounded with this name; among them: Wishanger (Wíschangra or Wóden’s meadow), one, about four miles S.W. of Wanborough in Surrey, and another near Gloucester; Wisley (Wíscleáh) also in Surrey; Wisborough (probably Wíscbeorh) in Sussex; Wishford (probably Wíscford) in Wiltshire.
2. ÞUNOR, in Old-norse ÞORR, in Old-german DONAR.—The recognition of Ðunor in England was probably not very general at first: the settlement of Danes and Norwegians in the ninth and following centuries may have extended it in the northern districts. But though his name is not found in the genealogies of the kings, there was an antecedent probability that some traces of his worship would be found among the Saxons. Thunar is one of the gods whom the Saxons of the continent were called upon to renounce, and a total abnegation of his authority was not to be looked for even among a race who considered Wóden as the supreme god. That the fifth day of the week was called by his name is well known: Thursday is Ðunres dæg, dies Jovis; and he is the proper representative of Jupiter, inasmuch as he must be considered in the light of the thundering god, an elemental deity, powerful over the storms, as well as the fertilizing rains[[643]]. His peculiar weapon, the mace or hammer, seems to denote the violent, crushing thunderbolt, and the Norse myth represents it as continually used against the giants or elemental gods of the primal world. In a composition whose antiquity it is impossible to ascertain, we may still discover an allusion to this point: in the Christian Ragna Ravk, or Twilight of the Gods, it was believed that a personal conflict would take place between the divinity and a devil, the emissary and child of Satan: in the course of this conflict, it is said: “se Ðunor hit þyrsceð mid ðǽre fýrenan æxe,” the thunder will thresh it with the fiery axe[[644]]; and I am inclined to see a similar allusion in the Exeter Book, where the lightning is called rynegiestes wæpn, the weapon of Avkv Ðórr, the car-borne god, Thunder[[645]].
The names of places which retain a record of Ðunor are not very numerous, but some are found: among them Thundersfield, Ðunresfeld, in Surrey[[646]]; Thundersley, Ðunresleáh, in Essex, near Saffron Walden; Thundersley, Ðunresleáh, also in Essex, near Raylegh, and others in Hampshire[[647]]. Near Wanborough in Surrey is Thursley, which may have been a Ðunresleáh also: it is unlikely that it was ever Ðóresleáh, from Ðórr (the Norse form of Ðunor), but it might have been Ðyrsleáh, the meadow of the giant or monster. Very near Thursley is a hill called Thunder hill, probably Ðunres hyl. A similar uncertainty hangs over Thurleigh in Bedfordshire, Thurlow in Essex, Thursby in Cumberland, Thursfield in Staffordshire, and Thursford in Norfolk[[648]]. The name of Ðunor was, to the best of my knowledge, never borne by any man among the Anglosaxons, which is in some degree an evidence of its high divinity. The only apparent exception to this assertion is found in an early tale which bears throughout such strong marks of a mythical character as to render it probable that some legend of Ðunor was current in England; especially as its locality is among the Jutish inhabitants of Kent. According to this account, Ecgbert the son of Eorcenberht, the fourth Christian king of Kent, had excluded his cousins from the throne, and fearing their popularity determined on removing them by violence. The thane Thuner divined and executed the intentions of his master. Under the king’s own throne were the bodies concealed; but a light from heaven which played about the spot revealed the crime: the king paid to their sister the wergyld of the slain princes: a hind, let loose, defined the boundaries of the grant which was to make compensation for the murder: forty-eight hides of land thus became the property of Domneva, and the repentant king erected upon them a monastery. The assassin Thuner, however, added to his guilt the still higher atrocity of sneering at the king’s repentance and its fruits: the earth suddenly opened beneath his feet and swallowed him; while the church placed the names of his victims, Æðelred and Æðelberht, on the list of its martyrs. Any comment upon this, as a historical transaction, would be perfectly superfluous, but it may possibly contain some allusion of a mythological nature; for it seems that the very fact of Ðunor’s not being a god generally worshiped in England, would render him likely to form the foundation of heroic stories. I will not absolutely say that the dragon-slaughter of Beówulf is a direct reference to the myth of Ðunor, though this is possible. Another hero of Anglosaxon tradition bears the name of the “Wandering Wolf;” he slew five-and-twenty dragons at daybreak, “on dæg-ræd;” and fell dead from their poison, as Thórr does after slaying Midgard’s orm, and Beówulf after his victory over the firedrake. The wolf however is a sacred beast of Wóden, and these names of Wandering wolf, Mearcwulf, etc. may have some reference to him, especially as we learn from Grimm that in some parts of Denmark the wild huntsman, who is unquestionably Wóden, bears the name of the flying Marcolf[[649]]. The heathen character of the whole relation is proved by the fact of the “famous sailor on the sea,” the “wandering wolf” being represented as the friend of Nebrond, probably Nimrod[[650]].
