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Saxon Coins. TAB. VII.

ALL the first ten are of Cnut, (called the Great) [ 1] the first Danish King of England. There are very many of his Coins extant: I have only descri∣bed those wherein is some notable variety. Though Swane his father made divers conquests, and several countries as well as persons (preferring his activeness before Aethelred's sloth) not regarding the justice of the cause, submitted to him, and paid largely for his protection; yet was he never King, nor assumed (he or his son) the title; till Edmund Ironside consented, by the persuasion of a traytor, to divide the Kingdom with him. The vile but potent Edric thought that more was to be got by shoring up a new active Usur∣per, than adhering to the just cause of his true and Royal Sovereign. Nor was Cnut unmindful of him; but, according to his promise, advanced him above all the other Lords of the Kingdom, by cutting off his head, and exposing it upon a high pole. Amongst all these figures of Cnut, only one (the seventh) is with a crown; and that an open one, (contrary to that of the English Kings before him) and adorned with lilies; which would make me suspect that Coin to be counterfeit, were it not that our Historians say that when he was young he wore his Crown at the great assemblies of the Nobility, so many times in the year; as was the custom, both here, in France, Germany, and I think with all European Princes in those times. But one time, being mightily flattered by his Courtiers, he chanced to be upon the sea-banks, whither he commanded his chair to be brought; where sitting down upon the beach in great Majesty, he told the sea, that that was his land, and the water his wa∣ter; wherefore he commanded the sea to be content with its own chanel, and not cover any part of the land. Which he had no sooner said, but the water dashed upon him: whereupon he told his flatterers, that they should henceforward forbear all boasting of his power and greatness. After this, it is reported he would never wear a Crown. Others say, that he never wore a Crown after his coronation; and that then also, at his coronation, presently after the Crown was set upon his head, he took it off, and fixed it upon the head of our Saviour crucified. The ordinary covering of his head was sometimes a Mitre, (as fig. 6.) other times a cap, (as fig. 5.) sometimes a triangular covering, used after him by Andronicus the Eastern Emperor, and by St. Edward the Confessor. The reverse of the first is Farthein Monet Eoforwic, i.e. York. [ 2. 3.] Of the second, Sunolf. Of the third, Crinam. The fourth is Wulnoth. All coined at York. [ 4]

The fifth is Leodmer, and seems coined at Raculf∣minster, [ 5] now Reculver.

The sixth hath Luffwine, at Dover. [ 6]

The seventh hath Wulfric on Lunden. [ 7]

The eighth is Selwi, at Theoford. [ 8]

The ninth is Outhgrim, at York. [ 9]

The tenth is Cnut aged, with a Diadem about his [ 10] head. The reverse is Nodwin Moneta: The name of the place I cannot read. In his younger years he spared no labour, nor any art, just or unjust, op∣pression or murder; to acquire and settle the King∣dom to himself and Posterity. Which being, as well as he could, performed, he endeavoured to act more justly and plausibly, that he might retain the obedi∣ence of the people, which he had so unjustly gotten. Yet not long before his death, he dispossessed Olavus King of Norway of his dominion, about An. 1029.

The eleventh is of Harold, Cnut's second son cal∣led [ 11] for his swiftness Hares-foot. Cnut to his eldest son Suane, suspected to be none of his own, gave the King∣dom of Norway: to Harold, his second son, (by fo∣reign writers also called a Bastard) the Kingdom of England: to Hardacnut, his son by Emma, he gave Denmark. Harold's Reign was short, about four years, and employed more in endeavouring to settle his title, than perform any worthy action. The reverse is Godric at Theotford.

The twelfth is of the same, with a Diadem about [ 12] his Helmet. The reverse is Sliwine on Theodford.

The thirteenth is of Harthacnut. He reigned about [ 13] two years, and died suddenly at a great feast in Lam∣beth. Little of note mentioned of him, besides that he was very affectionate to his mother's children; and that he loved good eating, making four meals a day. The reverse is Elnwine on Wice.—perhaps Worcester.

The fourteenth is of St. Edward the Confessor; of [ 14] whom there are very many Coins still extant. I have presented only those of most variety. This represents him as a young man sitting with a staff or scepter; (which amongst the Romans was the Hasta pura and Sceptrum, sometimes made of Ivory, and many times an Eagle upon the top of it; instead of which our Kings used commonly a Cross, tho' not always of the same fashion: sometimes also a Lily) in his left hand a globe, with a cross fastened in it. This was used only by Christian Emperors and Kings, as witnessing them to have that power through the virtue of the Cross, or Passion of our Saviour. The Pagan Ro∣man Emperors used rather a stern or oar fastened to a globe, shewing that they steered the world, not expressing whence they received that power. Where∣as Suidas saith of Justinian, that in his left hand he car∣ried a globe with a cross upon it; signifying that by faith in the cross of Christ he was advanced to be Lord of the world, i.e. that he obtained that dominion by Christ crucified, but who was now made Lord of Lords, and Prince over the Kings of the earth. This

Prince was son to King Aethelred; so that in him, to the great joy of the English, (the Danish Govern∣ment being extinguished) the noble antient Saxon Line was restored. He was a Prince of very great justice, devotion, mildness, bounty, and many other excellent virtues. And indeed several things reported to his prejudice seem capable of a rational Apology; as the hard usage of his mother Emma, and his wife Edith. Neither wanted he courage or diligence: but the factions of the great nobility, and ambition of Earl Godwin, required a more severe, if not austerer Go∣vernment. The reverse Othgrim on Efrwic, I conceive to be York.

