[697]. Cod. Dipl. No. 813.
[698]. An edition of the Anglosaxon dialogues on this subject has been put forth by the author for the Ælfric Society. To this reference may be made for full details respecting Saturnus.
[699]. It is with no disrespect to the unrivalled powers of Scott that I enter my protest here against the false costume of Ivanhoe; a far more serious objection no doubt is the way in which his brilliant contrast, necessary to the success of a romance, has misled the historian. Had Ivanhoe not appeared, we should not have had the many errors which disfigure Thierry’s Conquête de l'Angleterre par les Normands. But when Scott makes Ulrica (Ulrica a Saxon female name!) calling upon Zernebock, as a god of her forefathers, he makes her talk absolute nonsense. Some Mecklenburg or Pomeranian Saxons, in the immediate neighbourhood of Slavonic populations, or mingled with them, may possibly have heard of their god Czerny Bog, (the black god) contrasted with Bjala Bog, (the white god), but assuredly no Anglosaxon ever heard the name of any such deity; nor does the chaunt of the vindictive lady bear one single trace of Saxon character. In every matter of detail, the romance is only calculated to mislead; and this is to be regretted, inasmuch as the beauty of the whole work renders it a certain vehicle of error;—has rendered it already a snare to one estimable author. M. Thierry has related the effect produced upon his mind by Ivanhoe. See his Dix Ans d'Études Historiques: Preface.
[700]. Deut. Myth. p. 227.
[701]. See Salomon and[and] Saturn, p. 129.
[702]. Can this word sol (perhaps sól) be a contracted form of sufl? If not, I cannot offer an explanation of it.
[703]. De Natura Rerum, cap. xv.
[704]. The name of Nerthus stands in all the best MSS. of Tacitus’ Germania, and the change of it into Herthus, though very plausible, was unnecessary. One easily sees the cause of error: it was thought that Herthus, terra mater, was the Gothic Airthus, in Old-german Erdu, in Anglosaxon Eorðe. But there is no H in these words; if there were we should have had a Teutonic Vesta. The goddess’s name was Nairthus, Nerdu, Nerðe, and her corresponding form in Old-norse, Niördr.
[705]. “In contrariam partem est auctoritas decreti xxvi. 9. y. c. epi. Ita ibi legitur. Illud non est obmittendum, quod quedam scelerate mulieres retro post Sathan converse, demonum illusionibus et fantasmatibus seducte, credunt se et profitentur cum Diana nocturnis horis dea paganorum, vel cum Herodiade et innumera multitudine mulierum, equitare super quasdam bestias et multa terrarum spatia intempeste noctis silentio pertransire, eius iussionibus obedire veluti domine, et certis noctibus ad eius servitium evocari.” Hieronymi Vicecomitis opusculum Lamiarum vel Striarum. Mediol. 1490. John of Salisbury notices this in his Polyczaticus, and Henry More in his Mystery of Godliness. See Salom. Sat. p. 125, seq.
[706]. In Beówulf he is continually called Eoten.