One of the names by which Ðunor is known in Germany is Hamar[[651]], which was perhaps originally derived from his weapon. This has become almost synonymous with devil. Perhaps the same allusion lurks in one or two names of places in England: in the immediate neighbourhood of Thursley in Surrey, and at a short distance from Thunderhill, are some ponds known by the name of the Hammer-ponds. It is remarkable that within two or three miles of Thursley and the Hammer-ponds, three singular natural mounds which form most conspicuous objects upon a very wild and desert heath, should bear the name of the Devil’s Jumps, while at a short distance a deep valley is known by that of the Devil’s Punchbowl, probably at some early period, the Devil’s Cup, Ðunres-cup or the Hamar-cup. The word Hamarden occurs in the boundaries of charters[[652]]; and other places recall the same name: thus Hameringham in Lincoln, Hamerton in Huntingdon, Homerton in Middlesex (hardly Hammersmith in Middlesex), Hamerton Green in Yorkshire, Hamerton Kirk in Yorkshire, Hammerwick in Staffordshire.
3. TIW, the Old-norse TYR, and Old-german ZIU.—The third day of the week bears among us the name of the god Tíw, the Old-norse Týr. In like manner we find him also giving his name to places. In the neighbourhood so often referred to in this chapter, and which seems to have been a very pantheon of paganism[[653]], not far from Thursley or from Wanborough, we find Tewesley, which I have no scruple to pronounce the ancient Tíwesleáh. Tísleáh[[654]] seems to denote the same name, and it is probable that even a race acknowledged this god as its founder,—the Tiwingas, who gave their name to Tewing in Herts. Tiwes mére[[655]] seems to be the mere or lake of Tiw, and in another charter we have also Teówes þorn[[656]], which goes far towards substantiating the German form Ziu.
The Anglosaxon glossaries are perfectly accurate when they give the rendering Mars for Tíw[[657]], and Tíwesdæg is rightly dies Martis. It cannot be doubted that our forefathers worshiped this god, as a supreme giver of victory, and especially a god of battle, in some parts of Scandinavia and Germany; whether or not in England appears doubtful. In the mythology of the North he is the bravest of the gods, the one who did not scruple to place his hand in the mouth of the wolf Fenris, when he demanded a pledge that the gods would unbind the chain they had forged for him, and on their breach of faith Týr paid the penalty[[658]]. The Roman historian tells of the Hermunduri having vowed to sacrifice the beaten Catti to Mercury and Mars, by which vow the whole of the horses and men belonging to the defeated force were devoted to slaughter. Jornandes says of the Goths, “Martem semper asperrima placavere cultura; nam victimae ejus mortes fuere captorum, opinantes bellorum praesulem aptius humani sanguinis effusione placatum[[659]].” Procopius tells the same tale of his Θουλίται, that is the Scandinavians: τῶν δὲ ἱερείων σφίσι τὸ κάλλιστον ἄνθρωπος ἐστιν, ὅνπερ ἂν δοριάλωτον ποιήσαιντο πρῶτον· τοῦτον γὰρ τῷ Ἄρει θύουσιν, ἐπεὶ θεὸν αὐτὸν νομίζουσι μέγιστον εἶναι[[660]]. The Norse traditions, although they acknowledge Oþinn as the giver of victory, are still very explicit as to Týr: he is particularly Wígaguð, deus praeliorum, and an especial granter of success in battle, “rǽðr miöc sigri í orostom[[661]].” Perhaps the Tencteri may be added to the number of those who paid an especial honour to Týr (in German Ziu), since Tacitus makes them say, “communibus deis et praecipuo deorum Marti grates agimus[[662]],” where it is not at all necessary to suppose Wóden is meant; and Grimm has good reason to number the Suevi among the worshipers of Ziu[[663]].