[ 15] The fifteenth is of the same Edward, but with an unusual ornament upon his head; in his hand a scep∣ter ending in a lily. The reverse perhaps is Ailmer on Scrobe. coined at Shrowesbury.

[ 16] The sixteenth is of the same, with an Imperial or close crown: his scepter hath three pearls cross-wise. On the reverse is a cross between four martlets, I sup∣pose; which was the original or first of those Arms they call of the West-Saxons (though Arms and Scutcheons, &c. are of a later invention) and are now of the City of London, and divers other places: but they are in several particulars altered from what they were in his time; perhaps for the greater beauty. The reverse of the sixteenth is imperfect. That of the [ 17] seventeenth I cannot read: perhaps it is the same with that of the nineteenth.

[ 18] Of the eighteenth the reverse is Walter on Eofer∣wick.

[ 19] The nineteenth is Edward with a crown Imperial and scepter; on it a cross like that of an Archbishop. The Reverse is Drintmer on Wal. perhaps Walling∣ford.

[ 20] The twentieth is Edward with a crown pearled: the reverse may be.... dinnit on Leicester.

[ 21] The twenty first hath another unusual orna∣ment on his head: the reverse is Sietmait on Sutho— perhaps some place in Suthfolk.

[ 22] The twenty second is of Harold, a younger son of Earl Godwin. How he gain'd the Kingdom, whilst the rightful Heir Edgar was alive, except by force and power, I know not. Some say King Ed∣ward bequeath'd it to him, conceiving Edgar not so able to govern; others that he was chosen by the consent of the Nobility; but this is not probable. But his father as long as he lived had used all means, just and unjust, to get the great offices of command into his hands, of which, coming after his death to Harold, the best and worthiest of his children, he made use accordingly. Before his reign he had shewed himself very valiant, diligent, and loyal also; at least more than his brethren: and as soon as crown'd he endeavoured by all prudent and fitting means to obtain the favour of the people. But his reign lasted not long, and was taken up with wars and troubles: At last, fighting rashly and indiscreetly with William Duke of Normandy, he was slain with two of his brethren; the third being killed before in a battle near York. And so ended the great power and ambition of Earl Godwin and his family: as also of the Kingdom of the Saxons.

[ 23] From the twenty third to the twenty eighth is Sancti Petri moneta, most of them coined at York, yet with several stamps. I am in great doubt whe∣ther these were coined for Peter-pence (or Romescot) which was an annual tax of a penny each houshold, given for the West-Saxon Kingdom by King Ina about anno 720, for Mercia by King Offa, and paid at the festival of S. Petri ad vincula. At first, some say, for the education of Saxon Scholars at Rome; but afterwards, as all grant, for the use of the Pope himself, not then so well provided as afterwards. (The like tax of three half pence and a sieve of oats for each family, was about the same time given also by the Polonians upon the same reasons.) Or whether it was the ordinary money coined by the Archbishop, whose famous Cathedral was of St. Peter. For amongst the great number of such coins I have seen very few (one is that of the 20th in this table) stamped other where. Besides there is such great variety in the stamps, that very many (more than methinks necessary for that payment) must needs have been coined: nor is the sword a proper symbol for S. Peter.

The twenty sixth. What the word in the reverse [ 26] signifies, whether the name of a person or place, I know not.

The twenty eighth and twenty ninth, St. Neglino, [] I do not understand, as neither the thirtieth. These [ 30] coins of St. Peter, with the three following, and di∣vers others scattered in the other plates, were found at Harkirk in the parish of Sephton in Lancashire, as they were digging for a burying-place; and were all af∣terwards engraved and printed in one large sheet: but having seen many of the same, it was not fitting to omit them.

The thirty one is of Berengarius King of Italy in [ 31] Charles the Great's time. The reverse shews the building of some church; what, we know not: the words Christiana Religio shew also so much.

The thirty second is Ludovicus Pius; the reve••se [ 32] much the same.

The thirty third is of Carlus Magnus; and informs [ 33] us of his true name, which was not Carolus from Cha∣rus or Carus; but Carlus in the Northern languages signifying a man, vir, or a strong man. Metullo was one of the coining places in France in his time.

The thirty fourth is Anlaf Cyning; a name very [ 34] troublesome about the times of Aethelstan, and a••ter. There seem to have been two of them; one, King of Ireland; another, of some part of Northumberland. V. Tab. 6. c. 28. What that not-unelegant figure in the midst implies, as also that in the reverse, except it be the front of some church, I cannot conceive; as neither who that Farhin or Farning was. I much doubted how Anlaf a Pagan should stamp a church with crosses upon his coin: till Mr. Charleton shewed me on a coin of Sihtric (Anlaf's father) a Christian, the very same figures; the Mint-master for haste or some other reason making use of the same stamp.

The thirty fifth is of the unfortunate Aethelred [ 35] mentioned here, because coined by Earl Godwin in Kent Whence appears what I hinted before, that the Nobility and Governors put their names upon the coins; and not only the Mint-masters, as was more frequent in France.

The thirty sixth is of Harold the son of Godwin; [ 36] the reverse is Brunstan on Lot fecit. Brunstan seems to have been only a Mint-master; where Lot is I know not.

The thirty seventh is of Harold son of Cnut. The [ 37] reverse is Leofwine on Brightstoll.

The thirty eighth hath the reverse Brintanmere on [ 38] Wallingford, as I conceive. These 3 by misfortune were misplaced, yet fit to be known because of the places of their stamping.