Leechdoms, wortcunning, and starcraft of early England. Being a ...

PREFACE.
XVli
quicldy, splitting their skulls with a stroke of his beak,
A large bird, perhaps a heron, is introduced into the
scene.
Feather beds, with bolsters and pillows, were in use
in Saxon times. ^
It
seemed necessary to pave the way for an examina- England
tion of the work now published by some such remarks
as these, which are not all trite or matters of course ;
in order that the minds of readers not very familiar
with these early times might give the rest of our facts
a readier acceptance. The entire scope and tenor of
all that we possess in the way of home literature, laws,
deeds, histories, poems, regarding these Angles and
Saxons, implies a tolerable degree of civilization ; and
many modem writers have persistently misrepresented
their customs, and pretended to unloose the very bonds
of society among them. I take leave to touch on one
or two points, tending still to prepare us for the facts
on the face
Tacitus says
of the present volume.
^^^' ^^^ '
that the German races were well pleased Coins,
with Roman money, and that such coins as were of
approved value, the milled edged, and the pair horse
chariot stamped,^ had currency among them. In England
the kings, great and small, learned to imitate on
their own account the currency of Eome. Writers on
the subject dwell upon this, and we are, in our mended
age, ourselves guilty of this want of originality. Saxon
pennies are common enough, but the numismatists say
that they coined no gold, because no gold coins have
been turned up. Saxon gold mancuses are mentioned
in twenty different passages of manuscripts : they were
not money of account, for we read of mancuses by
weight ; and a will, nov/ in the hands of a zealous
editor, settles the question by the following words :
" Then let twenty hundred mancuses of gold be taken
'
Gl. Soiun. p. 60 b, line 40.
|
- Serratos bigatosque.